Special Report
50 Worst Movie Sequels of All Time
November 11, 2019 1:10 pm
Last Updated: January 6, 2020 1:18 am
25. The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011)
> Directed by: Tom Six
> Starring: Laurence R. Harvey, Ashlynn Yennie, Maddi Black
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
Despite its grotesque premise of surgically connecting multiple humans, “The Human Centipede (First Sequence)” (2009) — the first in the series — was given positive reviews by half of the critics reviewing it on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie’s vulgarity may have worked in its favor, however, as its sequel — liked by 29% of critics — is described on the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus as being worse as it “loses its ability to repulse and shock and ends up obnoxious and annoying.”
24. Piranha 3DD (2012)
> Directed by: John Gulager
> Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Ving Rhames, David Hasselhoff
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
The 2010 horror comedy “Piranha 3-D” won over the majority of critics with its unique brand of unpretentious and borderline over-the-top entertainment. Its follow-up, “Piranha 3DD” — which places the killer fish in a water park setting — fails to recreate the balance of the original. It only impressed 14% of Rotten Tomatoes’ critics.
23. Amityville 3-D (1983)
> Directed by: Richard Fleischer
> Starring: Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.1 out of 10
There are 23 Amityville Horror movies to date, and 1983’s “Amityville 3-D,” or “Amityville: The Demon,” may be the worst. The movie — which features Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, and even a young Meg Ryan — received a positive review from only 5% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Janet Maslin, writing for the New York Times, said, “The cast is good, but the characters are idiots.”
22. Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
> Directed by: Mic Rodgers
> Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.7 out of 10
Jean-Claude Van Damme returned for this sequel to “Universal Soldier” (1992) as a cyborg warrior tasked with going to war with a group of android killing machines. Only 5% of critics and 24% of audiences could get behind the movie, with the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus blaming everything from “its generic story to its second rate action and subpar performances” for its failure.
21. Howling II: … Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)
> Directed by: Philippe Mora
> Starring: Christopher Lee, Annie McEnroe, Reb Brown
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.7 out of 10
The original “The Howling” (1981) was a modest success, receiving positive reviews from 70% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Only 27% liked its 1985 sequel, “Howling II,” and — worst still — only 15% of audiences gave it thumbs up. The movie — which features Christopher Lee as an occult expert who travels to Transylvania to take down a gang of werewolves — was described by Roger Ebert as “impenetrable and amazingly inept.” Producers would go on to create another six Howling films.