10 Great Movie Sequels (That Nobody Saw)
6. The French Connection II
One of the films that helped to define the term 'Neo-Noir', William Friedkin's The French Connection is widely considered to be one the finest American films of the seventies, even going so far as to win big at the 1972 Academy Awards.
Remembered and celebrated mostly due to its now legendary car-chases and involving narrative, many felt that a sequel wasn't needed. And they'd be right, however the minds behind The French Connection II managed to make a decent follow-up that doesn't simply wallow in the original.
Looking to not just recreate the original, there's a greater emphasis on character and story this time around. That's not say there isn't some action to sink your teeth into, but that's not what the filmmakers here were going for. Instead, The French Connection II slows itself down and is all the better for it.
Despite making a modest twelve million dollars, against a budget of four million dollars, this follow-up remains largely unseen amongst the masses. Which truly is a shame because it's a worthy sequel that completely captures the spirit of the original, even if it doesn't have a scene to rival the original's white-knuckle car chase.