Movie Sequels Are Not Equal

A scene from Jaws:The Revenge.

BY ADAM SHLOMI

Sequels are often seen as inevitable successes in the film industry. They make money, present little risk, and don’t take a long time to cast or script. We, the audience, have watched Hollywood churn them out one after another. However, beneath the surface, many sequels are just the same formulas on different backdrops. Interpreting these follow up films as an easy way out has not only exploited countless original films but has caused the series to veer toward predictability. Having a sequel for every movie simply is unnecessary.

In Hollywood, profit is the number one priority. If a filmmaker has to sacrifice artistic integrity to earn a cheap dollar, then they will do it. To the frustration of fans, the reason why so many sequels don’t work is because they aren’t given the time and effort they deserve. Jaws is a cinematic masterpiece, wonderfully acted, written, and directed. Stephen Spielberg did his absolute best to bring the novel to life. The same however, cannot be said of Jaws 2, Jaws 3-D, or Jaws the Revenge. These movies were produced by Universal Studios with one thing in mind: money. Although this is true for any business, the lack of dedication put in to these sequels was apparent. Jaws 2 was shot on a 20 million dollar budget and went on to gross nearly six times that. The sad truth is Jaws 2 would not have been made if it was a standalone film; the plot, the writing, the acting, and the directing are all deplorable. However with its familiar title, people were automatically drawn to theaters.

Additionally, replacing key members of the cast and crew can also detract from the experience of a sequel. Terminator is a series that was pretty successful in creating meaningful and enjoyable sequels. However, Terminator Salvation (the fourth one) fell short because they were missing the centerpiece of the franchise: Arnold Schwarzenegger. On principal, people watch sequels to see their favorite characters again. When they are unable to insert the same actors, it lessens the experience for the moviegoer.  After Spielberg hit the jackpot with Jaws he abandoned ship realizing the series shouldn’t be continued. Nevertheless, Universal continued on. This resulted in the Jaws series having four different directors: Spielberg, Jeannot Szwarc, Joe Alves, and Joseph Sargent. Since Universal continued to change the original cast, their movies were unable to share the same vision and incorporate the same techniques. In the long run, it contributed to Jaws being a failed series.

However, more times than not, a sequel is neither necessary nor wanted. Jaws ended with the audience feeling satisfied; Jaws 2 never needed to happen. The same situation goes for The Hangover and Roadhouse. While these films didn’t necessary ruin the original, in a way they do taint it.

Of course, this isn’t to say sequels are predetermined to fail. There are many admirable sequels such as Godfather II, Toy Story 2 & 3, and the Dark Knight. However, the main reason why these movies succeed is because the groundwork was laid out in the previous films. These were films begging to be completed, and were made with sequels in mind. They included the same themes and characters but contained different situations with new elements. Characters like Michael Corleone and Bruce Wayne were further developed adding depth to the story and making you more interested in their personal narratives without ever recycling old plotlines. They maintained the same actors all the way through realizing it would be best to keep the same core together. If sequels are going to be made they need to be made like that, they need to be made with respect.