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Anyone can make a great first movie. A lot of filmmakers can make a great second movie. The third movie starts separating the mice from the men, and the fourth film... well, if it doesn't leave the audience with green faces and excruciating pain, consider your job done. So with that in mind, the ten best Part IVs in film history. Movies that through all the attempts, still managed to churn out a decent product.
#10 The Hobbit
(Lord of the Rings Part IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: to be determined
Because it's hard to find a tenth movie deserving to be on a "10 Best Part IVs in Movie History" I'm inserting this one as everything we hope it will be. Many fans of J.R.R. Tolkien enjoy The Hobbit as much, if not more, than The Lord of the Rings, and it may be more cinematically prepared for an adaptation with its less drawn out exploration. Several of the same actors from Peter Jackson's trilogy are rumored to return and Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens will once again be involved in the production although Guillermo del Toro has been signed into the director's chair this go-around. Much of the preproduction hype paints this picture to be a product of love rather than an easy movie studio cash-in, so here's hoping for the best!
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XSHLGnexe-w&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XSHLGnexe-w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#9 Terminator Salvation
(Terminator IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 32%
Maybe a controversial pick with its recent release and criticism, but honestly, for a film without Arnold Schwarzenegger, it really wasn't that bad. With all the negative prerelease hype such as McG the director and Christian Bale reportedly forcing a re-write of the script, it still managed to hold its weight, and the decision to give John Connor a bigger role made a lot of sense as the film progressed. He IS afterall the hero of the resistance against the machines. Every film until this point has revolved around an effort to protect his legacy. Geeks everywhere were excited to see not only a full-grown John Connor played by Batman, but also a younger version of Kyle Reese. More of the Terminator mythology is explored and this film probably endeared itself more to the fans of the entire Terminator sci-fi universe, rather than fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger, although his unexpected CGI "cameo" at the end was certainly one of the best moments of the film.
[YT]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VYc3vOmof_8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VYc3vOmof_8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/YT]
#8 Alien Resurrection
(Aliens IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 54%
So yeah.... it will never match Alien, nor Aliens, but it was a more upbeat film to end the Alien franchise compared to Aliens 3. (Which IMO was underrated.) It copied some of the Aliens Space Marine themes from the popular second film and also saw a creative transformation of Ripley who was cloned, received Alien powers, and was even viewed as the mother by some of the offspring.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1myB44Tjiw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1myB44Tjiw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#7 George A. Romero's Land of the Dead
(Night of the Living Dead IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
You knew there had to be a horror franchise on this list and while franchises such as Friday the 13th didn't have half-bad attempts at a fourth attempt (especially considering the entire franchise as a whole), the master of zombie movies is probably most deserving of a spot on this list. It had been too long since a George Romero installment and this one didn't disappoint that many people. Of course, Romero has an advantage in that most of his people simply DIE after each film so he doesn't have to worry about as much continuity as a traditional sequel. Still... it's a long way to come from a cheap black & white film that spawned the zombie craze.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/atXJB9luiko&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/atXJB9luiko&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#6 Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
(Indiana Jones IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
So admittedly it suffers the George Lucas curse of tarnishing some of our most cherished memories of terrific franchises from the 80's, but it's still a fun movie to watch! Yes, it's bizarre watching nuclear bombs and aliens in an Indiana Jones film, but the Area 51 and Communist Russia theme did fit well with an aging Doctor Jones. It's just a shame that Sean Connery turned down his offer to reappear in an Indiana Jones film because with him and Karen Allen it might have given us enough nostalgia to forgive some of the "he chose poorly" decisions from Spielberg and Lucas.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-J2fo5alMVI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-J2fo5alMVI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#5 Rocky IV
Rotten Tomatoes: 44%
So it's not going to win any Academy Awards anytime soon, but if you didn't root like crazy for Rocky to beat the hell out of the evil Russian Ivan Drago, then you truly have no soul. Rocky IV is the essence of a bad cheesy 80's fest that you can't help but love. It gave Dolph Lundgren quasi-fame for years just by that one line: "I must break you." Even the opening show of Apollo vs. Drago with James Brown singing "Living in America" was greatness, and Rocky's workout in Siberia was one of the all-time "getting in shape" musical montages.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4_vBxVpXY6c&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4_vBxVpXY6c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#4 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
