20 "WTF Did I Just Watch" Horror Sequels
13. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Unlike the other examples on this list, Fire Walk with Me is following up a TV show rather than a movie, and it is primarily a prequel, albeit with some sequel elements. Regardless, it definitely belongs here. It is a David Lynch movie, and "WTF" cinema is his specialty.
Mysterious figures and images appear and disappear, opaque clues are littered about, and each act of violence is rendered with nightmarish, psychedelic intensity. It's a strange, beautiful fever dream elevated by the unique sound design and eclectic, surreal visuals that define Lynch's work.
The movie's structure is also decidedly unconventional. While most of it recounts the last week in the life of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), the opening part tells the story of a seemingly unrelated murder investigation. The investigator in this plot vanishes, and his fate is left unresolved.
Fire Walk with Me is a seriously weird watch, and, unfortunately, this meant that many didn't take to it at first, especially fans of the show, who weren't given the answers they wanted. The cliffhanger that ended Twin Peaks wasn't given a concrete follow-up, Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) was barely in it, and most of the TV characters are either absent or are periphery figures in the background.
As such, this has become one of the most underrated horror movies ever made. Viewed as a standalone piece, Fire Walk with Me is typically extraordinary work from one of the best directors who has ever lived.