It’s been a summer of sequels.

Apparently every original idea has already been used and we are now in the process of recycling. The original is almost always better, so sequels are generally a bad idea.

Here’s a sprinkling of the summer’s not so rotten follow-ups.

The Matrix : Reloaded

The original Matrix, with its state of the art special effects and revolutionary gothic setting is a hard act to follow, but the sequel does its best.

The plot picks up after Neo rescues Morpheus and discovers his powers to control the matrix. The machines are determined to dig to the center of the earth and destroy the last human city, Zion. The ever monotone Mr. Smith and several hundred clones of himself are out to screw the world forcing Neo to once again embark on a journey of self-discovery to save all of mankind.

Add to the mix a massive rave that gets a little nasty and an extended sexual encounter between Trinity and Neo that is five minutes too long and you have the second installment in the trilogy. The special effects are still dazzling though slightly jaded by all of the copycat films.

The film left me satisfied, but feeling like I had seen it somewhere before. I can’t wait for the next one.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life

This film is infinitely better than the original. The half-naked, seductive Croft is replaced with a more intelligent, sensitive heroine with more depth than just her bra.

The story is out there, which is OK because it is based on a video game. An orb that is the map and key to Pandora’s box is stolen by a mad scientist who wants to sell it as a biological weapon to the highest bidder.

Croft risks all to save the world from destruction and faces everything from Chinese gangs to African shadow monsters.

She is joined in her escapade by convicted criminal ex-boyfriend (she knows how to pick them) chosen for the role on the merit of his chiseled pecs more than his acting.

This is proven by his one page of dialogue and hour worth of pouting lips.

When all is said and done, this movie accomplished what it set out to do: entertain you for two hours.

X2: X-Men United

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I went to the midnight opening and watched it with all of the freaks and geeks. I halfway expected the audience to start demonstrating their mutant powers in the middle of the film. The action and storyline in this sequel were better than the original. An evil senator attacks Professor Xavier’s school and launches a campaign to exterminate all mutants. This forces the good and evil mutants to “unite” in their common goal for survival. We are revisited by all of the favorite X-men and throughout the movie a constant stream of miscellaneous marvel comics mutants make cameos. While flowing perfectly from the first movie, the sequel is enjoyable and understandable, completely independent of the original.

Bad Boyz II

Take Martin Lawrence’s stand up comedy and mix it with Will Smith’s attitude and how could you not have a hit? This sequel had such a good plot that the two hours and forty minutes were almost bearable.

Lawrence and Smith team up again to take down a Cuban drug lord shipping ecstasy into the United States.

In the process, Lawrence’s sister is kidnapped and they stage an all out war on the Cuban’s compound. Drugs, car chases, rocket launchers, strippers and cash (this movie had it all). It goes beyond the over-the-counter action comedy and is intelligently hilarious and sensitive without being sappy.

Some of the other sequels this summer included Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Jeepers Creepers 2. This influx of stale material was most evident in the opening weekend of Freddy vs. Jason. It was the box office hit and made a total of only $13 million.

The film industry hasn’t taken enough of a beating and will soon be releasing