10 Greatest Sequels Of All Time

10. Before Sunset

BeforeSunset Ideally, Before Sunset should be watched nine years after its predecessor, Before Sunrise for maximum effect. Richard Linklater continues his gentle exploration of love with riveting performances from Ethan Hawke (yes, really) and Julie Delpy. Whilst the first film was far more whimsical at heart, Before Sunrise is interested in the dark side of love and the often unwinnable fight to keep romance alive as your life slips out of view. The youthful innocence of the first film is nowhere to be seen and the starkly realistic wonder is a really depressing movie as it's a portrayal of disappointment and sorrow whilst simultaneously trying to save the spark that brought the original love. Before Sunset is an incredibly intimate and minimalist work, focussed entirely on the two central characters and their relationship. The dialogue, as pretty much everyone says, is immensely well written, with a realism very rarely seen in contemporary cinema and at the heart of the piece is two outstanding performances from Hawke and Delpy, and the success of the film rests on their shoulders. Before Sunset is a whirlwind of overwhelming emotions, with a deliberately ambiguous ending that lets you carry on this story. Linklater has finally decided to revisit the series and Before Midnight is due to be released later this year, again after a nine year break. For a small indie movie, the picture will open to considerable hype and we can only hope the film delivers.
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Articles published under the WhatCulture name denote collective efforts of a number of our writers, both past and present.