8 Sequels That Fumbled the Franchise

Every sequel here scored at least a full point under the movie that started it. Some fumbled. Some fell down the stairs holding the ball.

Number one is the best movie here, and that's exactly the problem.

1. 8
   Men in Black II (2002)3.7

   88 minutes, and it still felt like overtime.

   Men in Black scored a 7.3 here. The sequel drops to 3.9 and mostly reruns the first movie's jokes. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones look ready to go home.
2. 7
   The Hangover Part III (2013)2.4

   A Hangover movie that forgot to include the hangover.

   The Hangover scored an 8.0. Part III scores 2.5, and critics rank it above just 8% of notable movies. Still made $362 million worldwide on the name alone.
3. 6
   Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)2.9

   It's 149 minutes, and the plot fits on a sticky note.

   Transformers scored a 6.5, which was hardly a high bar. Revenge of the Fallen digs under it to 3.0. $836.3 million worldwide anyway, because explosions need no subtitles.
4. 5
   Jurassic Park III (2001)3.0

   A 92-minute movie that somehow runs out of ideas.

   Jurassic Park scored an 8.8. The third one lands at 3.1, with a talking raptor dream and a plot that feels like a first draft. Critics rank it above just 24% of notable movies.
5. 4
   Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)4.4

   151 minutes about a wishing rock. That's the movie.

   Wonder Woman scored an 8.4. This one drops to 4.1 and 5.3 on IMDb, on a reported $200 million budget. Gal Gadot deserved a better script and a shorter one.
6. 3
   The Matrix Revolutions (2003)4.1

   The trilogy closer that forgot the cool part.

   The Matrix scored an 8.2. Revolutions lands at 4.2 and trades the mystery for nonstop noise. $427.3 million worldwide, mostly on goodwill.
7. 2
   Alien 3 (1992)3.8

   Shaved heads, a prison planet and zero fun.

   Alien scored a 9.6 on movie.guru. This one sits at 3.9. David Fincher's first feature looks amazing, but the story feels stitched together in a hurry. CinemaScore C.
8. 1
   The Godfather Part III (1990)6.2

   Not a disaster. Just a fumble with a 9.7 shadow.

   The Godfather scored a 9.7. Part III lands at 6.3, the best score on this list and still a letdown. Al Pacino gives it everything for 162 minutes.

$4,764 says you've told someone the first one was better this week.

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