It seems these days Hollywood is constantly
passing on original ideas in favour of sequels. The number of these sequels is
climbing higher, so that even narrowing down the top trilogies is something of
a chore. Even classic film series' of the past have been artificially extended.
It is for this reason, I now present to you, a list of the top quadrilogies.
10.Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon underwent quite a change in tone
since the first flick. Nonetheless, the 4th episode keeps things fresh with Jet
Li and Chris Rock. It peaked with Lethal Weapon 2- indeed, Homer Simpson still
checks under his toilet for bombs
9.Pirates of the Caribbean
The Pirates films are an odd bunch. The 2nd and
3rd are overlong and arguably self indulgent, but the sumptuously realised,
multi-million dollar chaos, can be surprisingly entertaining, that is when its
not being tedious. Full credit to Depp though, for making Jack Sparrow his own
8.Karate Kid
Ive never been keen on these childhood tales of
dopey student Daniel overcoming the odds to win karate contests, and life in
general. Even Hilary Swank didn't really help things. Still, if I didn't
include it, I would get hate..so here it is
7.Superman
We all know Superman 4 sucked. Even 3 was a bit
silly. But Christopher Reeve, and *that* theme tune... It still amps me up. A
genuinely good guy, a hero of hope, not darkness...and all the better for it
6.Indiana Jones
I've already done a post on Indy, so I'll be
brief. The 4th gets a lot of judgement for the unrealistic stunts and the alien
element, but really, its no more crazy than previous entries in the canon. Its
fun, with good action sequences, and Ford looks amazing
5.Mission Impossible
A great set of films, each with their own distinct flavour. While the original is looking a bit dated now, there's no denying the flamboyance of the set pieces. Two will appeal to fans of Hong Kong cinema, whilst 3 is all out, fast paced, explosive action. Even the 4th managed to blend the previous films together nicely
4.Alien
This is a great film series. Each has an iconic
director, and a unique, different style. The main quibble is
Alien:Resurrection, which scriptwriter Joss Whedon has been very vocal about,
as the perfect example of Hollywood destroying a potentially good screenplay.
3.Rambo
You have to give it to Stallone. Rambo III was
awful, and the sequel went a long way towards making amends. It established
Rambo as a more real character, whose come a long way in the understanding of
war, and its purpose. First Blood still reigns supreme though.
2.Terminator
The Terminator films are classics for a reason,
combining a nice sci-fi concept with great action. The 4th feels a little
distanced from the rest, but the 3rd is often unfairly dismissed. Well worth
another watch
1.Die Hard
Die Hard has the great advantage that its
fourth instalment is very good, and not the worst of the 4 like it is with
most others. Every Die Hard film knows what the audience wants... and more
importantly, it gives it to them
Nb. A side note to anyone detecting a Jason Bourne sized hole in that list..I haven't seen the latest Bourne film yet, So I can't comment. Later on, when I do, I'm sure there will be a re-post/update.
