One of the best conversation starters, if you have a large group of cinephiles in a room together, is the question of which sequels are better than the original films? And considering we all have more time than usual to discuss these sorts of things on social media, given the global pandemic and self-isolation, filmmaker James Gunn is here to facilitate the discussion, while also providing his definitive list of answers.
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Sure, Gunn doesn’t have many hot takes in his list of superior sequels. “Terminator 2” is better than “Terminator,” by most accounts. The same goes with “The Godfather II,” “Wrath of Khan,” “Superman II,” “Captain America: Winter Soldier,” “Evil Dead 2,” and “Blade II.” Those are fairly easy choices.
But that doesn’t mean Gunn is completely without hot takes. Perhaps the most scalding hot take is the assertion that “Blade Runner 2049” is superior to “Blade Runner.” While most people can agree that Denis Villeneuve’s ‘2049’ is a great film, perhaps one of the best sci-fi/cyberpunk films of all time, is it really in the conversation of being a better film than Ridley Scott’s classic?
Yes, Scott’s original has the benefit of nostalgia and the pacing is a bit, uh, slow, but the original “Blade Runner” is basically responsible for creating a whole new visual language for film, TV, and other media that would copy it in the decades after. And the monologue towards the end, given by Rutger Hauer (RIP) is one of the best moments in cinema, period. Again, that doesn’t mean ‘2049’ is bad. If “Blade Runner” is a 10, then ‘2049’ is a solid 9.
Another semi-hot take is the coronation of “Batman Returns” as a better film than Tim Burton’s 1989 original. Obviously, since both are created by the same artist, it’s a bit difficult to pit them against each other in style and delivery, but many consider “Batman” to be a much cleaner, polished film, whereas ‘Returns’ is a bit less complete and suffers from a bit of a tonal identity crisis. Plus, let’s not forget that Jack Nicholson’s Joker was the gold standard for many years before Heath Ledger changed everything in 2008.
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So what is a bridge too far for Gunn in this “sequels better than the original” discussion? Apparently, “Alien” versus “Aliens.” While arguments have raged for decades over which is better, Ridley Scott’s horror-focused original or James Cameron’s muscle-bound action sequel, Gunn is ready to call it even.
He tweeted, “PS It’s an unarguable fact Alien & Aliens are equal.”
For the complete list, you can look at Gunn’s full tweet thread below:
