Hollywood is no stranger to making sequels to beloved movies that no one asked for, but sometimes these follow-ups go under the radar. Unlike the next Marvel movie, many of these sequels can only be found in a video store’s backroom or buried deep in the fifth page of Netflix's recommendations. Whether this is a good or bad thing is still up for debate.
Previously, we ran down a good number of these hidden “treasures” and we’re back with even more of these weird gems. Whether or not they’re worth seeking out is up to reader discretion. So without further delay, here are 10 more movies with Direct-To-Video sequels you may have never heard of.
10 Wrong Turn
Horror fans are undoubtedly familiar with the Wrong Turn franchise, which currently has six entries and an upcoming reboot (Wrong Turn: The Foundation) set to debut this year. Given its longevity and name recall, it’d be understandable to assume that the franchise enjoyed multiple midnight screenings, but that’s not the case.
Similar to Hellraiser and Tremors, almost every Wrong Turn after the first one was released exclusively on video. The sequels vary in terms of critical reception, with Wrong Turn 2: Dead End scoring a surprising 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. As of this writing, it’s unknown if The Foundation will be released to video or if it will finally break tradition and get a theatrical run.
9 Hollow Man
Before the release of Blumhouse’s Invisible Man, Paul Verhoeven’s Hollow Man was the modernized take on H.G. Wells’ classic sci-fi story that everyone knew. While it’s not exactly a classic, it’s still a cult favorite that didn’t need a sequel, but here we are.
Hollow Man 2 is as generic as a Direct-To-DVD movie can get, as it follows the (low-budget) action-packed story of a military assassin gone rogue who just so happens to turn invisible. Not only is Hollow Man 2 an uninspired sequel that barely has anything to do with the original, but it’s an unimaginative action movie as well. The only redeeming factor is Christian Slater as the titular hollow man.
8 Road Trip
Say what you will about Road Trip, but it has a loyal cult following for a reason. Whatever raunchy charm it had, however, was lost in its direct-to-video sequel Road Trip: Beer Pong, which was released nine years after the fact. Where the first movie had a semblance of a plot and Tom Green, the sequel abandons all pretense and indulges in hedonism from the get-go.
Here, a group of horny college friends embarks on the titular journey to join the National Beer Pong Championship. Due to the college sex comedy’s oversaturation in the ‘90s and early 2000s, Road Trip already felt dated when it opened and we can see why it took so long for a sequel to be greenlit.
7 A Christmas Story
To this day, the original A Christmas Story is fondly remembered as a true Christmas classic. It’s a fun look back at a time that some may consider as more innocent and it captures the innocent childlike wonder that the holidays represent. Its sequel, however, has none of these traits.
Made almost 20 years after the fact, A Christmas Story 2 is a lazy rehash of everything its predecessor did, adding nothing new to the story outside of making Ralphie a bit older. This sequel’s gags and punchlines are recycled from the first movie, but with none of the impact. To say this follow-up pales in comparison to the original is an understatement.
6 Home Alone
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York was criticized for repeating the tricks of the first movie despite its new setting. But when compared to its video-exclusive sequel/soft reboots, Home Alone 4: Taking Back The House and Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, the underwhelming Lost In New York looks like the most imaginative concept ever made.
Every Home Alone sequel (minus Lost In New York) suffered not just from the lack of Macaulay Culkin but from being too reliant on the original’s formula. The only notable change in the Direct-To-DVD sequels is that Taking Back The House has voice-activated doors and Kevin basically changed his name in The Holiday Heist. Home Alone was lightning caught in a bottle, and there’s a reason why its follow-ups failed to recapture the magic.
5 Free Willy
Momentarily ignoring the conversation about how unethical animal captivity is, there’s a reason why people fondly remember the first two Free Willy movies. While few may have heard of Free Willy: The Rescue, even fewer heard of the franchise’s first and (currently) only Direct-To-DVD release, Escape To Pirate’s Cove.
The fourth Free Willy may have some of the franchise’s signature cuteness, but there’s nothing special about it. It may not be the worst thing ever made, but Escape To Pirate Cove is as generic as a family feature can get. The only thing of worth here is that it stars a young Bindi Irwin, current wildlife advocate and daughter of the late great Steve Irwin.
4 Bring It On
Even today, Bring It On is regarded as not only a funny sports movie but a smart and intelligent romp that tackles themes of gender and race within the world of cheerleading. Because of its success, it spawned five Direct-To-DVD sequels that have almost nothing to do with the original.
Every Bring It On sequel tried and failed to recapture the original’s charm and wit, with each passing entry delivering consistently diminishing returns. By the end, the Bring It On name became synonymous with the trend-chasing and tone-deaf teen movies that the original was satirizing.
3 Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde’s sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, And Blonde may have felt like an uninspired rehash, which was probably the driving logic for its spin-off Direct-To-DVD sequel, Legally Blondes, which follows Elle Woods’ twin cousins.
Not a bad idea in theory, but one seriously lacking in terms of execution. Rather than taking advantage of this clean slate, Legally Blondes was an unimaginative retread of what its predecessors did that also recycled every genre cliché imaginable. The only redeeming factor here is the presence of the two cute dogs.
2 Uwe Boll’s Video Game Movies
Uwe Boll is often regarded as the Ed Wood of this generation, only without the humor and gonzo appeal. Notorious for his terrible adaptations of popular video games, Boll’s movies quickly became synonymous to the bottom of the barrel – which is why his movies getting sequels is something that confused a lot of people.
Universally reviled movies such as Alone In The Dark, Bloodrayne, House Of The Dead, and In The Name Of The King all inexplicably got follow-ups, with Bloodrayne and In The Name Of The King somehow spawning trilogies. In fact, Bloodrayne even has an official Uwe Boll-approved “parody” in Blubberella!
What’s most fascinating about these sequels (outside of their mere existence) are the big-named actors Boll managed to get for them, like ‘80s action icon Dolph Lundgren and Dominic Purcell (best known as Heat Wave from The Flash).
1 Anaconda & Lake Placid
Most of the sequels here are the kinds that no one asked for, but this one is the rare exception as it’s something no one thought they wanted until they saw it. Believe it or not, two creature features from the ‘90s – Anaconda and Lake Placid – not only had multiple Direct-To-Video sequels but a crossover event as well.
Simply titled Lake Placid vs. Anaconda, the crossover is exactly what it says on the title: Giant crocodiles fight giant snakes. There’s also some disposable humans, a snake/crocodile hybrid, and a pirate-looking Robert Englund in here. Lake Placid vs. Anaconda aired on SyFy before its video release and it got the negative reception anyone would expect. However, we’d be lying if we said this inherently goofy concept wasn’t so-bad-it’s-good.
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