Tag: sequel

Disenchanted (2022, dir. Adam Shankman)

A now-disaffected Giselle and family have to work together when a magical accident means Andalasia overlaps with upstate New York. Patchy, padded belated sequel stuffed with duff songs and no real reason to exist. Maya Rudolph has fun as a baddie this time out, and that’s about it.

Here’s the trailer.

Lost Bullet 2 [AKA Balle Perdue 2] (2022, dir. Guillaume Pierret)

A year after Lost Bullet, Lino has a chance to get justice for the deaths of his mentor and brother. Amped-up sequel delivering as before in close combat, chases, reversals, and vehicular mayhem. A slightly lighter touch this time: sterling genre (SF and western touches in the mix) entertainment all the same.

Here’s the trailer.

Damien: Omen II (1978, dir. Don Taylor [and Mike Hodges])

The now-adolescent Damien Thorn discovers who he is: and so do others. The others, inevitably, die. More of the same, though with conspiracy and related angles added, if not altogether cohesively integrated. Still, there’s a death every few minutes, and a great Jerry Goldsmith score. The Final Conflict soon followed.

Here’s the trailer.

Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans (1987, dir. Jim Wynorski)

An outlaw warrior helps a princess regain her throne from an evil sorcerer. This self-aware sequel is an improvement from its predecessor, going for swashbuckling laughs and camp in equal measure. No classic, but it’s clear that there is a joke and that the cast and crew are all in on it.

Here’s the trailer.

Ocean’s Twelve (2004, dir. Steven Soderbergh)

Danny Ocean and crew relocate to Amsterdam, having to steal a Faberge egg to repay a nemesis. Some over-confidence in plotting and approach that might grate, but this is nevertheless a slick, effortless sequel doubling down on the mix of heist comedy and New Wave stylings established in its predecessor.

Here’s the trailer.

Sing 2 (2021, dir. Garth Jennings)

Buster Moon talks himself into trouble mounting a show in a Las Vegas-style resort. Dayglo jukebox animation sequel that doesn’t have the focus of the first flick, but nevertheless delivers jokes, visuals, and a musical palette from Mercury Rev to System of a Down via Prince, Billie Eilish, and The King and I. Something for everyone, pretty much.

Here’s the trailer.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022, dir. Sam Raimi)

Strange and America Chavez travel the multiverse, trying to stop Scarlet Witch attaining a grimoire. Raimi brings superheroic and horror-comedy skillsets to bear on a confident slice of Marvel shenanigans: the format and aesthetics are as restricting as ever, but there’s gleeful moments nevertheless.

Here’s the trailer

Scream [AKA Scream 5] (2022, dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett)

25 years after the original Woodsboro killings, a new series of murders. Cheerily meta sequel / reboot / remake, better with the self-aware jokes than with real suspense, despite a couple of inventive moments. Hard to care about the new cast or the murder-mystery element though, which robs the movie of impetus.

Here’s the trailer.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021, dir. Lana Wachowski)

A computer games designer discovers he’s in a simulation. Meta belated sequel with some fun ideas about reboots, too much clumsy cod philosophy, and plenty of decent performances. However, poor action staging, awkward recasting of key roles, and weak storytelling undo good intentions.

Here’s the trailer.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022, dir. David Yates)

With Grindelwald rising, Newt Scamander and friends try to stop a war between magicals and muggles. Plot-tastic third instalment of the inconsistent Harry Potterverse prequel series. More fan service this time around, plus a focus on getting the series wrapped up in case the projected Parts 4 and 5 disapparate. Zippy, but for diehards only really.

Here’s the trailer.