The Z Review is proud to present from Joseph Tucker his round up of the massive amount of sequels from last year. Over to Joseph!

In the movie year of 2002, there were many sequels and even prequels that engulfed the silver screen. Some of them were good, some bad, or just a recyclement, which is a retold version of the previous installment.

The birth of many sequels last year came from studios heads' approach that if it worked once, it will work again. The near actor's strike of 2001 didn't help either, with studios quickly greenlighting sequels to fill their production calendars.

With 2002 now being over, here is a short breakdown of my opinion of the sequels (and prequels). The only sequels that I did not see and are not in my list are Jason X, Halloween: Resurrection, Blade 2, and Spy Kids 2.

· Analyze That

A true recyclement of the 1999 hit comedy Analyze This. This sequel has once again gangster Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) driving shrink Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) crazy with his antics and methods. In the film, Paul of course is trying to find out who wants to whack him, and Ben continues to have family problems as well as constantly being at the wrong place at the wrong time. This isn't a terrible film, but it is just something that we have seen before, typical. Also, the beloved supporting character of Jelly (Joe Viterelli) is nearly non-existent, in the first film he nearly stole the movie. The outtakes at the end are the film's best moments.

Grade: C

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
After the failure at the box office of Analyze That, I doubt there will be another one.

· Austin Powers in Goldmember

The 3rd installment to the franchise is another recyclement of Austin Powers (1997), but Mike Myers admits this in the film. Well, actually the famous Osbourne family does through a rethread joke towards the end of the film. Though the same jokes are regenerated, I liked that Myers at least admits to it. The cameos by the stars (Tom Cruise, Danny DeVito, Steven Spielberg) in the opening sequence are great, but the new bad guy, Goldmember (Mike Myers), is stale.

Grade: C+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
Mike Myers said he isn't ready yet for a fourth installment, but in a few years there will probably be one.

· Die Another Day

This is the best of the James Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan as 007. The story is better and the supporting characters are more colorful (especially Halle Berry's Jinx) than the three previous Bond films with Brosnan. I am a big fan of the old James Bond films, which relied more on finesse, style, and brains to accomplish missions, rather than explosions and fake action of the recent installments. In Die Another Day, Bond does to an extent use more style and brains, but the parachute-surfing-avalanche escape just made me shake my head.

Grade: C

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
Brosnan is signed up for another one. Berry is in talks to get a spin-off film off her spy character Jinx.

· Friday After Next

Craig (Ice Cube) and Dey-Dey (Mike Epps) are back again for the third time to get high, crack jokes, look at women and of course get into trouble. Except this time Friday falls on Christmas. This was a funny film for the most part, even though it has recycled moments and performances, the spirited comedy is still there. A few new characters arise, but the usuals steal the show. Even though Chris Tucker departed to do his own thing after the first film, Mike Epps does an okay job replacing him as the sidekick.

Grade: C+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
Not certain if Ice Cube will write another one, but he is involved with a sequel of his other hit film of the year, Barbershop.

· Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

A great film that is a piece to what might become the most successful film franchise in movie history, if all the books are made into films. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends are back at Hogwart's for their second year. Once again mysterious things begin happening and another adventure continues. What I found different with this installment compared to the first film was that Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson were all more confident with their acting. Their performances are a lot better. This film was also a lot more darker and scarier (especially for children), and it was one of the most successful films at the box office last year.

Grade: B+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
The third installment of the Harry Potter series will begin filming later this year. However, there is a new director, Alfonso Cuaron (The Little Princess (1995), Y Tu Mama Tambien (2002)), who replaces Chris Columbus. Columbus stated that he stay aboard as producer, but wants to have more time with his family. Warner Brothers is also searching for a replacement for the late Richard Harris' character of Dumbledore, which has also pushed production back. Ian McKellan, Christopher Lee, and Michael Gambon were all rumored to be taking over the role, but all of the rumors have been denied.

· Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

A masterpiece middle chapter to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The film opens right where The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) left off and answers many questions, but opens more. Peter Jackson's visuals and perfectionate storytelling lead this film's incredible battle sequences, special effects, and adventurism. I believe the three installments of the Lord of the Rings should be considered as a whole, because the story continues until the conclusion of the final installment, The Return of the King (2003), which will be out next Christmas. The Two Towers is a great film and is for sure one of the best films of the year.

Grade: A

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
The final installment, The Return of the King will open next Christmas.

· Men in Black 2

A terribly overdone, overbudgeted, total recyclement of the first film. The men in black are back and an evil alien has come to take over earth, and Will Smith's agent character must go get his old partner (Tommy Lee Jones) to help save the world again. Most of the jokes are either flat or revamped from the first film. The new characters and subplots are even flatter than the recycled jokes. The confidence of the cast and crew are still presented from the successful first film, but the material is very weak.

