4 Movie Remakes That Beat The Original

With so many movies hitting the big screen every year, crafting new ideas and never-before-seen narratives is no walk in the park for directors and screenplay writers. Bringing back established characters has long proven a safe bet, leading to an ever-expanding list of sequels of sometimes dubious cinematic value.

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Film and TV reboots are yet another Hollywood fetish. Remakes may seem like the industry is running out of fresh concepts. The most cynical could even say reboots are easy cash grabs. But every so often, a film reboot offers a new perspective instead of feeling like a shallow replica. Modern technologies may even reinvigorate a picture that has aged poorly. So, here are four movie remakes going beyond expectations.

Dune (2021)

Penned by American sci-fi author Frank Herbert, Dune has proven notoriously hard to adapt to the silver screen. Its dense lore, profound symbolism, and frequent narration shifts had many observers label the saga unfilmable. And the history of Dune adaptations being full of stalled attempts and spectacular failures did not convince anyone otherwise. In 1984, even David Lynch fell flat with a single 2-hour film that left no time for audiences unfamiliar with the saga to take in the plot.

Denis Villeneuve did not make the same mistake. The French-Canadian director split the story into two distinct chapters. Released in 2021, Dune: Part One quickly became a commercial and critical hit. The epic sci-fi picture won numerous accolades at the 2021 Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects. With stunning imagery serviced by ground-breaking CGI technologies, the movie felt like pure cinematic poetry.

The Thing (1982)

For horror movie fans, the 1970s and 1980s were one hell of an era. From psychological thrillers like The Shining to sci-fi horror à la Alien, both decades brought some of the most hair-raising movies of all time. The 80s also saw a renewed interest in old-school classics. In what would become one of the best examples of modernisation done right, John Carpenter rejuvenated the black-and-white sci-fi flick The Thing From Another World.

For the lack of proper technological means, the 1951 original could do nothing more than evoke its extra-terrestrial parasite. Thirty years later, Carpenter did not shy away from showing The Thing in all its shape-shifting monstrosity. And the movie’s incredible visuals set the gold standard for practical effects. Still, The Thing was a box-office bomb upon its release. But it eventually achieved cult status, spawning various merch, games, and comic books.

Casino Royale (2006)

There was a fair amount of scepticism among Bond fans when Daniel Craig took after Pierce Brosnan. But Craig’s debut lifted almost all doubts when Casino Royale came out. Funnily enough, the eponymous novel by Ian Fleming had been adapted to the big screen in 1967, only as a spoof spy movie. Setting the opposite tone, the work of director Martin Campbell was a welcome turn toward gritty realism. The movie departed from the goofiness of several of its predecessors to offer a dark and intense take on the iconic British spy.

Casino Royale also delivered memorable scenes, including a riveting face-off at the poker table. This tense opening scene might have left many viewers craving to visit a real-life casino. And Casino Royale even inspired some Bond-themed slots. To try them out online, gamblers can make the most of promotions like casino reload bonuses. This type of offer rewards loyal players who have already made a deposit. Running regularly, reload bonuses give users a percentage of their deposit back. Sometimes, free spins may even be included to give something extra to play with.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Heist movies have been a prolific theme throughout Hollywood history. In 1960, director Lewis Milestone put his spin on the genre with Ocean’s Eleven. This heist film followed a series of elaborate Las Vegas casino robberies by a gang of WWII veterans. Despite a stellar cast comprising members of the infamous Rat Pack like Frank Sinatra, the movie was poorly received.

Little did Milestone know that fifty years would pass before his picture would spawn a successful movie franchise. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the Ocean’s Eleven remake quickly became a massive success worldwide. Supported by a star-studded cast of A-list actors like George Clooney and Brad Pitt, this witty and stylish heist flick has lost none of its rewatch value.

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Dan Dunn

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Editor and Admin at MarkMeets since Nov 2012. Columnist, reviewer and entertainment writer and oversees all of the section's news, features and interviews. During his career, he has written for numerous magazines.

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