When going to a movie sometimes we just wish there were more story to enjoy. The characters intrigued us so much we just want more. but sometimes a movie ends the story with full closure, and the audience leaves feeling satisfied. These movies are just so good by themselves they change entire cultures all on their own. but sometimes these "One Shots" get tainted by younger siblings. More often than not these particular unwanted extensions usually don't have their original cast return or really have anything to do with the first movie what so ever. How these atrocities make it out of the cutting room alive is a mystery to all of us. Here I have compiled a list (in no particular order) of movies that just did not need a sequel. And F.Y.I. some spoilers ahead.
"The Mask"
In 1994 you couldn't stop Jim Carrey, with hit movies back to back like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Dumb and Dumber and of course The Mask. The Mask is the story of a man named Stanley Ipkiss, a virtual nobody bank clerk, who finds a Mask that give's him supernatural powers. The Film has a wonderful cast with Amy Yasbeck, Richard Jeni, Peter Riegert and Peter Greene as the antagonist Dorian Tyrell. This also marked Cameron Diaz's first appearance in film. The movie itself, based off of a Dark Horse comic book, was a smash hit. it garnered an animated series along with it's own comic book follow up. The film ended with Stanley throwing the Mask into the ocean and riding off into the sunset with Tina (Diaz). It also has some what of an ambiguous ending. As Stanley and Tina take off, Charlie (Jeni) Stanley's best friend, jumps in after the Mask but Milo, Stanley's dog, beats him to it. There were many possibilities for sequels, in fact the original comic book had six sequels and multiple spin-offs. Unfortunately the good people of New Line cinema felt that a stand alone sequel was called for. Originally The Mask II was set to film with Charles Russell as a possible director and Carrey was offered ten million dollars to star. How ever due to Carrey's experience portraying the same character twice, with Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, he declined. Production decided to move forward none the less rewriting the story...
The film was recast, with Jamie Kennedy in the lead, and re-titled Son of The Mask. With none of the original cast or characters returning, except for Dr. Arthur Neuman played by Ben Stein, the story follows it's own path with none of the original material. None of the comedy or feel of the original film can be seen and the story itself just falls short of being a boorish torture. Ironically though, the franchise that was in a string of successful films for Jim Carrey also found it's sequel in a string of failures for Jamie Kennedy.
"Donnie Darko"
When you mix existentialism and pocket universes caused by the butterfly effect together you make, what is considerably, one hell of a great movie. Donnie Darko tells the story of a young man who finds himself in an alternate reality to his own caused by his very own death. Donny, unaware of his circumstance, is guided by what is believed to be a figment of his imagination named Frank. The story is a great take on self awareness, in the since of contemplating who you really are and the effects you have on those surrounding you. Another movie with a can't miss cast Staring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Ross, Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Duval, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, Beth Grant, Seth Rogan and Ashley Tisdale. The film became a cult classic almost instantly. The End of the film resolves it's self by killing off it's main character. You would think that would be the end of it, but however...
In 2008 Chris Fisher expressed his admiration for Donnie Darko and hoped to make a sequel. Twentieth Century Fox, which took over distribution rights from Newmarket Films, began production in the same year of the film S. Darko. The film picks up seven years after the first and follows Donnie's younger sister Sarah and her best friend Corey on a road trip that turns into a nightmare. This story takes what was a profound Outer dimensional meets inner dimensional story in the first film and turns it into a dismal less than version of it's self in the second. Daveigh Chase, the only real connection to the first movie, is the perfect cliche "lost in naivety" female lead in a thriller. Her character Samantha who's appearance in the first film was less than necessary to begin with finds her self in a sequel that feels even more unnecessary.
"Speed"
Back in 1994 the movie world was filled with something that is rarely seen these days, original stories. They don't get any more original than the story of a massive travailing ticking time bomb. Speed is a film about Officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) who is in an intense game of wits against a deranged mad man named Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), who rigs a transit Bus with explosives. In order to keep the bus from exploding Traven must keep the vehicle moving at speeds above 50 mph. The action in this film keeps most entertained and the practical effects used in it keeps the audience at the edge of their seats. The film ends with Jack killing the bad guy, getting the girl ( Sandra Bullock), saying an expected 90's one liner and fade to black. the story is pretty much wrapped up, or is it...
