The Lost World: Jurassic Park, The Godfather Part II, and the entire Harry Potter movie series have all been critically-acclaimed successful sequels that are just as good, if not better, than the original films. However, some movies have not had as much luck with their sequels (looking at you, every classic Disney movie) and failed miserably in trying to create a sequel that measured up to viewers’ expectations.
Grease: The 1978 musical hit, now considered a “classic,” has its fair share of dramatic dance numbers, catchy songs, and the usual high school love drama. Set in the 1950’s at Rydell high school, Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsen (Olivia Newton John) are two teens who fall madly in love with each other over summer break, without realizing that they would meet again once the new school year starts. Danny’s biker clique, the T-Birds, and their girl parallel, the Pink Ladies, take Sandy in, and cause both the reunion of Danny and Sandy, and every problem between them from there on. Eventually, the teens in love make their way back to each other following many theatrical musical performances and exaggerated dance moves. Grease is basically the original High School Musical.
Grease 2: To start off, the movie was made in 1982, and was set in 1961, not that a viewer would be able to tell. Everything about this movie screams “80’s,” from the hair to the music. The songs featured in the movie are alright, but they sound like every 80’s song ever. The “Reproduction” song, however, definitely sticks in memory. Forever. The film outdoes itself in the very dramatic acting, overly-elaborate dances, and actors that look twice the age of the character they are playing. Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer) could not look more bored with the movie, and less interested in her love interest, Michale Carrington (Maxwell Caulfied). As much as the movie is badly made and a letdown to an expected spectacular sequel to the outstanding Grease, Grease 2 has a certain charm to it, despite its laugh-worthy production. This sequel was a failure, but one I would watch again.
