Trilogies are a tricky thing to pull off. Making just one good film is hard enough on its own, now imagine not only having to make three good works of cinema, but also having them connect both thematically and with a cohesive narrative. It has been done before, though, so anybody in the middle of a similarly daunting task can be comforted knowing they are in good company.
To celebrate the trilogies that did it successfully, and acknowledge the great ones that fell face first upon their conclusion, the following list will point out five great trilogy conclusions, and five lackluster ones. To make selecting the latter entries easier, the last film had to have closed out an otherwise great trilogy, so Revenge of the Sith is left out along with The Matrix Revolutions.
Stuck The Landing: Return Of The Jedi
While generally considered the weakest of the original trilogy, Return of the Jedi still stands as a fantastic movie and a killer conclusion to a remarkable cinematic achievement. Hanging story threads neatly tie themselves up, the future of the lore is opened up while the conflict is simultaneously resolved, and the characters visit more unique locations. Some decry Ewoks as ruining the movie, but the idea of a primitive and underestimated species toppling the Empire is genius in its own way.
Fumbled The Ending: Spider-Man 3
The first two Spider-Man films from Sam Raimi proved superhero movies were a viable commodity. The third entry still generated bonkers box office numbers, but critical and fan reception was harsh. Too many villains muddied the plot and Peter’s reaction to the alien infection felt like something out of a screwball comedy rather than a Spider-Man story. it has its saving graces, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the prior two entries. Here’s hoping the next third Spider-Man movie doesn’t establish some sort Spider-Man trilogy curse.
Stuck The Landing: Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King
Rarely is a filmmaker given so many resources and dollars to craft such an exquisite and deliberate vision. The amount of work and detail Peter Jackson and his crew put into crafting Middle Earth is breathtaking, and makes for a compelling story right until its conclusion.
Having a source material to work from surely made wrapping things up easier, but it also was a challenge putting all the information from an epic novel into a movie, even if said film is more than three hours long. Sadly, The Hobbit trilogy was an immediate downgrade right from the start, but one can appreciate the entire Lord of the Rings series without touching the prequels.
Fumbled The Ending: Blade Trinity
Blade and its sequel were rough and tumble comic book movies for hardcore fans of the character. The third film, directed by David S. Goyer, is valuable only for its unintentional hilarity. Wesley Snipes refused to film many scenes, so his performance was done mostly by doubles and editing what little footage they had of him for reactions. Surprisingly, Ryan Reynold’s knack for improvisation shines and carries the whole movie.
Stuck The Landing: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
The Dollars Trilogy consists of For a Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly. Sergio Leone did not set out to connect them, but marketing purposes made Clint Eastwood’s character the same anti-hero throughout the three films.
Anybody interested in classic westerns can use these three films as a perfect introduction to the setting and style. The finale raked in the cash and fan appreciation, but critics dismissed it as drivel.
Fumbled The Ending: The Godfather Part III
The first two Godfather films tell one cohesive story about Michael Corleone’s descent into the family business and eventual submersion into complete darkness. The third film, coming out more than a decade later, sees a remorseful Michael try to correct his sins. It is hardly the worst offender on this list, but it is ultimately unnecessary. The originals were a complete story on its own which changed cinema forever, and this feels like a cash in.
Stuck The Landing: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
How does one follow up two of the greatest action-adventure films of all time? By making one even better; that’s how. As impressive as the action scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark are, The Last Crusade somehow manages to pull off even more fantastic sequences.
The tank chase closing out the trilogy still stands as one of the best action scenes in all of cinema. Rarely do two titans of cinema play off each other like Sean Connery and Harrison Ford do as the father and son duo. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull may have sullied Jones’ reputation, but taken as a trilogy the three films are nearly perfect.
Fumbled The Ball: X-Men 3
Brian Singer helmed the first two X-Men movies and proved he understood the source material perfectly. X-2: X-Men United still stands as one of the finest comic book movies ever made. Singer opted not to do the third film, and handed the reins to Brett Ratner, who made exactly the type of film one would expect from the director of Rush Hour. It eschews the dark tone for a more joyful romp, making for an incongruous conclusion. Surprisingly, it only manages to be the second worst adaptation of the legendary Dark Phoenix comic book story.
Stuck The Landing: Army Of Darkness
The Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn ends with Ash Williams going back in time to the middle ages. Army of Darkness follows up on this, making the third film a thrilling action-adventure homage to classic adventure movies while still retaining the horror-comedy spirit of the series.
Horror movie franchises grow stale with subsequent sequels, but Sam Raimi managed to keep The Evil Dead exciting until the very end.
Fumbled The Ending: Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max was an impressive Australian grindhouse film filled with stunts and effects many movies still don’t try to do practically. Road Warrior is one of the best action films of the decade culminating in a legendary car chase. Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome is a tacky adventure film directed towards children. There’s nothing wrong with a film for children, but it destroys everything about the series’ identity. Fortunately, George Miller returned thirty years later to give audiences a proper entry with Mad Max: Fury Road.
Next: 10 Behind The Scenes Facts About The Dark Knight Trilogy
