The 50 Worst Movie Sequels of All Time

Shocker: Hollywood doesn't know when to call it quits.

None

Bad news, fans of rote comedy: The Hangover Part III is lazier than expected, a starry cash-grab bereft of anything resembling a genuine laugh or an original thought.

Before anyone tries to use Todd Phillips' latest to totally write off the concept of Hollywood sequels, though, keep in mind that last weekend's big debut, Star Trek Into Darkness, has enough going for it to earn a recommendation. In the movie industry, follow-ups are, for the most part, inevitable once a film becomes a box office success—it's an unavoidable evil that can, at times, produce memorable films. Cases in point: The Godfather Part II, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, The Dark Knight, and Spider-Man 2.

Then again, for every X2: X-Men United, there's a Taken 2. Often, everything that made the first movie so special gets deleted in favor of brainless self-indulgence or, even worse, demonstrations of ham-fisted filmmakers operating without any new ideas. Want to see how truly awful it can get? Have a look at the 50 worst sequels of all time, limited to direct follow-ups. The Hangover Part III is safe.

RELATED: 100 Movies You Need to See Before You Die
RELATED: Don't Actually Watch the Worst Movies of 2013 (So Far), Just Check Out the GIFs
RELATED: The 25 Worst Movies That Won Oscars

Written by Matt Barone (@MBarone)

50. Clerks 2 (2006)

49. Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)

48. Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992)

47. Taken 2 (2012)

46. Conan the Destroyer (1984)

45. Young Guns II (1990)

44. The Sting II (1983)

43. The Last Exorcism Part II (2013)

42. Weekend at Bernie's II (1993)

41. U.S. Marshals (1998)

40. Next Friday (2000)

39. The Fly II (1989)

38. The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

37. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

36. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

35. Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

34. Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991)

33. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

32. Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh (1995)

31. The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

30. XXX: State of the Union (2005)

29. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

28. National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (2006)

27. The Two Jakes (1990)

26. Piranha 3DD (2012)

25. The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)

24. Fletch Lives (1989)

23. Teen Wolf Too (1987)

22. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)

21. Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

20. RoboCop 2 (1990)

19. Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985)

18. The Ring Two (2005)

17. Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

16. Evan Almighty (2007)

15. The Hangover Part II (2011)

14. The Crow: City of Angels (1996)

13. The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007)

12. Grease 2 (1982)

11. Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

10. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

9. The Hills Have Eyes II (1985)

8. Caddyshack II (1988)

7. Be Cool (2005)

6. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

5. Son of the Mask (2005)

4. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

3. Basic Instinct 2 (2006)

2. Staying Alive (1983)

1. Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

Latest in Pop Culture