10. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Sequel to: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
What makes it good: A Shakespearian meditation on the burdens of leadership, Dawn’s technical and narrative ambition pay off in spades. Hail, Caesar!
What makes it better: Dawn is a huge leap forward, pitting humans against apes in an apocalyptic, cross-species stand-off. It’s easily the most terrifying and emotionally complex entry in the franchise.
Iconic moment: Monkeys! On! Horses!
9. Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
Sequel to: Lethal Weapon (1987)
What makes it good: With off-center wit, entertaining action, and energy to spare, Lethal Weapon 2 is a crackling entry in the buddy cop canon.
What makes it better: Where Lethal Weapon flirts with comedy, Lethal Weapon 2 buys comedy a drink and asks it out on a date. With any whiff of seriousness extinguished (hellooooo, toilet bomb!), Lethal Weapon 2 goes full camp and is all the better for it.
Iconic moment: “Big smiles! Big smiles! Big! Smiles!”
8. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Sequel to: Frankenstein (1931)
What makes it good: Featuring two of cinema’s most famous hairdos, director James Whale hits a career high with this moody, extravagant entry into the Universal monster cannon.
What makes it better: With a richer, more developed story, Bride of Frankenstein is high camp at its finest, tinged with all the pity, terror, and hope that comes with wanting to be loved.
Iconic moment: “She hate me, like others.”
7. Evil Dead II (1987)
Sequel to: Evil Dead (1981)
What makes it good: Ghoulish gore undercut with manic goofs, Evil Dead II takes up residency somewhere between a laugh and a scream. Twisted, hammy, and endearingly demented, it’s one of cinema’s best horror comedy offerings to date.
What makes it better: Where the oddity of Evil Dead was naught but a twinkle in Bruce Campbell’s chin sweat, Evil Dead II retains the charm of its predecessor and leans into full-blown lunacy.
Iconic moment: “Swallow this!”
6. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Sequel to: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
What makes it good: Turning an old villain (Ricardo Montalbán) into an iconic adversary, Wrath of Khan is pensive, action-packed, and a whole lot of fun.
What makes it better: Star: Trek The Motion Picture is…bad. After an overhaul by Paramount, Wrath of Khan earned a warmer reception and is rightly praised as being truer to the spirit of the series. Wrath of Khan isn’t just great “for a Stark Trek movie,” it’s one of the best sci-fi ventures of the 80s.
Iconic moment: Ceti eel torture
Related Topics: Sequels, Update The Lists
