10 Best Horror Sequels

10 years after Wes Craven released his signature motion picture, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Craven released a movie with a concept that would consist of most of his following films. The effects that movies, especially horror movies, have on the culture, the people who watch them, and those that make them.
New Nightmare steps outside of being a normal strait laced sequel, and manages to do something wholey original, and what critics at the time praised, but few people went to see in the theater. The film has later been discovered and touted, much like I have here, as one of the most unique and interesting sequels ever made. Most of the original cast of the first Nightmare movie return to play themselves, along with Robert England in dual roles (billed as Freddy Krueger himself in the part). Wes Craven even plays himself, in this sincere look at horror film from the perspective of those who are involved in bringing our nightmares to life, and just how those nightmares haunt them as well.

The original Nightmare on Elm Street will always be one of my favorite horror films of all time. Most of the sequels in the franchise manage to be better than most of the horror sequels of the time. Two stand above the rest of them though, and one of those is Dream Warriors, the 3rd film in the franchise.
Wes Craven returned to pen the original screenplay, that was taken on by then unknown talents Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont. The result was a rarity in any genre, a sequel that not only manages to recapture the spirit of the original, but expands and builds on it's premise for the better. We learn more of the charcoaled villain of dreams, Freddy Krueger's past as well as continue the story of our original heroin, Nancy Thompson and the last of the Elm Street children, as they use their fantastic dream powers to fight the maniacal dream demon in this very satisfying sequel.

After 2 not so good sequels to the terrifying original horror classic "Child's Play", Chucky would return after a 7 year hiatus. This time with a bride! The horror franchise takes a turn for the better and would never be as good again, as it meshes romantic-comedy themes into a slasher flick. Bride of Chucky manages to have some fun with itself in the best of all the sequels, 4th film in the series of 5.

Only a year after the original run-away success of the first movie's word of mouth box office bonanza that kept going and going, Scream 2 started a trend in Hollywood that would exist to this day; a second film in a franchise that out-grosses the original, and actually made almost as much as the first film did in it's entire run, it's first weekend. For years to come, a movies opening weekend box office would determine it's fate from here on out, and I think that it started here. It helped though that Scream 2 was just as sharp and witty as the first film, and lived up to the promises always made by a horror film sequel as pointed out by Randy in the film itself.
Scream 2 may not be as good as Scream 1, but it is the perfect reverb to horror sequel-itis that is rampant in Hollywood to this day.

It may not be the actual FINAL chapter in the never ending Friday the 13th series, but it is the last time that Jason would be considered remotely human. From here on out the franchise would make him a completely indestructible super human force zombie type thing. Though most the Friday sequels are enjoyable, this one just rises above the rest in firmly placing Jason in the lexicon of horror, and has some of the most memorable moments, and Jason's most formidable enemy, a young Corey Feldman with attitude.

20 years after Halloween reinvented the Slasher genre, Jamie Lee Curtis decided to return to the franchise that got her into the movie business, and paved the way for her starring roles to come. It may be a lot like Scream in some places, due to the original treatment outlined by Scream screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, but the last 15-20 minutes are what the movie is really about, and remind us why we loved the first two films so many years ago.

There was no reason or rhyme to Psycho ever getting a sequel, but it did, and surprisingly Psycho II and III weren't that bad. Both films at least had Anthony Perkins returning to his iconic role, but it would be the 4th film, actually a made for cable TV movie, that was the best of the bunch.
The movie chronicles the early years of Norman Bates' life, simultaneously with his most recent dilemma of his urge to kill. A well crafted sequel to a hallowed classic, it is well made considering it's low budget and cable TV status.

Tobe Hooper's sequel to his underground classic is like a chainsaw to the head, and a kick to the face, and you actually want more. It's gory, it's loud, it's crazy, but it's so good. Dennis Hopper plays the redneck Marshall out for revenge, and the family that eats together, is back again, with family favorite, Leatherface heading the troop in this delightful second helping of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, that would never quite be the same again.

I enjoyed Final Destination, felt that it had it's flaws, but for the most part was the most original idea in horror since Scream in 1996. The first film's plot is overly explained, though the elaborate death scenes, and the idea that Death is an entity and will right itself if someone inter-fears with it's plans, was pretty scary and fresh. The second film actually manages to be a bit better than the first in my opinion. The third film was actually enjoyable as well. The fourth on the other hand not so much. I hold out little hope for the 5nal destination...or whatever the hell they call it these days.

I didn't expect to truly enjoy Wes Craven's 4th scream movie, it has been so many years since the last encounter with the Woodsboro group that had survived the last 3 encounters with serial killers. The third movie, much like Return of the Jedi, put a fitting and final ending on a franchise that had an impressive second half but not so impressive 3rd film. So Scre4m, or Scream 4... (whatever)...did not seem to have any real reason to exist other than it's obligatory now to have a million sequels to a horror film. Or just to cash in on the nostalgia factor with so many multi-year gap sequels coming out, and remakes flooding the theaters.
The film manages to rise above it's placement in the series, and does too modern horror and remakes, what the the original 1996 film did to the slasher genre at that time, and that is show us what is wrong with them, what not to do, then do it, and in a humorous, stylistic, and frightening way. It even manages to cleverly comment on itself, something invented with the original, and still manages to do it without being stale, and full of surprises.