5. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Sequel to: Spider-Man (2002)
What makes it good: Between college, a job, a girlfriend, and a secret life as a spandex crusader, Peter Parker is starting to buckle under the pressure. The arrival of a tormented cyborg scientist isn’t exactly helping. With excellent set pieces, performances, and story, Spider-Man 2 is a blockbuster bonanza with heart.
What makes it better: Better jokes, darker tone, richer emotional core — Spider-Man 2 beats out the original on just about every level. As much as I love a good ham (sorry Dafoe), Molina’s operatic villainy is the jewel in SP 2‘s crown.
Iconic moment: “Put your arms up — all of them!”
4. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Sequel to: The Godfather (1972)
What makes it good: Delving into themes of power, loss, heritage, and the moral abyss, Godfather Part II broadens its humble scope to a grand, ruthless, historical epic.
What makes it better: Is The Godfather a masterpiece? Yes! It was nominated for nine academy awards and won three! Is The Godfather II a slightly better masterpiece? Yes! It was nominated for nine academy awards and won six! Al Pacino puts in a more nuanced performance as a heart-hardened Michael, and the Robert De Niro-starring flashbacks of Vito Corleone are utterly engrossing.
Iconic moment: “My offer is nothing.”
3. The Dark Knight (2008)
Sequel to: Batman Begins (2005)
What makes it good: Dialed up to eleven, The Dark Knight brings bombastic action, a show-stopping villain, and a brooding, genre-defining grit.
What makes it better: While Batman Begins is a better Batman movie, The Dark Knight is, ultimately, a better film. In no small part thanks to Heath Ledger’s unforgettable performance.
Iconic moment: The tumbler chase.
2. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Sequel to: Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
What makes it good: Dark, mature, involving, Empire Strikes Back skirts the expectations of its campy-leaning origin to deliver something more operatic.
What makes it better: Thanks to the incredible world-building of New Hope, Empire is able to come out swinging with more characters, deeper emotional substance, and higher stakes. It features one of the best twists and best cliffhangers in cinema history— it can’t be topped!
Iconic moment: “NOOOOoooOOooOoo!”
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Sequel to: The Terminator (1984)
What makes it good: T2 is a genre showstopper about outrunning time-traveling robot-assassins and preventing Armageddon. It’s also about a boy searching for a dad. Heartbreaking, thrilling, and jaw-droppingly ambitious on James Cameron’s part, this film is a goddamn masterpiece.
What makes it better: T2 took a contained sci-fi thriller, made its villain the hero, its damsel a badass, and blew the lid off the world-building of its predecessor while being a genuine continuation of its storyline. Its bigger, badder, and a stone cold classic.
Iconic moment: “Wolfie’s fine honey.”
That’s all folks! See you in the sequel.
Related Topics: Sequels, Update The Lists
