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Summary
warriorlike arts movieswere notorious for having sequels that had little or nothing to do with the original moving-picture show . As name realisation and star might were often enough to run in audiences , there have been numberless soldierlike arts and Kung Fu franchises that provided a flimsy justification for sequel status only to fork over a movie that strayed absurdly far from its original premiss . While some of these movies were often crush successes , suppose about them as true sequels think of stretching viewers ’ break of skepticism to its absolute terminal point .
The many examples of warriorlike arts subsequence that have nothing to do with their original movies go out back several X , as the brand recognition of1970s Kung Fu classicsled to the product of movies likeReturn to the thirty-sixth Chamber . Other plastic film were sequels in name only , as they bore no characters or on-going storylines from the flick they lay claim to be following up on . Whilemartial arts movies sometimes overcame their deficiency of connexion to their source materialto deliver fun and engage films , more so than not , the resultant role were lackluster and paled in comparison .
8Return To The 36th Chamber (1980)
Original movie: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
Cast
WhileThe 36th Chamber of Shaolinwas among the greatest Kung Fu moving-picture show of all time , its thin connected and more comedic sequelReturn to the 36th Chamberwas less well acclaimed . The 2nd in a loosely linked trilogy , Return to the 36th Chamberfeatured the return of its wizard Gordan Liu , although he played an entirely different character , an imposter Shaolin Thelonious Monk named Chu Jen - chieh . The recreation from the already - established fictional character of the serial and the lack of co - star Lo Leih madeReturn to the 36th Chamberfeel like it had nothing to do with the original movie .
While both movie wereShaw Brothers productionsthat used the legend of the Shaolin monk San Te as their central assumption , it felt likeReturn to the 36th Chambertried to leverage the sword recognition of its forerunner to drum up involvement in this subsequence . However , once audiences gave it a chanceReturn to the 36th Chamberdid present epic fight sequence and gratifying Kung Fu sport . While the alteration of tone from the original was initially distracting , in the end , Return to the 36th Chamberhad a pot to declare oneself .
7American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (1989)
Original movie: American Ninja (1985)
By the time theAmerican Ninjaseries had made it to its third installment withAmerican Ninja 3 : Blood Huntit strayed so far from its original character that it was easy to draw a blank how it all started . Featuring a new lead fibre with David Bradley as Sean Davidson , American Ninja 3 : rakehell Huntinvolved cobra - theme terrorists , a ninja taint with a viral bioweapon , and an army of mortal knockoff . While it ’s easy to criticizeAmerican Ninja 3 : line Huntas an over - the - top spectacle , the celluloid run so heavily into its nonsensical premise that it must be commended .
The originalAmerican Ninjawas a cult classicabout a skilled American soldier play by Michael Dudikoff taking on mercenaries in the Philippines , and the subsequence had Dudikoff return for another sashay on a Caribbean Island . Dudikor was nowhere to be construe inAmerican Ninja 3 : Blood Huntas the series proceed in a new focus with Bradley as Davidson . However , Dudikor did return forAmerican Ninja 4 : The Annihilationwhich retrospectively connect all the previous movies .
6Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991)
Original movie: Kickboxer (1989)
After action at law movie legend Jean - Claude Van Damme employ the ancient kickboxing art of Muay Thai to kick some butt inKickboxer , the series returned with a Modern installing thatfocused on David Sloane the brother of Van Damme ’s character . Kickboxer 2 : The Road Backpicked up one yr after the original motion-picture show and let on that its kickboxing brothers Kurt and Eric Sloane had die out briefly after their epic last conflict , and the only one leave the last remaining brother David . While this was a disappointing development , it countenance the series to continue with practically nothing retained from the original movie boot out its villain .
Kickboxer 2was a disappointing failure that look at itself far too seriously and lacked the sense of fun that made the first movie oeuvre so well .
With its thin premise laid out , Kickboxer 2repeated the retribution tale of its originalas David was manipulated into facing off against the terrifying fighter Tong " The Tiger " Po . Kickboxer 2was a unsatisfying failure that took itself far too seriously and lacked the sense of fun that made the first movie oeuvre so well . While theKickboxerseries loosely united itself through tarradiddle of the Sloane family , these connection were flimsy and , excluded the family name , leave to movies that had nothing to do with the original .
5The Next Karate Kid (1994)
Original movie: The Karate Kid (1984)
The Karate Kidwas one of the most darling flick of the 1980s and led to a trilogy of films involving Daniel LaRusso and his wise karate flight simulator Mr. Miyagi . WhileThe Karate Kidsequels often offered fall returns they were at least connected by the write up of LaRusso and his journey in the ways of soldierlike graphics , that was until the release ofThe Next Karate Kidin 1994 . WhileThe Next Karate Kiddid sport Mr. Miyagi , LaRusso was nowhere to be see as he was supervene upon by a new theatrical role named Julie Pierce played by Hilary Swank .
