As a film enthusiast over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern: many comedy sequels follow quickly on the heels of their original counterparts, aiming to cash in on their success. More often than not, these sequels don’t even come close to the brilliance of the movie that spawned them – think of the Hangover sequels, the Back to the Future sequels, and Airplane II: The Sequel. It’s a rare day when we see one that can match or surpass the quality of the original – exceptions like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (and before that, the less than stellar National Lampoon’s European Vacation) prove this point. The same trend holds true for legacy sequels, which are popping up more and more in both comedy and horror genres.
As a devoted fan, I’ve been pondering: What makes a film a legacy sequel? Generally speaking, it seems there should be at least a decade, if not more, between the original and its follow-up. Case in point, the recently released Netflix gem, Happy Gilmore 2. Could this be the nostalgic present we ’90s kids have been waiting for?
10) Dumb and Dumber To
In the movie “Dumb and Dumber To”, there’s a moment where Harry and Lloyd disrupt a TED Talk by shouting “Show us your tits!”. This incident encapsulates the main problem with the sequel: the characters of Harry and Lloyd, unlike in the original film, have transformed into rude and disrespectful individuals. Instead of being endearing fools, they are now more appropriately labeled as jerks and bigger jerks.
It’s surprising that the Farrelly brothers directed both this movie and the original one, as they seem quite different. The initial film is considered one of the 90s’ funniest comedies, but in this case, it’s challenging to recall a single joke that lands well. To make matters worse, the storyline about Harry searching for his daughter is dull, making the entire movie a disappointment.
Stream Dumb and Dumber To on Netflix.
9) Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser
In the early 2000s, Joe Dirt held a certain charm for ’90s-era children. Given its frequent airing on Comedy Central, it was tough to miss watching it after school hours.
To be honest, Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser doesn’t exactly shine as a great movie. There are some funny moments, especially with Dennis Miller, but I feel like David Spade shines brighter when he’s paired with Chris Farley. As the main character, his performance isn’t as impactful. This film recycles the few jokes that worked from the original and brings back fan favorites like Miller, Christopher Walken, and Brittany Daniel, but it seems to be more of the same, which wasn’t particularly impressive in the first place.
Rent Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser on Amazon.
8) Zoolander 2
Compared to “Joe Dirt 2,” it’s possible that “Zoolander 2” might not be as good due to the significant decrease in quality from the original movie. The first “Zoolander” is a classic, a film set in the 9/11 era that brought joy to people during a very difficult time.
The movie “Zoolander 2” is a disaster, pushing the boundaries with its humor, but unfortunately, the jokes fall flat. It heavily relies on famous appearances to keep viewers engaged, which happens almost every few minutes, from Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande to Benedict Cumberbatch (whose character raises serious concerns) and Kiefer Sutherland or Skrillex or MC Hammer or Willie Nelson, among others. However, the film’s greatest flaw lies in diminishing the humor of Will Ferrell’s once-memorable character Jacobim “Mugatu” Moogberg, leaving us puzzled as to how this could happen.
Stream Zoolander 2 on Prime Video.
7) Coming 2 America
Over the span of four years, Eddie Murphy appeared in revivals of two iconic ’80s films. Among these sequels, however, the less impactful one is “Coming 2 America.
The good news is that “Coming 2 America” reunites almost all the stars who made the original movie so memorable, even James Earl Jones before his passing. However, it also introduces a slew of new characters, which can make the film feel overcrowded. The main issue isn’t this overflow, though. Instead, it lies in the question of why this sequel exists at all. In the original film, Eddie Murphy’s character King Akeem Joffer went to New York to find a wife and ultimately succeeded. The sequel then discloses that he fathered a son with another woman during his trip, but we had already enjoyed a side-splitting montage of him and Arsenio Hall’s Semmi trying to find the right woman amidst an assortment of peculiar characters. This plot twist strains credibility somewhat, and it doesn’t provide enough laughs to compensate for it unless you’re an ardent fan of John Landis’ 1988 masterpiece.
Stream Coming 2 America on Prime Video.
6) Vacation
The original 1983 film “National Lampoon’s Vacation” continues to be an enjoyable watch, boasting a well-selected cast featuring Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. On the other hand, the 1985 release “National Lampoon’s European Vacation,” despite having the same leads, demonstrates that a truly humorous script is essential, even for talented actors like John Hughes. However, it appears that he may have exhausted his supply of brilliant ideas during the first installment.