Director Jan de Bont mentioned before the movie was even released that Speed is most definitely a stand alone film, But the producers of 20th Century Fox felt differently . The film grossed over 300 million dollars on a budget of 30 million, so naturally a sequel was ordered. A screen play was drafted and the principal actors were offered high fees for returning. Bullock accepted on the grounds to use the money to produce her own film Hope Floats. Reeves declined on the grounds that the idea just sound horrible and he wasn't looking to be type cast as an action hero. Reeves is replaced by Jason Patric of Lost Boys fame as Officer Alex Shaw, a very weak carbon copy of Jack. The high speed game against a ruthless psychopath is replaced with a slow paced disgruntled employee attack. Why the movie would even have the words "Speed" in it's title, besides piggybacking off the success of the first film, makes no since to anyone. However the second part of the title "Cruise Control" seems more accurate, in that the movie seems to go on regardless of any effort being put into it what so ever.
"The Hangover"
When it comes to the most awkward and unexpected scenarios after a night of drinking, no movie explores all of the possibilities than The Hangover. The story follows four friends ( Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha) as they go to Vegas for a Bachelor party. At some point All of them get rophied and lose their memories of the night before. The groom (Bartha) of the group gets lost and the other three get into one hilarious adventure trying to locate him. The jokes in this movie are ridiculously funny and the cameos are spot on. Hell let's be honest this is the movie that Made Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis the big names they are now. The Movie ends with the four friends reuniting and getting the groom to his wedding. seems like a legit way to end this story, yet some how...
After the success of The Hangover Warner Brothers decided that this film needed a part two. The idea that the same unlikely situation could happen twice is kind of baffling but yet some how they made it happen. The story is essentially the same as the first one albeit some role reversal. Stu is now the groom of the story instead of Doug and also it is Stu's future brother-in-law that goes missing . Everything else almost frame for frame is the last movie. One of the guys has sex with a prostitute , one of them dismembers themselves and Alan ends up with a small creature to take care of. It's not uncommon for sequels to shadow the jokes of the first film but some times less is more. Good thing this train wreck ended here...
Before The second movie was even released Warner Bros. and Director Todd Phillips had already entered negotiations to make a third film. The idea behind The Hangover Part III was to be different from the first two films. The story doesn't actually deal with a hangover situation but rather a story that deals with the consequences of the last two films. Even with the return of the spectacular cast of the first film and the addition of John Goodman and Melissa McCarthy, the film still falls short of capturing the magic that was The Hangover. The Story is very bleak and lacks any type of it's original humor. Unlike most lackluster films this one doesn't even have a saving grace, although it does put you in the position of the characters in the film as it causes you to ask yourself "How did we get here?".
"Caddyshack"
Arguably one of the best comedies of all time Caddyshack stars comedic legends such as Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and Bill Murray. The story follows a young caddy named Danny played by Michael O'Keefe as he tries to win the respect of the snoopy co-founder of the Bushwood Country Club, Judge Elihu Smails (Knight). Danny is mentored through out the movie by Ty Webb (Chase) the son of the other co-founder of the club. The film also follows two other narratives, that of a rivalry between the Judge and Business tycoon Al Czervik (Dangerfield) and another rivalry between Carl the groundskeeper (Murray) and a Gopher. The film ends with a wadger between Smails and Czervik over matter of $160,000 where Czervik's team, with the help of Danny, wins. The film is comedy gold and finds it's self as the source material for many other films accept one...
Caddyshack II was originally meant to be a story about the return of Rodney Dangerfield's character Al Czervik and more shenanigans. One of the original writers, Harold Ramis, was brought back to write the sequel however after Dangerfield pulled out so did he. Unfortunate for Mr. Ramis, however, the production team decided to still credit him with the screenplay of the film. With Dangerfield's departure, Murray's dismay of the sequel and Ted Knights death two years prior Chevy Chase would be the only actor from the first film to return. Although the movie was about new characters played by a new cast, they were all pretty much copies of characters from the first film. Jack Hartounian played by Jackie Mason is pretty much the same salt of the earth business Tycoon that Al Czervik played by Dangerfield was, Chandler Young played by Robert Stack is a similar character to that of Ted Knights Judge Smails and Dan Aykroyd's character Captain Tom Everett, a war veteran suffering from PTSD, is pretty much the dopey twin brother of Carl played by Murray of the first film.
