http://www.totalfilm.com/features/best-worst-threequels

See what you make of that... I dunno, I just never got on with BTTF 3 as much as I'd have liked to. But then I'm not the greatest Western fan either, so...

I've often found threequels try to recreate the first film, and especially after a dodgy predecessor

Hmm...

Interesting list.

A few comments though...

I really liked X-Men 3 it wasn't as good as the others but it was still a good film. It tied the story up nicely.
I also liked the entire Matrix trilogy.
BTTF3 was also good. IIRC the BTTF trilogy was the first film designed, written and filmed to be a trilogy from the outset.
LOL, I also quite liked Ocean's Thirteen. Again, not a classic but definitely not a bad film.

Although, I haven't seen many of the rest. Some of them I didn't even know had had a third film made.

BTTF was awesome
BTTF3 was good
BTTF2 was a steaming turd!

Matix was awesome
Matrix Reloaded was okay
Matrix Revolutions was a complex nightmare that was all CIi and terrible script.

Pirates of the Caribbean - same as the matrix

Lord of the rings - all three were awesome (but TT was the best)

Highlander - same as BTTF

I think most of them I agree with, from what I've seen or in other cases heard.

And of course, the last row of this comic:

I agree with most of that by and large. However, Ocean's 13 is not awful. It's just not as good as 11 and a damn site better than 12. The Matrix always gets a bad rap and it's fashionable to include it on such lists. But those who do so, obviously haven't resonated with the underlying philosophy and watched it more than twice.

T3 isn't that bad either. Some great set pieces, the TX and a previously unexplored bit of timeline all make for a good popcorn flick. Just not as good as 1 and 2. But is that a crime?

Expectations on these things are often part of the problem. For every Ultimatum, there will be 10 Robocop 3s. That's just movies.

I'd actually watch Robocop 3 over T3 tbh, at least Robocop 3 kinda knew it was a comedy

Yeah, but take away the weight of T1 and 2 and 3 stands up on it's own. It's all relative. Robocop 3 did have the stick-it-to-the-man vibe down, but Peter Weller obviously knew better and CCH Pounder should have.

I'm in work, so I haven't time to scroll through all that lot. Sorry if I've missed something but, Beverly Hills Cop!

One- great film, dark but with humour, action, crime fighting drama.
Two- more of the same, but a little tongue-in-cheek.
Three- WTF???

Yeah well, Simpson and Bruckheimer golden era for the first two and Tony Scott on the second. Who even remembers who made the third?? Classic example of "studio-hires-any-old-twat-to-finish franchise" syndrome.

I don't think Beverly Hill's Cop III is all that bad in isolation, but it's not a patch on the first two.

I found T3 almost completely forgettable, but then as you say, part of my problem with it was it copied so much of T2.

Re. CCH Pounder. I take it you're a Shield fan (though she pops up everywhere)? I've still to watch the final series of that. In fact I'd need to watch series 6 again to get back into it probably...

I think that Jaws 3D would possibly be the worst sequel ever had it not been for the fact that Jaws: The Revenge is mind-bogglingly bad.

God damn! I really am the only person on here bar Mark who's seen every quality bit of television since 1998 (and some before that) - aren't I?!

She does pop up everywhere, you're right. But she shares a show with a particularly talented bunch of actors, writers and crew on The Shield. One of the best shows ever.

Tom, you've hit the nail on the head. The more I think about it, the more I realise this is the problem for most threequels. But somehow, two just ain't always enough
(Unless we're talking boobs, in which case that chick from Total Recall was a step too far).

I hope you never become the director general of the BBC.