Top 5 Second Films in a Speculative Fiction Trilogy

Since The Empire Strikes Back released in theaters, second films in movie trilogies have been some of the most remembered pieces of cinema or the worst. But how come? How can we definitively say the original Star Wars wouldn't have ended with two films instead of three? It didn't happen, but why is the second film more critically successful than the finale, arguably the most popular part of any story? Why are so many second films hailed to be the best of the series, especially when the middle is considered the slowest component and often a victim of lousy sequel syndrome? Looking at you Amazing Spider-Man 2.

For this top 5 list, we'll be looking at science fiction and fantasy films (this includes comic book movies) that did better performance-wise than the final film and the one which kicked it off. This list will exclude films with more than three films as of late 2017. Without further ado, here are my top five picks for the best middle film in a speculative fiction trilogy.

Number 5: 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'

Having seen the movie once in multiple viewing sessions, this lands a spot on the list because of how critically acclaimed it was when it released in theaters. Something which went by me when Rise of the Planet of the Apes was on the drawing board for Hollywood. A reboot of a science fiction classic (one which I will admit I have never seen)? I assumed, inaccurately that the film flopped. Years later and I thought it did. That changed when War for the Planet of the Apes overtook critics by storm. Some called it the best trilogy since the original Star Wars. Some have claimed that The Apes Trilogy is better than the science fiction classic. Their evidence is that the Return of the Jedi wasn't as good as the previous two films, according to fans and critics. War for the Planet of the Apes is held up as one of the best movies of 2017.

Number 4: 'Spider-Man 2'

The second movie in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy was considered by most to be the best superhero movie before The Dark Knight. Whenever a new comic book movie came out, Spider-Man 2 was the gold standard for a long time. One could argue the character arc for Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Dark Knight was identical to Peter Parkers. At the very least, they hit similar beats. The most obvious one being the forfeit of their crusades against crime.

According to critic, Martin Thomas from Double Toasted, Spider-Man 3 is better than Spider-Man 2. There was an entire episode dedicated to this controversial statement amongst movie and comic book fans alike. And, strangely enough, his points are valid. Why do we fault the emo Peter Parker music montage in the third Sam Raimi film, but give Spider-Man 2 a pass with the "Rain Drops Keep Falling on my Head" scene in that movie?

Number 3: 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'

The film which started the introduction to this list. One would think it would be the number middle one film in a speculative fiction trilogy. At least in the top two. Why is at only at three?

The Empire Strikes Back may be the pinnacle of Star Wars movies for the baby boomer generation and people who are at least 18 years old, but it has not aged well regarding the film's technology. Add in the fact the twist of Vader being Luke's father is now a bad joke among writers and fans of fiction. It's the easy answer for creating both internal and external conflict for a single character and is lazy storytelling depending on who you ask.

Number 2: 'Captain America - Winter Soldier'

The second Captain America film and arguably the best solo movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) phase two collection earns its spot, not because the film is good, but because it introduced the idea Marvel would use in phase three for keeping track of an ever-growing roster of superheroes. Black Widow's appearance in Winter Soldier is often overlooked, but is the first Non-Avenger's film where a character on the team made more than just a cameo on another's solo film.

Winter Soldier would've ranked lower, seeing as how the third film in the trilogy, Captain America: Civil War is one of my top five MCU films. Maybe even in the top three. That said, it's been called Avengers 2.5 for a reason, and I'd argue the third film is better, because of the dual protagonist nature of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers as they function as the other's antagonist. Winter Soldier, by comparison, is like a political thriller from the 70s.

Keeping the ranking as impersonal as possible makes it hard to choose which film is deserving on the top spot and depends on some factors. For Winter Soldier, it comes down to how strict this list wants to get with its criteria. And, as stated above, one of them is the second film being better than the final one. That prerequisite leads us into the number one pick for Top 5 Second Films in a Speculative Fiction Trilogy.

Number 1: 'The Dark Knight'

Speak his name, and the devil shall appear. That's the saying Bane uses in the sequel to this superhero film. However, we're not talking about that movie. I've mentioned the movie before earlier in the article, and I'd argue The Dark Knight is the best speculative fiction movie to come out in recent years.

Some would argue, myself included at one point in time, that The Dark Knight trilogy isn't speculative because it's grounded so much in reality. Almost to the detriment of the final film when they tried to have it both ways. There are a lot of bad cuts or flawed choreography that break the illusion. One of them happens in the opening scene.

The Dark Knight, by comparison, executes the blend between a crime thriller and superhero movie perfectly. A combination no one has gotten right since, not even Winter Soldier.

There have been many successful "copycats" (pun intended) such as CW's Arrow, but none have come close to capturing the thrill and "dark and gritty" tone The Dark Knight provided audiences.

To the people who say The Dark Knight is not speculative fiction because of what Nolan and crew wanted to accomplish, I offer this piece of advice: Don't think of The Dark Knight as part of the collective science fiction, fantasy and horror genres. The critical component in the word "speculative" is speculation and approaching The Dark Knight with that mindset is what makes it a speculative fiction film and one unlike any others on this list. Different doesn't always mean good, but with fans and critics still raving and making up theories for the film, this ten-year-old movie continues to captivate audiences everywhere. Put another way; The Dark Knight speculates what our world would be like if Batman were real and executed it damn-near perfectly.