Superior sci-fi sequals?

[saturn5]

Now I'm going to make this strictly sci-fi so no Magnum Force and no Godfather pt2 etc

My choices?

1. Aliens-possibly the best film of all time, takes all that was brilliant about Alien and ramps it up in a way that would make the Mythbusters proud.

2. Empire Strikes Back-more adult and thoughtful than Star Wars, greater emotional resonance and some fantastic set pieces

3. The Wrath of Khan; the action, characterisation and emotion that was so sadly lacking from The Motion Picture, some great space battles and James T Kirk's finest hour
Khan; "Times up Admiral, what is your answer?"
Kirk "Here it comes! NOW Mr Spock"

4. Mad Max 2; the film Mad Max could have been if it had any budget at all

5. 2010; much overlooked compared to it's illustrious predecessor but with a lot to recommend it, more comprehensible, more action but retaining the sense of wonder

6. Terminator 2; pretty mindblowing at the time and I think still stands up today

7. Predator 2; I like a lot, maybe more than the original, very dumb fun 'Guns and muscles' movie

[scnj]

Sorry, but there's no way 2010 and Predator 2 are better than their predecessors. I'd likely call ESB the best, being the filthy SW fanboy that I am.

[Harvey]

I must admit -- I'd rather watch Danny Glover fight the Predator in a somewhat dystopian Los Angeles than watch Arnold and a bunch of other muscle men who are barely actors trudge through an unremarkable bit of jungle. Basically, Predator is only 1/3 of a movie that I like -- the last act, pitting a mostly wordless Arnold against the equally wordless Predator. The first two-thirds of the movie combine a rather silly Reagan-era war movie set in Central America and a slasher film that is only a little more competent in execution, neither of which engage me when I see the film now.

The OP has hit about all the sf touchstones that I can think of that might qualify (though I disagree with several choices, especially 2010: The Year We Make Contact). Are they any others? If we're counting stuff that is more horror than sf, I'd include the original Dawn of the Dead (although I also like Night of the Living Dead).

[Temis the Vorta]

Aliens is not better than Alien.

[Kegg]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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Aliens is not better than Alien.

Yep.

I think a poll like this is best to focus on good sci-fi sequels, rather than assert they were better than the original film.

[Starkers]

Well I'm weird cos I don't think Godfather 2 is better than the original but...

Empire and Khan definitely, although they're both very different from the first film, and face it you couldn't have Empire without Star Wars, and Star Wars is still the second best SW film which has to count for something

[Professor Zoom]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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Aliens is not better than Alien.

And certainly not the "best film" of all time...

[Jax]

Aliens
T-2
TWOK
TESB

If were not talking about the just number 2 films in franchises and any sequel no matter the number then...

TUC is far better than TFF, as in FC to GENS and ST09 to NEM.

[Lonemagpie]

Aliens.

Game over, man.

[Kirkman1987]

Khan.

[Greg Cox]

Not quite scifi, but FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is arguably better than DOCTOR NO.

And, of course, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN trumps FRANKENSTEIN in almost everyone's book.

Ditto for TARZAN AND HIS MATE over the TARZAN THE APE MAN.

[Sagart]

X2 is much better than X-Men.

[Gep Malakai]

And if talking toys count, both Toy Story sequels are better than the original, with movie #3 possibly being better than #2 to boot.

[JarodRussell]

TWOK
TESB
2010
T2

I also like The Last Crusade better than Raiders of the Lost Ark, to open that pit of snakes.

[Wereghost]

I'd place X-Men 2 above the nonetheless impressive original. Spidey 2 removed a lot of its predecessor's failings, although that's borderline eligible at best.
Of the choices, I guess Khan and ESB; the former because it was more faithful than the ponderous TMP and the latter because it took the mythos in interesting new directions both content-wise and tonally. Aliens and T2 rocked in ways different from but not necessarily superior to their respective predecessors.