Disney has a special place in the hearts of people all around the world. From the top of our heads, we could make a long list of Disney movies that have made a large impact in our lives or have brought us worlds filled with wonder and imagination. However, when making this list, you would be hard pressed to find any of the Disney sequels on that list. I don't mean sequels like Toy Story 2 or Finding Dory, no those movies are well-known and can easily hold their own. Not as well known, there are several direct-to-DVD sequels Disney produced that continue to tell what happens to our favorite cartoon characters. Not surprisingly, these movies are not as good as their originals, but are they all considered awful movies? Which ones are considered to be slightly above average; which ones are the best of the worst?
1. Bambi II
In this sequel, Bambi follows his father, the Great Prince, after his mother's death. The Great Prince now has to raise and teach Bambi how a deer and a Prince survives in the forest. As time passes, however, the Great Prince finds that his son may have a lesson or two to teach him, as well. This one, while it often tries a little hard in its attempt to emulate the original style and feel of the original instead of being its own thing, is actually pretty entertaining to watch. It answers an important question raised by the first movie: what happened to Bambi right after his mother died? From there, a pretty good story is told where we have pretty touching scenes of Bambi and his father bonding and growing together as characters. Is it perfect? Definitely not, like I said it tries a little too hard at times, but it is still a surprising gem in the Disney DVD sequel bin.
2. The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
This film centers on Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara, who meets and slowly falls in love with Kovu, a male lion from a pride once under the orders of Scar. Separated by their parents and prides, Kiara and Kovu work together in order to unite their familes and be together. This story is pretty clever continuing the first Shakespeare vibe we had in the first movie with a Romeo and Juliet-esque tale in the second movie. This one is another surprise find with its nice-looking, but definitely not ground-breaking, animation and surprisingly wonderful soundtrack. The story can be a little weak at times, but it is overall nice and coherent with fun and intense scenes from the movie's villain. However it CAN be a little confusing at times due to how much Disney expects you to know and understand about the story. Overall though, this sequel is pretty good and deserves a watch
3. Tarzan II
This movie centers on the life of young Tarzan as he tries to find his place in his family. When he accidentally puts his family in danger, Tarzan decides they would be better off if he left, but he soon comes face to face with the Zugor, a powerful and mysterious force lurking in the jungle. This one is actually a very touching and pretty humorous story that takes place sometime during Tarzan's childhood. The animation is pretty darn good and the relationships built between the characters are not that bad either. Is it as grand as the first movie, no, but it still is a pretty good story with some classic Disney characters.
4. Cinderella III: A Twist in Time
In this sequel, Lady Tremaine and her daughters find and steals the Fairy Godmother's. Going back in time, they alter the past forcing Cinderella to try and restore the proper timeline and reclaim her true love before it is too late. This one was a surprise, but this Cinderella movie was actually a lot of fun. It quickly becomes interesting as the side characters are explored and even developed further than in the original movie. Characters who didn't have much personality before now have emotional ties to the audience and the world around them. The visuals are also interesting in this movie, becoming darker and filled with intense colors and scenes. Overall, this one is definitely worth a watch.
5. Aladdin and the King of Thieves
Aladdin and Jasmine's long-anticipated wedding is around the corner, but the King of Thieves is on the move, looking for an oracle that will lead him to an even bigger treasure. As time passes and secrets are revealed, the King of Thieves' true identity causes trouble for Aladdin. This movie, while definitely not the best piece of cinema in the world, was still a pretty good find for the Disney DVD sequels. We get to explore Aladdin's relationship with his past and family which is interesting to finally see in this universe. Not only that, we get Robin Williams as he reprises his role as Genie which is always a treat. This one is definitely worth at least one watch.
