22 Spectacular Action Movies That Made Their Respective Franchise Bigger and More Explosive
These movies pushed the franchise to new heights of success.
Action sequels have a way of turning a good franchise into a bigger, louder event. When the formula clicks, the follow-up does more than repeat the original, it raises the stakes and cranks everything up.
This roundup looks at 22 action movies that pushed their franchises further, from gritty revenge stories to giant studio crowd-pleasers. Some of these sequels changed the tone, some changed the scale, and some did both at once.
Either way, these are the movies that made their series feel even more explosive. Read on.
Action movie sequels were frequently the most exciting films one could watch in theaters before the existence of the "cinematic universe."
Moviegoers would look forward to bigger and more explosive action scenes as they awaited the next installment. Today, we're going to look at 22 of those films.
Antonio Gravante / Getty Images/EyeEmAction movie sequels were frequently the most exciting films one could watch in theaters before the existence of the "cinematic universe."
1. Crank 2: High Voltage
Lions Gate / Courtesy Everett Collection2. Magnum Force
Warner Bros. Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
3. Rambo (2007)
Lionsgate / Weinstein Company / Millennium Films / Ronald Grant Archive / Courtesy Everett Collection
4. Desperado
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
5. Police Story 2
Golden Way Films Ltd. / Courtesy Alamy
6. Die Hard 2
Courtesy Everett Collection / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
7. Mad Max: Fury Road
Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection
8. Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
Millennium Films / AF Archive / Courtesy Alamy
And if you miss the franchise energy, Jason Biggs’ update on American Pie 5 is next.
9. Lethal Weapon 2
Warner Bros /Courtesy Everett Collection
10. Fast Five
Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection
11. Beverly Hills Cop II
Paramount Pictures / Don Simpson / Jerry Bruckheimer Films / Collection Christophel / Alamy
12. Bad Boys 2
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
13. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Paramount Pictures / Entertainment Pictures / Alamy
14. The Bourne Ultimatum
Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection
15. The Karate Kid, Part II
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
16. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning
Magnet Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection
17. Rush Hour 2
New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection
18. The Road Warrior
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection
19. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
TriStar / Courtesy Everett Collection
20. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
21. The Raid 2
Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
22. Rambo: First Blood, Part II
Courtesy Everett Collection / TRISTAR PICTURES / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
What makes a good action sequel?
First and foremost, it must have bigger and better action set pieces than the original. Sequels that fail usually do so because they don't live up to the hype in this department.
Secondly, a good action sequel needs to have a strong story. This is what keeps audiences invested in the characters and the world.
Finally, a good action sequel should have some surprises in store. Whether it's a major plot twist or a new character, audiences should feel like they're getting something new and exciting.
If a sequel can deliver on these three fronts, then it's sure to be a hit with audiences. Otherwise, it'll only be a rehash of the original movie with bigger explosions and less plot.
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