Figuring out how to write a sequel to a popular film is one of the most difficult tasks a screenwriter can undertake. Meeting the expectations raised by the original can sometimes seem like an insurmountable task. Most of the time, they succeed. The Godfather 2 is considered one of the greatest films of all time, along with films like The Empire Strikes Back And The Two Towers.

However, many fans are a little too harsh on the sequels. Often times they criticize the flaws and tear the movies apart when in reality they aren’t that bad in the grand scheme of things. These ten sequels deserve a second chance.

10 Iron Man 2’s strengths outweigh its flaws

Iron Man is one of the most beloved comic book movies of all time. It introduced fans to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — which, at that point, was little more than a few standalone films that seemed to be building toward something. So it made sense that Iron Man would be the first hero to get a second film — even if he turned out to be one of the franchise’s biggest initial disappointments. Upon its release, Iron Man 2 The film has been accused of incorporating too many plot points and losing sight of what made the original film special. It ranks low among most MCU films.

However, Iron Man 2 is far from irredeemable. It introduces Natasha Romanoff, one of the most interesting and beloved characters in the entire franchise. Whiplash, while perhaps not getting as much screen time as fans had hoped, is a compelling villain. Tony’s arc himself follows an interesting trajectory, and the audience learns more about who he is and what makes him tick – especially since his mental health is one of the main focuses of the Iron Man films as a whole.

9 Back to the Future 3 concludes the trilogy in a satisfying way

Back to the future doesn’t necessarily feel like a property that needed a sequel in the first place. The story of the first film was resolved fairly well by the end of the film, which made it all the more surprising that the second installment in the series ended up being a success. It subverted the premise of the original film by sending the characters into the future rather than focusing on their attempt to return to the present, allowing for speculation about what life would have been like in 2015. For many, this was the most the franchise could do – which made the release of the third film in 1990 all the more shocking.

However, Back to the Future 3 doesn’t deserve most of the hate he getsespecially from modern-day fans. The choice to travel to the Old West sets it apart from the rest of the franchise, which focuses on fairly quiet moments in time, all things considered. It allows the series to end in a satisfying way without giving up too much room for unnecessary sequels or dragging it out longer than necessary. And, on top of that, it’s a genuinely interesting exploration of life in that era that allows Marty and Doc to reach new heights in their arcs.

8 Scream 3 isn’t exactly a weak link

THE Shout The series is one of the most successful not only in the history of horror films, but in the history of cinema as a whole. The original redefined satirical slashers. It plays on all the tropes of the genre in a way that makes it more satisfying to watch, because the film is so deeply aware of what it is without being ashamed of what is happening. For the most part, the sequels have been equally beloved (although none of them have ever reached the heights of the original). Even the legacy sequels, which are a risky bet to begin with, are worthy additions to the series. There has only been one that seems to have failed – Scream 3.

However, Scream 3 It’s not a bad movie by any meansand honestly, it’s gotten a little too much hate in recent years with the franchise’s resurgence. It plays more on the comedic aspects of the series rather than the gore, which sets it apart from the others in a major way. It pokes fun at the fact that it’s the third film in a trilogy and has a lot of fun in Hollywood as murders start happening on the set of the fictional film Stab 3based on the events that occurred during the first Shout movie. There’s a lot to like in Scream 3and it’s nowhere near as bad as fans make it out to be in the modern era.

7 Spider-Man 3 Tells an Interesting Story Despite Its Flaws

Sam Raimi Spider-Man The films are, in the eyes of many, the epitome of what a comic book movie should be. They offer the perfect blend of character-driven storytelling and thrilling action. Tobey Maguire defined the character for a generation, and some of the most iconic comic book villains of all time, like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, came from this series. Kirsten Dunst’s version of Mary Jane Watson embodies the character so well that no other adaptation has dared to attempt to bring the character to the screen, choosing instead to focus on other love interests or create new ones.

Spider-Man 3 is widely considered the weakest entry in the series; however, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some redeeming factors. While it may struggle to balance all the villains it brings to the table, it really shines when it comes to introducing Venom – and it’s possible that without the foundation laid out here, it would have been difficult to get Tom Hardy the title Venom films made all these years later. Sandman plays a valuable role in Spider-Man: No Way Homeand we wouldn’t have had the chance to see him shine in this film without his time here. Plus, the interpersonal conflict between Peter and MJ in this film is at its peak, as is the exploration of Harry Osborn’s betrayal of Peter. It’s not as bad as fans make it out to be, and deserves a second chance.

6 The Desolation of Smaug contains some of the franchise’s best moments

Peter Jackson Hobbit The trilogy has always been a bit unstable compared to its predecessors, and none have aged as poorly as The Desolation of Smaug. The film is a bit too long and suffers from the second act issues that often plague middle entries in franchises. It always feels like it’s setting up the third film rather than telling a coherent story in its own right, which is something that particularly hurts upon rewatching. It’s with this film that the franchise starts to feel bloated, and unfortunately, it has some of the most egregious special effects in the series. The love triangle introduced between new characters Tauriel, Legolas (who was not in the book) and Kili is considered by many to be an unnecessary addition that detracts from the overall story.

Despite all these flaws, however, The Desolation of Smaug The trilogy still contains some of the best scenes of the trilogy. Smaug is one of the most impressive villains ever brought to Middle-earth, both for his genuinely terrifying appearance and Benedict Cumberbatch’s thrilling vocal performance. The introduction of Bard the Archer and the kingdom of Lake-town still shines today. The exploration of the dislike between the Dwarves and the Elves of Mirkwood is particularly interesting, which is made even more thrilling when their anger towards each other boils over into The Battle of the Five Armies.

