The 14 Best Sequels You Love From the '90s
Crafting sequels that actually live up to the original movie is a tough task -- just 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 "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. "Leslie Nielson deadpan we love so much.
11. 'Hot Shots! Part Deux' (1993)
The second "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 "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 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 "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" sequels (not that the more recent ones give it much competition).
5. 'Batman Returns' (1992)
Fans were -- and still are -- fairly divided over whether "Danny DeVito's demented Penguin.
4. 'Star Trek: First ' (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 " 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)
"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.
