Most recently, the sequel to “The Big Lebowski” was released in theaters without much fanfare and much of a response, if we’re going to be honest. I wasn’t even aware there was a sequel in the works until I came across the trailer online by accident. “The Jesus Rolls” lacks just about everything “The Big Lebowski” brought to cult cinema, and John Turturro never makes much of an argument for why Jesus Quintana deserved a sequel/spin off during the entire film. It is pretty sad, considering I wouldn’t have minded if Jesus ended up sparking a cult classic in the same league as The Dude.
That said, here are five other sequels that came years (sometimes decades) later, and flopped big time.
Dumb and Dumber To/Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
Released Twenty Years, and Nine Years After “Dumb and Dumber”
This is kind of a double gut punch, and while not technically a sequel, “When Harry Met Lloyd” is (kind of…) a follow up that tries to give fans the much requested sequel without Carrey or Daniels on board. “When Harry Met Lloyd” is a terrible, unfunny, and loud sequel that completely misses the point of the original 1994 movie. The sequel “Dumb and Dumber To” is a god awful and often depressing follow up re-uniting Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels and putting them in these man child characters’ skins. They’re given nothing new or original to do, and seem bored most of the time. “Dumb and Dumber To” was so bad I opted not to review it after watching it the first time. It’s sad since “Dumb and Dumber” is still a laugh riot.
Independence Day: Resurgence
Released Twenty Years After “Independence Day”
Rather than striking while the iron was hot, Roland Emmerich took a whole two decades and finally gave us a follow up that wasn’t quite necessary. “Resurgence” arrives sans Will Smith and provides a silly, ridiculous, and often boring action follow up with a bunch of new characters that fail to muster up enough interest. Meanwhile, folks like Judd Hirsch, Bill Pullman, and Vivica A. Fox are shoehorned in to the film with not much fanfare or reasoning. “Resurgence” tries to build on the mythos while setting the stage for a full fledged expanded cinematic universe, and fails spectacularly from the starting gate trying to take an alien invasion film and transform it in to “Star Wars.” I wouldn’t hold my breath for part three.
The Blues Brothers 2000
Released Eighteen Years After “The Blues Brothers”
With the unfortunate death of John Belushi, The Blues Brothers were a dead music comedy combo that left us with a classic rock musical and action film. Never one to know when to call it quits, Dan Akroyd revives The Blues Brothers bringing along fellow Blues fan John Goodman in place of Belushi, as well as a rambunctious little boy who goes along for the ride. “The Blues Brothers 2000,” despite bring John Landis back, is a pale imitation of the original, lacking the comic timing, and epic pacing and never manages to regain even a hint of the original’s magic, even with Akroyd in tow.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Released Seven Years After “The Mummy Returns”
The finale to “The Mummy” movie series before it was retooled in to a failed Tom Cruise franchise, “Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” is a waste of great ideas (fighting a trio of vicious yetis!) and a great cast. In place of Rachel Weisz is Maria Bello in a thankless role, Michelle Yeoh and Jet Li are given almost nothing to do, and the catastrophe of Rick and Evie’s son continues. He goes from an obnoxious British kid in “The Mummy Returns” to an obnoxious American teen in the animated series, and in only seven years is transformed in to twenty six year old man. This isn’t just a lackluster finale, it’s a lazy one, too.
The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions
Released Four Years After “The Matrix”
The Wachowskis took way too long to unleash the sequels to “The Matrix” and that’s likely because “The Matrix” was kind of a surprise hit that not many banked on being such a cultural phenomenon. Four Years after the whole craziness of “The Matrix” died down and the style the film popularized was no longer in vogue, the sequel “Reloaded” arrived with kind of a collective shrug. Granted “Reloaded” is a bit better than “Revolutions,” but both films are muddled, dull, confusing, pile on the pseudo-philosophy about fate, and consciousness, and are juist sadly unsatisfying. The anthology “The Animatrix” is the true successor to “The Matrix” when all is said and done. Maybe the upcoming reboot will fix everything once and for all.