10 Underrated Sci-Fi Sequels (That Deserve Way More Love)

Long before Dark Fate was even an idea, there was a common misconception that the Terminator franchise's only decent sequel was T2: Judgment Day simply because it outmatched its predecessor. While its true that T1 and T2 are indeed the only perfect films in the franchise and function perfectly as a duo, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was actually a pretty solid follow-up.

Hated by many for an abundance of reasons - ranging from its failure to match the legendary heights of the first two films to the fact it kick-started a litany of less-than-stellar sequels instead of letting the franchise end - T3 wasn't considered the finest hour for the Terminator franchise. And yet, upon reflection, it's unquestionably one of its best.

A gritty, modernised follow-up that toyed with nostalgia instead of solely relying on it, the 2003 film was another undeniably enjoyable entry in the series that made good use of what it had to work with. It wasn't as intelligent as its predecessors but its dark tone, cyclical plot point that revealed Judgment Day was inevitable and endless array of impressive set pieces made it a fun blockbuster that never misunderstood the franchise - and, in all honesty, it deserves a lot more love than it was originally given.

And in comparison to some of the sequels that followed, this looks like Shakespearean theater.