Sequels

I like sequels, especially when they are made from a film I really enjoy. Though to really enjoy a sequel you have to be a fairly dedicated fan. A not so casual fan of Saw would feel that they may have stretched the idea a little far. Sequels seem to work a fair bit of the time and I think it’s mainly because of the fan support. Reviews tend to ruin a movies reputation so that can always make a sequels return fall short of expectation. The review doesn’t always make a movie but then sometimes you wonder whether a series is just flogging a dead horse if it starts to flunk reviews. It’s a formula hard to get right so when should you stop before it all comes crashing down like a game of Jenga? 

If a sequel makes it to the movies then I feel that it has made well for itself. It avoided straight to DVD and probably has built itself a cult following. As an observation I think sequels have worked best through film adaptations of books and epic sagas. Harry Potter has done exceptionally well off its movies as each sequel was as strong as the last when it comes to story. Having a story laid out ahead makes sense for a sequel to be made on each book. Fast and the Furious wasn’t based on a book series and has scored fairly average reviews except for the fifth instalment which has done best according to IMDB. Whatever Fast and the Furious is doing its scraping along to show it has some ability to keep money rolling in. Sequels and their success fall down to the fans and Fast and the Furious must have a few.

There’s quite a swag of movies based on books by Stephen King. I liked the book Pet Sematary so I bought the DVD for the sake of it and it also came with Pet Sematary 2. The first movie was low budget and not the greatest, but as a fan of the book it was still ok. Pet Sematary 2 was never written as a book and therefore I haven’t bothered to watch it. There was no point to bringing it out, the first book had finished the story to its fullest capacity so another movie was just overkill. Sequels can be made for the sake of the first one working sort of ok and prequels are in the same boat. To end, sequels are like cake. Cake is good but if not baked properly can come off tasting burnt and overly done or just forgetting the flour which is a basic key ingredient. Then sometimes nobody feels like anymore cake.

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