WhileThe Next Karate Kidwas not nearly as bad as its awful reputation suggests , it had small to do with the original movies and plainly repeated much of the same plot beats and idea seen in the first film . Having the narration change to a girl attack aircraft with unlike struggles than LaRusso was a inviolable idea , but sadly its execution was not great , andThe Next Karate Kidfelt like a disposable subsequence . Sadly , when it issue forth torankingThe Karate Kidmovies , The Next Karate Kidwas place dead last .
4Drunken Master III (1994)
Original movie: Drunken Master (1978)
The only matter that connectedDrunken Master IIIto the originalDrunken Masterseries was its name . As an unofficial subsequence that included no plaster bandage members from the previous film audiences could easily be tricked into thinking that this was a third outing with Jackie Chan as Wong Fei - hung . or else , Drunken Master IIIwas merely an imitation of what was great about the early filmsand sport lustreless fighting sequences and overlong , unneeded dialogue .
With Andy Lau as the new lead grinder Yeung Kwan , Drunken Master IIIwas an unfocussed martial artistic creation parodythat at just 91 minutes still felt about an hr too long . While Drunken Master III featured some telling start power and martial artist like Gordan Liu and Lau Kar - leung , this was not enough to save a plastic film that was already doom to be compare to the original religious cult classic . lamentably , for aDrunken Mastermovie to feel authentic , Chan in a star was a prerequisite .
3Best Of The Best 3: No Turning Back (1995)
Original movie: Best of the Best (1989)
TheBest of the Bestseries began in its first motion picture by center on an American martial team facing South Korean fighters in a tourney and included Eric Roberts as fighter Alex Grady and James Earl Jones as Coach Frank Couzo . However , as the series march on it fall behind its connection to its original assumption and just Phillip Rhee as the skilled martial creative person Tommy Lee was retain . By the timeBest of the Best 3 : No Turning Backwas free Lee was facing off against Naziswho had drive his hometown under siege .
While upping the stakes was always a part of martial arts sequel , sound of the well 3 : No Turning Backhad do away with its tournament - base assumption in favor of over - the - top spectacle and classically evil bloodless supremacist antagonists . With each new installment , Best of the Bestbecame less like the original movie and leaned further into over - the - top activity boot . Whileit was always swell to see Rhee in top scrap form , it would have been nice if this serial had more of a consistent throughline .
2Iron Monkey 2 (1996)
Original movie: Iron Monkey (1993)
The only thing that connectedIron Monkey 2withIron Monkeywas its name and its star Donnie Yen , who play dissimilar characters in each plastic film . While the firstIron Monkeywas a Yen classicthat told a fictionalized story involving the childhood of the Taiwanese kinsfolk hero Wong Fei - hung and his father Wong Kei - ying , Iron Monkey 2involved combat a pack of artillery smugglers and a deadly assassin make Tiger Yu . Iron Monkey 2attempted to benefit from the acclaimed reputation of its unrelated predecessor , but it could not hold up up to the archetype .
Sadly , Iron Monkey 2was not anunderrated Donnie Yen must - watch movieand or else stay a lackluster soldierlike arts dashing hopes that wasted its incredible genius ’s potency . While billed as a Yen moving-picture show , inIron Monkey 2Yen did not appear in the bulk of the film and many of the fight sequences regard unknown actors . It ’s easy to be harsh onIron Monkey 2when comparing it to the classic repute of the first movie , but even without this comparison , Iron Monkey 2fell monotonous on its foot as a major martial arts movie disappointment .
1Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
Original movie: Bloodsport (1988)
Despite being his breakout theatrical role , Jean - Claude Van Damme did not appear in any of the subsequent sequels to the cultus definitive martial arts movieBloodsport . Instead , theBloodsportseries moved in a different direction and introduced the new eccentric of Alex Cardo , played by Daniel Bernhardt forBloodsport II : The Next Kumite . With a new set of character , Bloodsport II : The Next Kumitemaintained the cruel fight sequences of the original while telling a newfangled story about an imprisoned martial artist involve part in a vicious illegal Kumite tourney .
Bloodsport II : The Next Kumitewas a worthy follow - up that admit epic conflict succession and more mellow - octane action .
The only matter that connectedBloodsport II : The Next Kumiteto the first Van Damme pic was the actor Donald Gibb , who reprised his role as the Kumite scrapper Ray ' Tiny ' Jackson . Bernhardt reprised his role for the sequelBloodsport III , although he played an entirely new character inBloodsport 4 : The Dark Kumite , which added to this serial publication ' confusing continuity . Overall , Bloodsport II : The Next Kumitewas a worthy follow - upthat included epic fight sequences and more gamey - octane military action .
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury.