"The Lost Boys"
As a child when someone tells you a story about a Young guy who whisk others away to live in eternal youth, you think Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. As you get older you drop Pan then add Vampires and you have The Lost Boys. This J. M. Barrie inspired tale is about two brothers who find themselves in a new town full of vampires. The older brother Michael payed by Jason Patric falls in love with Star (Jami Gertz) who is involved with David (Kiefer Sutherland), The leader of a gang of young vampires. David brings Michael into his gang and begins to turn him. Michael's younger brother Sam played by Corey Haim enlist the help of The Frog Brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) to save Michael from David and his gang. The story ends with one of the most epic fight scenes made during the eighties and some twist. The Vampires die everyone's happy and the Two Corey's begin a solid career of memorable hits and misses. The film is iconic and just can't miss, that is until...
Somewhere around the begining of the new millennium movie makers decided "you know what's a good idea, let's stop making new stuff and ruin every bodies childhood." It began with highly unwanted remakes and then moved to outdated sequels. Lost Boys: The Tribe tells the story of a new pair of siblings that move into their aunts house after their parents death, outside of that it's pretty much the same story with different variants. Corey Feldman is seemingly the only cast member to return (that is until you get to the end credits). But wait there's more...
Lost Boys: The Thirst is the perfect example of when some one should just leave well enough alone. The only reason The Thirst was made in the first place is because The Tribe did so well in returns that Warner Premiere green lite it. What they didn't realize is the second movie only did so well based off of the incredible strength of the first one and that alone. Jamison Newlander rejoins the cast as Alan Frog once again which gives the movie a little nostalgia to it but lacks any actual credibility to it's story. Some times you should just let sleeping Frogs die.
"The Matrix"
During the turn of the millennium many questions were on all of our minds. One was are we really here or is this just a dream. The idea that we are living in a world made of ones and zeros is not so far fetched everything about the nineties did always seem to be about numbers. The internet was getting bigger, Cell phones were becoming more common and grunge was the new punk. Enter The Matrix, a film about the future plugged into the past. Neo (Keanu Reeves), a hacker, is approached by a mysterious man named Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) who tells him that the world he knows isn't real. When Neo is awaken into the real world he discovers that humanity had been taken over by machines and programs a long time ago. In the end we find that Neo is "The One" who can manipulate and shape the matrix as he sees fit. Now Neo has made it his quest to awaken others and save humanity, or so we thought...
In The Matrix Reloaded, We find Neo and his crew from the first movie, wait, Only the three main characters of the first movie... Anyway three Months after the events of the first movie Neo is pretty much a master at his craft, Morpheus seems to have developed emotions that he never showed any signs of in the first film and Trinity has become possibly the biggest burden any boyfriend has ever had to deal with. Smith who was killed ends up not being killed because you know reasons. Then by the end of the movie you learn there really is no real world it's all been a giant program on a loop and Neo apparently is the Jesus to the Architect's God. How can there possibly be more story to this?
In the tradition of most great film directors and producers of early decades taking a giant shit on their best work in the early to mid 2000's The Wachowskis were no exception. In the... you know I don't even know what to call this one, in this movie, I guess, The conclusion of what started off as an original master piece and then turned into a poor attempt at an epic Cyber punk opera Neo Is in Limbo for a good portion of the movie Agent Smith has turned into the machine version of AIDs and Trinity gets everyone killed. But before everyone's impending doom Neo wakes up just long enough to find he has Powers that are more convenient then Captain Planet and Batman's utility belt combined.
"War Games"
In the 1980's computers had been around for a while but home systems were the new thing. having your own computer back then was like... there really is nothing to compare that to is there? That's right kids there was a time when new stuff wasn't just an Amazon account away. In the movie WarGames David Lightman played by Matthew Broderick (pre-Bueller days) is a Young hacker who unknowingly starts a game with the Artificial Intelligence of a weapon's guidance system. The WOPR or Joshua thinks the game is real and begins to proceed as such. causing the military to take false action. In the end Lightman and Dr. Falken, the creator of Joshua, try to stop the misguided computer from causing World war three. This movie had everything anyone could want Action, Adventure, Science Mumbo Jumbo and Hot Ally Sheedy.
One thing WarGames didn't need was a follow up. A lot of people compare The Dead Code to the Movie Eagle Eye, which also came out in 2008. which is not uncommon for movies to do, meaning take the script to a crap movie and tack a beloved movies name on to it just so they can sell it. The worst thing about this movie is the story actual has potential but is plagued by cheap effects, weak story progression and terrible acting.
These movies are so bad they don't even develop a cult following , and I know there are way more movies out there with travesties for sequels and there always will be. One thing you can count on is that the razzies won't be out of business so long as production companies keep half-assing it like this. Tell me what you think, what movie do you think had an unredeemable Sequel leave a comment.