Initially, Hughes penned the 1989 movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” which many consider the best in the series. However, the 1997 film “Vegas Vacation” (not by Hughes) managed to reach a new low for the franchise. The silver lining is that 2015’s “Vacation” surpasses both “European” and “Vegas,” but it falls short of recapturing the charm that made the original and “Christmas Vacation” such beloved classics. Approximately 40% of the jokes in the 2015 film are successful, while the rest unfortunately miss the mark. Despite this, the cast seemed to enjoy themselves, and as demonstrated numerous times, Chris Hemsworth excels in comedic roles, stealing scenes wherever he appears.
Rent Vacation on Amazon.
5) Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
A year prior to Netflix picking up where Happy Gilmore left off, they revived another long-forgotten series: Beverly Hills Cop. The latest installment in the franchise, Beverly Hills Cop III, received a lot of criticism, but the sequel, titled Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, is significantly better than that. Unfortunately, it’s merely average rather than exceptional.
The following points make Axel F enjoyable: It successfully revives the essence of the 1984 original, Kevin Bacon plays an impressive villain, and new characters generally perform well. However, the film is rather predictable as a comedy, with both its storyline developments and jokes being foreseeable.
Stream Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix.
4) Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
In the first Anchorman, there was a blend of spontaneous humor and carefully crafted dialogue. On the other hand, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues seems more like it relies on 90% improvisation and only 10% scripting.
Essentially, Anchorman 2 tends to feel overloaded with jokes, making it hard to keep up. It’s not a terrible movie, but at times, it seems like they’re intentionally throwing every idea they have against the wall to see what sticks. Anchorman had a magical quality that it mostly failed to replicate in the sequel, despite Kristen Wiig adding a delightful touch to the cast.
Stream Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues on Paramount+.
3) Happy Gilmore 2
Following up on a beloved ’90s hit, the star-studded “Happy Gilmore 2” had some large footsteps to follow. Generally speaking, it manages to deliver. It’s worth noting that it’s one of the best comedies produced by Happy Madison in quite a while.
Sandler seems somewhat muted in this role, but it accurately portrays the now-subdued golfer whose life is going through a tough time, as he once was volatile. The film’s mood brightens with the energetic presence of Bad Bunny, who steals every scene, and the organic evolution of the legendary character Shooter McGavin.
2) Super Troopers 2
Although it doesn’t perfectly replicate the lighting in the original, Super Troopers 2 remains one of the top films produced by Broken Lizard. However, its main issue lies in the excessive Canada-bashing that permeates throughout the movie.
The choice to set the action in Canada for “Super Troopers 2” made perfect sense, given that it enabled the filmmakers to take jabs at both the United States and Canada. On one side, it seems that Canada is the final part of the world where such humor can be employed in an R-rated movie, making this sequel appear less risky. However, jokes about Canadians saying ‘sorry’ have been overused for a while now. Yet, the film manages to outshine its shortcomings thanks to the enduring chemistry between the main characters, which remains strong after 17 years, the comeback of Brian Cox, and the addition of new comedic talents like Hayes MacArthur, Will Sasso, and Tyler Labine. In particular, Labine delivers a well-timed joke about having sexual encounters with moose.
Rent Super Troopers 2 on Amazon.
1) Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
In the ’80s and ’90s, Tim Burton was doing exceptionally well, but signs of a waning appeal began to emerge in the 2000s. His films like “Planet of the Apes” seemed off-brand and poorly received, “Big Fish” had its supporters but was overly sweet, and his frequent collaborations with Johnny Depp started earning more eye rolls than applause. Matters only worsened in the 2010s, as two of his projects with Depp, “Alice in Wonderland” and “Dark Shadows,” were largely considered flops.
In recent times, I’ve noticed a resurgence in his creative prowess. For instance, after the unique style of “Big Eyes” seemed like a deviation for the director, he managed to captivate audiences once again with “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”. Although “Dumbo” didn’t quite soar as high as we hoped, his take on “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was a resounding success, both critically and financially. While it may not have the same central hook (the Maitlands navigating life after death), it’s a vibrant film that demonstrates his ability to revisit an old project and almost perfectly recapture its essence.
Stream Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on Netflix.
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2025-07-27 18:40