The 14 Best Sequels You Love From the '90s
Crafting sequels that actually live up to the original movie is a tough task -- just look at the box office lately. But the '90s were a golden age for sequels we never knew we wanted. From "Terminator 2" to "Toy Story 2," here are the best and most memorable sequels from that wonderful decade.
14. 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder' (1990)
No one will ever accuse "Die Hard 2" of being the most groundbreaking sequel ever conceived. It basically regurgitates the plot of the first, except with Bruce Willis' everyman action hero John McClane trapped in an airport rather than an office building. Still, there's a reason the formula worked so well the first time around, and -- in 1990 -- McClane hadn't yet worn out his welcome.
13. 'Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey' (1991)
We probably could have watched a whole series of movies about Bill S. Preston and Ted "Theodore" Logan travelling through time and hanging out with famous dead dudes. Instead, this sequel shook up the formula by dragging the soon-to-be most famous duo in the world to Hell. In some ways, the sequel is even weirder and funnier than the original. Now how about that third movie, already?
12. 'Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear' (1991)
For such a short-lived TV Series, "Police Squad!" sure found its second wind on the big screen. "Naked Gun 2 1/2" may not be as hilarious as its predecessor, but it kept the franchise going strong all the same. This sequel delivers that wonderful spoof humor and trademark Leslie Nielson deadpan we love so much.
11. 'Hot Shots! Part Deux' (1993)
The second "Hot Shots!" movie managed to keep things fresh by directing its attention away from "Top Gun" and mainly to films like "Rambo III" and "Apocalypse Now." A strange combination of influences, to be sure, but an effective one all the same. They sure don't make action movie parodies like this anymore.
10. 'A Very Brady Sequel' (1996)
Paramount didn't wait long before churning out a sequel to surprise hit "The Brady Bunch Movie." Fortunately, the formula still felt fresh, with most of the humor banking on the enormous culture clash between the naive, anachronistic family and the contemporary world. Like its predecessor, "A Very Brady Sequel" is actually quite a bit funnier than the show on which it's based.
9. 'GoldenEye' (1995)
Most would agree that Agent 007 was well past his prime by the time the '90s rolled around. Leave it to director Martin Campbell and new star Pierce Brosnan to give Mr. Bond the adrenaline boost he needed. "GoldenEye" doesn't just deliver great action, it also offers a deeper, more complex portrait of its lead hero (at the time). It's just a shame that Brosnan's later Bond efforts didn't come close to this one.
8. 'Wayne's World 2' (1993)
Hollywood studios have a pretty poor track record adapting "Saturday Night Live" skits into feature-length films, much less doing it more than once. Somehow, Paramount managed that feat with "Wayne's World 2." There's just something about the dynamic between goofballs Wayne and Garth that makes this franchise so endlessly endearing.
7. 'Addams Family Values' (1993)
We didn't expect the original "The Addams Family" to be a success, much less that it would spawn an equally enjoyable sequel a couple years later. "Addams Family Values" is, if anything, even darker and funnier than the original. It revolves around Gomez and Morticia's efforts to protect their mustachioed new baby from assassins.
6. 'Die Hard With a Vengeance' (1995)
If "Die Hard 2" played it safe, "Die Hard With a Vengeance" shook up the formula just enough to reinvigorate the franchise. The tense dynamic between Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson alone makes this sequel worth watching, but we also love the way it's able to build on the original in unexpected ways. This easily ranks as the best of the "Die Hard" sequels (not that the more recent ones give it much competition).
5. 'Batman Returns' (1992)
Fans were -- and still are -- fairly divided over whether "Batman Returns" is superior to 1989's "Batman." But one thing pretty much everyone can agree is that it's the only worthy sequel to the original Dark Knight films. This would be the last time we saw Michael Keaton in the cape and cowl, and he played wonderfully against Michelle Pfeiffer's sultry Catwoman and Danny DeVito's demented Penguin.
4. 'Star Trek: First Contact' (1996)
The "Star Trek: The Next Generation" cast didn't fare so well in their first big screen outing. Fortunately, this sequel turned things around in a big way. A fitting, even necessary coda to the TV series, "First Contact" makes full use of the Borg as an enemy and Captain Picard's Ahab-like obsession. Plus, it's one of the best of the many time travel-centric "Trek" adventures.
3. 'Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country' (1991)
The trend of only the even-numbered "Star Trek" sequels continued in the '90s. "The Undiscovered Country" serves as the final bow for the original Enterprise crew. Luckily, it was a fitting sendoff, one that nicely paralleled the twilight of the Cold War as Captain Kirk and his crew tried to preserve peace talks between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.
'Toy Story 2' (1999)
Pixar has a unique ability to craft sequels that not only live up to the originals, but exceed them. And they started that trend early with this follow-up to their first big big hit, which shed more light on the troubled background of Woody. What's most impressive is that this film succeeded despite starting life as a direct-to-video sequel.
1. 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991)
"Terminator 2" isn't just one of the best sequels of the '90s, it's easily one of the greatest sequels ever. This film took everything we loved about 1984's "The Terminator" and dialed it up considerably. The action is still some of the best you'll find, and the focus on the importance of free will makes this action flick as emotionally resonant now as it was in 1991.