5 The Godfather 3 has gotten better with age

The first two entries of the Godfather The series is widely considered to be among the greatest films of all time. It tells a gripping interpersonal drama wrapped in a thrilling story about life in one of New York’s biggest crime families and features some of the most iconic sequences in cinema history. The baptism scene at the end of the first film changed the landscape of cinema forever. Countless films have attempted to emulate its chilling nature. The Godfather 2 is generally considered the best sequel ever made and deserves all the respect it gets.

The Godfather 3, has a much more complicated reputation, however. Unlike the other two, it struggled to stand out as a story and required a lot of context from previous entries in the series to even find its place. Sofia Coppola’s performance as Mary Corleone has become a major source of critical and audience discontent – to the point that she hardly ever acts anymore (despite being an exceptional director). However, the film is not as bad as people choose to believe – especially considering the reworked version released in 2020. It has come to life in the years since its release, and many of the elements that were originally considered flaws have turned into elements that make the story special and stand out from its predecessors.

4 Spectre still delivers a thrilling James Bond adventure

Daniel Craig’s James Bond films are widely regarded as some of the best modern films in the franchise. He burst onto the scene with Casino Royalewhich stars Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, one of the most compelling villains the series has ever brought to life, and Vesper Lynd, perhaps the most complicated Bond girl to date. Heavy rain It revitalized both the character and the property as a whole, as it pushed boundaries that other entries didn’t yet dare to cross. No time to die brought its arc to a satisfying conclusion (and got a fantastic performance from Rami Malek as Lyutsifer Safin).

However Spectrum is considered by most to be the worst of Craig’s five films as James Bond, it is nonetheless a valuable part of his history. It introduces Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), who proves to be a valuable member of Bond’s inner circle as the series continues in No time to die. This is the film that feels the most like a classic James Bond adventure of Craig’s films, which in the eyes of many makes it a disappointment compared to the excitement and unknown of its predecessors, but it’s ultimately not all bad. Christoph Waltz’s performance as Blofeld still thrills the audience as any good James Bond villain should, and the action gets the audience’s heart racing.

3 X-Men: Apocalypse has some great character-to-character moments

The second group of X-Men The films boast two of the best superhero movies in recent history. X-Men: First Class offers a fantastic glimpse into Charles Xavier’s early years and the founding of his school (as well as a heartbreaking glimpse into his friendship with Erik Lehnsherr that makes their interactions in the original X-Men (trilogy all the more interesting in hindsight). Days of Future Past reunites the best actors from each of the previous films in a captivating story that redefined what was possible with superhero movies. They flesh out characters like Beast and Mystique who appeared in the original films but weren’t given as much to do as they could have.

X-Men: Apocalypsealthough it struggles to find its footing as it introduces one of the most complicated villains in the X-Men The film is a true distillation of the franchise, attempting to introduce a new collection of heroes that should have propelled the series forward. Despite this, it never completely loses sight of its goal. The dynamic between Charles and Erik remains the emotional heart of the film, allowing it to maintain its balance despite the convoluted plot. Oscar Isaac delivers a fantastic performance as Apocalypse himself, even if he doesn’t have much to do in terms of the storyline.

2 The Mummy Returns retains the spirit of the original

The Mummy is a true classic of the action-adventure genre. It plays on all the genre’s codes without ever tiring, because it never tries to be anything other than what it is on paper. Rick O’Connell is a dashing, daring hero who feels like he’s stepped straight out of the genre’s most essential films. Evelyn Carnahan’s wit and crucial Egyptology knowledge set her apart from all the other action-adventure heroines – and one could even argue that she’s the real protagonist of the film rather than O’Connell. Imhotep himself is a genuinely scary villain (although not quite the scariest, because that award goes to scarab beetles). Overall, the film offers a beautiful blend of history and magic and will be considered a classic for years to come.

The Return of the Mummy The film struggled a bit more to find an audience for a number of reasons, but it’s still an interesting story in this fantasy universe. Evy and Rick’s relationship becomes the centerpiece of the plot, and the film makes the excellent choice of portraying them as more in love than before rather than focusing on some sort of marital spat. Anck-su-namun evolves from the tragic, almost zombie-like creature of the original into an interesting antagonist in her own right – and it was a smart choice to pit her primarily against Evelyn rather than giving Rick someone else to go up against, as their dynamic is fascinating to watch.

1 The Rise of Skywalker is far from a complete disappointment

THE Star Wars The sequel trilogy is a complicated mess of ideas in the eyes of many fans. It never quite figured out what it wanted to be. The Force Awakens reintroduced fans to the world of Star Wars in a satisfying way, bringing back legacy characters and balancing them with new figures like Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren in a way that enhances both of their arcs. The Last Jedi builds on those foundations and takes the franchise in entirely new directions, which has polarized many people. To this day, fans can’t seem to reach a consensus on whether it’s a fantastic film or a blight on the series as they know it.

It is The Rise of SkywalkerBut this film tends to be poorly received by audiences. Many consider it too intrinsically tied to nostalgia and argue that it doesn’t stand on its own as a film as some others. However, it works as a beautiful love letter to everything that came before it. The scene where all the Jedi talk to Rey moves even the most stoic audience to tears, and it emphasizes the theme that runs throughout the saga that blood is not what defines a person. It’s up to them to control their destiny and choose who they want to be. It’s a beautiful film and it doesn’t deserve half the vitriol that’s thrown at it by fans.