Grade: D+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
Men in Black 2 made a lot of money, just like the first one. So an another installment is likely.

· Red Dragon

This was one of the best thrillers of the year and a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Hannibal (2001). Anthony Hopkins returns as Hannibal Lecter and is once again more terrifying behind the glass like in The Silence of the Lambs, than running around free while cracking jokes and playing with gore as in Hannibal. I read the novel of Red Dragon by Thomas Harris last summer, and this film version is very true to the novel, as was The Silence of the Lambs (I didn't have the opportunity to read Hannibal). The added opening sequence of the film with Lecter's capture by FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) only makes the film better. Though there are brief changes from the novel, Red Dragon is a good thriller from a great book.
However, Michael Mann adaptation of the novel was the first to hit the screen in 1986 with Manhunter, which is a classic thriller that no one has seen. Overall, Red Dragon is more close to the novel, by Mann's Graham (played by CSI's William Petersen) is closer to the character Harris' create than Bret Ratner's Graham. In Red Dragon, screen time had to be cut away from Graham's character, to give more additional moments for Hopkins to do his thing as Lecter. The film was a satisfying prequel and Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as the serial killer Francis Dolarhyde.

Grade: B+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
Thomas Harris hasn't written another novel after Hannibal, and I hope that he doesn't. Hannibal Lecter is more frightening messing with your mind behind glass, than running around with humor.

· The Santa Clause 2

Overall, a manageable sequel that works well as a family film. It isn't a recyclement since Tim Allen is already Santa. He now has to find the Mrs. Claus by Christmas Eve if he wants to remain Santa. The film has cliches and stupid bad guy (D-Tox Santa), but it does have heart and spirit. The film was an audience pleasing hit, and will be watched in homes over the holidays for upcoming years.

Grade: C+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
I am not for sure if there will be. The reason this installment took so long to make the conflicts that Allen had with the script. He refuses to put on the suit and beard if the script didn't have heart.

· Star Trek: Nemesis

This installment wasn't as bad as the box office receipts reflected or by what most of the critics have said. Nemesis is the third film with the crew of The Next Generation, and there is once again a fight to save earth. The film is not a great Star Trek installment, but a good one. For the Generation crew, Nemesis is better than their last film Insurrection. A possibility for a sequel is left open as well as a spin-off film or TV series with some the characters.

Grade: B-

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
With the failure of Nemesis at the box office, is Star Trek done on the silver screen?

· Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones

The second installment of the Star Wars series was completely shot on digital video, a first for a blockbuster. Most moviegoers enjoyed Attack of the Clones better than director George Lucas' previous film (Episode I: The Phantom Menace). I tend to disagree, I found The Phantom Menace exciting throughout, even though some of the characters were dull. The writing in Attack of the Clones is absolutely horrendous; I didn't really start enjoying the film until the last 40 minutes. To be honest, Yoda's light-saber duel was unforgettable and single handling save this film for me.

Grade: B-

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
George Lucas will gear up for the release of the last Star Wars prequel in a few years.

· Stuart Little 2

A cute little film, that is a real winner for children. I loved the previous Stuart Little, and this sequel is nearly as good. The first film was about the little adopted mouse (voiced by Michael J. Fox) becoming a part of a family, and the sequel is about him finding friends outside of his family. This installment had trouble finding an audience over the summer (Lilo and Stitch (2002) took away a lot of its business), but should find a home on DVD/Video.

Grade: B+

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
Unknown if there will be a Stuart Little 3.

· The Sum of All Fears

Ben Affleck plays a younger Jack Ryan in the fourth film installment of the famous political thriller novels by Tom Clancy involving the Ryan character. Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October (1990)) and Harrison Ford (Patriot Games (1992), Clear and Present Danger (1994)) previously played Jack Ryan. The Sum of All Fears is just a well-done thriller, full of action, and with Affleck doing pretty good with the role of Ryan. I found this adaptation to be the closet to the novel of all the Clancy films. In my opinion, all of the film's strength relied on the direction by Phillip Alden Robinson; his work is secure and precise.

Grade: B

Will there be another sequel or prequel?
The film leaves open for another installment, but I haven't heard anything as of yet. I know for sure there is another Ryan book called Executive Orders, but the producers will have to get back Harrison Ford for that one (it is an older Ryan, who takes over the Presidency).

Looking into the New Year of 2003, I hope that sequels and prequels will be fresher and not so much as recyclements. For sure, I know that Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will be out next Christmas, X-Men 2 will be out in May, Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines this summer. Later this January, the horror continues in Final Destination 2, but there might be another sequel until X-Men 2. Studios always go in with the attitude that if it works once, it can work again, but it doesn't always happen that way. Take a look at Analyze That's box office pull as a reference. On the other hand, most of the sequels or prequels of 2002 did very well at the box office.

Joseph Tucker