8 Underrated Sequels That Are Actually Better Than The Original

Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

The Lethal Weapon franchise very quickly became the gold standard for buddy cop movies when the first film was released in 1987. Each instalment thereafter – while providing great action and drama – built a compelling character study of two very different men and their relationship with each other. One is the unpredictable and emotionally unstable cop, while the other is the reliable and family-oriented cop. In the first film, they clash and reluctantly bond. In the second, that bond deepens. But, by the third, they have reached the sweet spot. They are brothers-in-arms – luxuriating in the familiarity and ease with which they regard each other. This gives rise to everything we want from the film – dramatic tension, as they try to protect each other as loved ones, comedy, as they engage in truly hilarious banter and in-jokes, and action, as their combined persistence lands them in hot water again and again.

But the thing that makes this the superior sequel in particular, is the way in which the characters – having evolved as individuals over time – effectively switch places, with the unpredictable one becoming dependable, and the reliable one having an emotional meltdown over a shooting too close to home. This plot twist changes the whole dynamic, while simultaneously revealing the unshakeable connection that forms the foundation of the relationship between the two men. In addition, there is Joe Pesci on brilliant form, and Rene Russo in a rare, formidable appearance.