10 Movie Sequels That Just Copied The Original
"How could the same sh*t happen to the same guy twice?"
Like the fast food industry, Hollywood believes that uniformity is key to a product’s success. They know that some people will always queue for more of the same, even though what they’re getting isn’t necessarily good for them. Popcorn movies ought really to be called “Hamburger Movies”, a uniform product that lacks any real nourishment.
It’s no coincidence that some of the highest grossing franchises of all time made their money by giving audiences the same movie over and over again, only with a different cast and locale.
Take Paranormal Activity (please), a film you wouldn’t think could lend itself to franchising. Even if you don’t include the spin-offs Tokyo Night and The Marked Ones, that’s 5 movies where people film themselves sleeping and walking down corridors.
Or how about the Spider-Man films? Are we really supposed to believe that New York is populated by mad scientists that turn into super villains at the drop of a hat, and the only person hip to their shenanigans each time is your friendly neighborhood wall-crawler?
Some sequels simply remix elements from earlier instalments – Resident Evil: Retribution, Terminator Genisys – but for the most part, screenwriters are content just to repackage the first film.
10. Die Hard 2
Credit where it’s due: Die Hard 2 was one of the first sequels hip to the fact that it was just recycling elements from the first movie and has fun mocking the illogicality of its storyline. From the dialogue (“How could the same sh*t happen to the same guy twice?”) to the tagline (“They say lightning never strikes twice…they were wrong!”) this is one sequel that’s in no danger of taking itself too seriously.
Given the number of recycled elements, that’s probably a good idea. Once again, the movie opens at an airport on Christmas Eve and once again John McClane stumbles across nefarious activity that threatens his wife’s safety. For good measure, the filmmakers also bring back Sergeant Al Powell and Richard Thornburg, who once again gets bested by Holly McClane.
It even has the gall to end the same way, with Mr and Mrs McClane walking away while Vaughn Monroe sings Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow. Fortunately, the movie gave Bruce Willis enough box office clout to persuade the producers to abandon the formula for Die Hard With A Vengeance.