(Star Wars IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
So people are going to hate this film being ranked this high, and no, it wasn't as good as any of the previous three Star Wars films, but honestly, it wasn't that bad of a film. Did it probably leave a sour taste in all Star Wars fans? Yeah. But taken by itself, not comparing it to the Star Wars legacy, isn't it safe to say this movie would have blown people away? I know, it's beside the point because it never would have received this type of production budget if it wasn't the fourth installment of the Star Wars universe, but there were still several great moments: the final Darth Maul battle, the pod racing sequence, the battle of Naboo, both Jedis fighting their way out of an ambush, and so on.... The 6th Star Wars film was probably the best of the prequels, but this film wasn't exactly a slouch compared to other sci-fi franchises, although it might be a bit of cheat putting it on this list considering it rebooted the story.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I6hOlI9cg4o&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I6hOlI9cg4o&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#3 Thunderball
(James Bond IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Thunderball was the highest grossing James Bond film at its release, and while it had some mixed reviews during its day, most of today's critics and audiences love it. Not only did it sport some of the best Bond memories such as a rigged Aston Martin, one of the better collection of Bond girl hotties, and a battle with SPECTRE's top dogs... but it also won Academy Awards for some of its underwater battle scenes, a highlight of future Bond films. It also showcased a jet pack scene which was an entirely real product for its time and seen in many Super Bowl and World's Fair performances.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2XNkTXKB18A&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2XNkTXKB18A&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(Harry Potter IV)
Rotten Tomatoes:88%
Many critics consider the third Harry Potter film the best, but the fourth film had something going for it: Of all the books, it was probably the most prepared to be adapted into a motion picture. A simple plot of a year long battle between competing wizard schools for the "supreme young wizard" was a huge book, but an easy structure for a screenwriter. It also had several key scenes that made for great visuals such as the dragon contest. It was the first film to showcase the maturity of the actors who had played the students through the previous three films with first dances, first kisses, and other rites of passage for teenagers. Brendan Gleeson's Alastor Moody also made for one of the best performance by an actor in the Potter franchise as the infamous and annually switched Professor of Dark Arts at Hogwarts.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OGLzaVx-hUE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OGLzaVx-hUE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#1 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Possibly not considered the best Trek by the Trekkers, Trekkies, or whatever they call themselves these days, but the regular audience loved it and made it one of the highest grossing Trek sequels of all-time. Time travel, Klingon warbirds, comedy, even an environmental message -- this movie had it all! Probably the easiest movie of all the Star Treks for a non-Trekker to enjoy, and pokes fun at our modern-day culture in ways it probably deserves.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dfts9WLXINE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dfts9WLXINE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
Honorable Mentions: Fast and Furious, The Sum of All Fears, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter, The Return of the Pink Panther
Other useless top ten lists:
10 Most Awkward Casting Changes in Movie Franchise History
#10 The Hobbit
(Lord of the Rings Part IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: to be determined
Because it's hard to find a tenth movie deserving to be on a "10 Best Part IVs in Movie History" I'm inserting this one as everything we hope it will be. Many fans of J.R.R. Tolkien enjoy The Hobbit as much, if not more, than The Lord of the Rings, and it may be more cinematically prepared for an adaptation with its less drawn out exploration. Several of the same actors from Peter Jackson's trilogy are rumored to return and Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens will once again be involved in the production although Guillermo del Toro has been signed into the director's chair this go-around. Much of the preproduction hype paints this picture to be a product of love rather than an easy movie studio cash-in, so here's hoping for the best!
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XSHLGnexe-w&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XSHLGnexe-w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#9 Terminator Salvation
(Terminator IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 32%
Maybe a controversial pick with its recent release and criticism, but honestly, for a film without Arnold Schwarzenegger, it really wasn't that bad. With all the negative prerelease hype such as McG the director and Christian Bale reportedly forcing a re-write of the script, it still managed to hold its weight, and the decision to give John Connor a bigger role made a lot of sense as the film progressed. He IS afterall the hero of the resistance against the machines. Every film until this point has revolved around an effort to protect his legacy. Geeks everywhere were excited to see not only a full-grown John Connor played by Batman, but also a younger version of Kyle Reese. More of the Terminator mythology is explored and this film probably endeared itself more to the fans of the entire Terminator sci-fi universe, rather than fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger, although his unexpected CGI "cameo" at the end was certainly one of the best moments of the film.
[YT]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VYc3vOmof_8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VYc3vOmof_8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/YT]
#8 Alien Resurrection
(Aliens IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 54%
So yeah.... it will never match Alien, nor Aliens, but it was a more upbeat film to end the Alien franchise compared to Aliens 3. (Which IMO was underrated.) It copied some of the Aliens Space Marine themes from the popular second film and also saw a creative transformation of Ripley who was cloned, received Alien powers, and was even viewed as the mother by some of the offspring.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1myB44Tjiw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1myB44Tjiw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#7 George A. Romero's Land of the Dead
(Night of the Living Dead IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
You knew there had to be a horror franchise on this list and while franchises such as Friday the 13th didn't have half-bad attempts at a fourth attempt (especially considering the entire franchise as a whole), the master of zombie movies is probably most deserving of a spot on this list. It had been too long since a George Romero installment and this one didn't disappoint that many people. Of course, Romero has an advantage in that most of his people simply DIE after each film so he doesn't have to worry about as much continuity as a traditional sequel. Still... it's a long way to come from a cheap black & white film that spawned the zombie craze.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/atXJB9luiko&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/atXJB9luiko&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#6 Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
(Indiana Jones IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
So admittedly it suffers the George Lucas curse of tarnishing some of our most cherished memories of terrific franchises from the 80's, but it's still a fun movie to watch! Yes, it's bizarre watching nuclear bombs and aliens in an Indiana Jones film, but the Area 51 and Communist Russia theme did fit well with an aging Doctor Jones. It's just a shame that Sean Connery turned down his offer to reappear in an Indiana Jones film because with him and Karen Allen it might have given us enough nostalgia to forgive some of the "he chose poorly" decisions from Spielberg and Lucas.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-J2fo5alMVI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-J2fo5alMVI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#5 Rocky IV
Rotten Tomatoes: 44%
So it's not going to win any Academy Awards anytime soon, but if you didn't root like crazy for Rocky to beat the hell out of the evil Russian Ivan Drago, then you truly have no soul. Rocky IV is the essence of a bad cheesy 80's fest that you can't help but love. It gave Dolph Lundgren quasi-fame for years just by that one line: "I must break you." Even the opening show of Apollo vs. Drago with James Brown singing "Living in America" was greatness, and Rocky's workout in Siberia was one of the all-time "getting in shape" musical montages.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4_vBxVpXY6c&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4_vBxVpXY6c&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#4 Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
(Star Wars IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
So people are going to hate this film being ranked this high, and no, it wasn't as good as any of the previous three Star Wars films, but honestly, it wasn't that bad of a film. Did it probably leave a sour taste in all Star Wars fans? Yeah. But taken by itself, not comparing it to the Star Wars legacy, isn't it safe to say this movie would have blown people away? I know, it's beside the point because it never would have received this type of production budget if it wasn't the fourth installment of the Star Wars universe, but there were still several great moments: the final Darth Maul battle, the pod racing sequence, the battle of Naboo, both Jedis fighting their way out of an ambush, and so on.... The 6th Star Wars film was probably the best of the prequels, but this film wasn't exactly a slouch compared to other sci-fi franchises, although it might be a bit of cheat putting it on this list considering it rebooted the story.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I6hOlI9cg4o&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I6hOlI9cg4o&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#3 Thunderball
(James Bond IV)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Thunderball was the highest grossing James Bond film at its release, and while it had some mixed reviews during its day, most of today's critics and audiences love it. Not only did it sport some of the best Bond memories such as a rigged Aston Martin, one of the better collection of Bond girl hotties, and a battle with SPECTRE's top dogs... but it also won Academy Awards for some of its underwater battle scenes, a highlight of future Bond films. It also showcased a jet pack scene which was an entirely real product for its time and seen in many Super Bowl and World's Fair performances.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2XNkTXKB18A&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2XNkTXKB18A&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(Harry Potter IV)
Rotten Tomatoes:88%
Many critics consider the third Harry Potter film the best, but the fourth film had something going for it: Of all the books, it was probably the most prepared to be adapted into a motion picture. A simple plot of a year long battle between competing wizard schools for the "supreme young wizard" was a huge book, but an easy structure for a screenwriter. It also had several key scenes that made for great visuals such as the dragon contest. It was the first film to showcase the maturity of the actors who had played the students through the previous three films with first dances, first kisses, and other rites of passage for teenagers. Brendan Gleeson's Alastor Moody also made for one of the best performance by an actor in the Potter franchise as the infamous and annually switched Professor of Dark Arts at Hogwarts.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OGLzaVx-hUE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OGLzaVx-hUE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
#1 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Possibly not considered the best Trek by the Trekkers, Trekkies, or whatever they call themselves these days, but the regular audience loved it and made it one of the highest grossing Trek sequels of all-time. Time travel, Klingon warbirds, comedy, even an environmental message -- this movie had it all! Probably the easiest movie of all the Star Treks for a non-Trekker to enjoy, and pokes fun at our modern-day culture in ways it probably deserves.
[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dfts9WLXINE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dfts9WLXINE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
Honorable Mentions: Fast and Furious, The Sum of All Fears, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter, The Return of the Pink Panther
Other useless top ten lists:
10 Most Awkward Casting Changes in Movie Franchise History
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