Film fans generally accept and understand that trilogies are hard to conclude. A successful first film can lead to a deeper, richer second film that achieves what the first did and then some, but then by the third film, the need to conclude everything already set up puts a huge deal of pressure on filmmakers. Sometimes, a third part can feel rushed, anticlimactic, or simply just stand out as not as good as the two films it follows.
The following eight part 3's, however, are not examples of this phenomenon happening. They all represent how best to conclude a three-film series, and all match (or even surpass) the earlier films in the trilogies they belong to. For anyone who finds themselves looking for a great film trilogy that won't disappoint in its final third, these are all superb candidates.
'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003)
Perhaps it's cheating a bit to include Return of the King as an example of a fantastic third part to a trilogy, as The Lord of the Rings trilogy was effectively filmed as one giant movie, all at once. But each part was released separately, so The Return of the King does stand as its own movie, and even if it wasn't planned and developed after the first two had been released, it still could have collapsed under its own weight and proved disappointing.
Thankfully, the opposite was the case. While all three films contain countless thrilling and emotional moments of spectacle, many of them are found in The Return of the King, which acts as a grand finale to the series' story of war breaking out in Middle Earth, and an unlikely hero's quest to vanquish evil for good. It wraps up all the storylines and character arcs perfectly, and ensures The Lord of the Rings stands as one of the greatest film trilogies of all time.
'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum' (2019)
The third film in the John Wick trilogy (admittedly, it's not going to stay a trilogy for much longer) is the most ambitious and exciting when it comes to action. For those who want great action scenes, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is where it's at. Even if it gets a little silly and lacks the emotional stakes of the original, it more than delivers when it comes to big, over-the-top fun and violent mayhem.
It's also extra impressive as an action movie because some years on from the first, an older Keanu Reeves shows he still has what it takes to be a brilliant action star. Whether Parabellum can be topped by a future John Wick movie remains to be seen, but as at the time of writing, it stands as a perfect final entry in the (current) John Wick trilogy.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Toy Story 3 had a lot to live up to, seeing as it was released over a decade after Toy Story 2, and 15 years after the first film in the series. Additionally, those first Toy Story movies were just about perfect, so anything less than great would have felt like a disappointment in comparison.
Any doubts were soon forgotten after its release, though, as Toy Story 3 was a brilliant conclusion to the Toy Story trilogy (and while Toy Story 4 isn't bad, it does feel separated from the original three, given Toy Story 1-3 focus on the toys and their relationship to Andy, while 4 doesn't). If Toy Story 3 wasn't quite as masterful as the first two, then it was at least very close, and the final scenes in particular deliver some genuinely emotional stuff that's up there with the very best moments from Toy Story and Toy Story 2.
'The World of Apu' (1959)
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The Apu Trilogy was a series of iconic Indian films released between 1955 and 1959, with each showing its title character coming of age and dealing with the harsh realities of life, as well as various tragedies that befall him and his family. In the first film, he is a young child, and by the third and final film, he's a young man trying to find his place in the world.
The World of Apu is arguably the strongest of the three, but the other two are certainly gripping dramas in their own right. By part 3, the audience has grown to know and care for protagonist Apu Ray, and so there's an added sense of investment in wanting him to achieve his dreams, especially after seeing all the hardships he's already made it through. It makes for a gripping and very honest character-focused drama that more than earns its classic status.
'Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith' (2005)
The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy is certainly a divisive one. Once widely criticized, the three films that aim to show Anakin Skywalker's life before he became Darth Vader have become more appreciated by some (though certainly not all) Star Wars fans in more recent years.
One thing most can agree on, though, is that Revenge of the Sith is easily the best of the three prequels. It has over-the-top drama, action, a tragic, even operatic feel to many of its scenes, a plot where a good deal actually happens, and contains so many memes that have come about it since its release. It's not just "as good" as Episode I and II - it's easily the best of the three, partially redeeming the existence of its two somewhat disappointing predecessors by merely existing.
'Three Colors: Red' (1994)
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Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy is not a trilogy in the traditional sense, as it's not really a series of three films that focuses on one story. Rather, each film is more or less a romantic drama that features similar themes and ideas, though each explores a different set of characters all dealing with comparably human struggles in varying circumstances.
Three Colors: Red is the final one of the three, and perhaps also the best of the bunch (though a strong case can be made for any of them being the best). It's the most visually bold and mysterious of the three, with an intriguing set of characters and a unique feel to it that's likely to stick vividly within a viewer's memory.
'The World's End' (2013)
Edgar Wright's legendary Cornetto Trilogy starts with Shaun of the Dead, continues with Hot Fuzz, and then ends with The World's End. Naturally, since one is a zombie movie, one is an action-comedy, and the other is a science-fiction/apocalypse movie, they don't all involve a continuing storyline, but share numerous actors, themes, and running gags, making it a loose thematic trilogy.
The World's End gets a little overshadowed by its predecessors, but deserves an equal amount of love, as it's honestly just as good. With a funny yet sometimes quite sad look at drinking culture and trying to recapture one's youth in middle age, it kicks into overdrive with an early plot twist that makes the film a wild and unpredictable ride. You can't relly go wrong with any film in the Cornetto Trilogy as they're all great, its third installment included.
'Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris' (1999)
Godzilla might be the king of the monsters, but with the Heisei Trilogy, released between 1995 and 1999, fellow giant monster Gamera gave everyone's favorite kaiju a run for his money. Once considered a knockoff of the more popular Godzilla, these three films made Gamera a force to be reckoned with because quality-wise, they are just as gripping and exciting as the very best entries in the whole Godzilla franchise.
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris is the third and best within this trilogy. It builds on and improves all the stuff that already worked in the first two films, delivering monster action alongside one of the best human character storylines ever found in a kaiju movie. The humans are not a bore, for once, and the fight scenes and special effects satisfy as expected, making for a great third movie in the trilogy, and a fantastic giant monster movie overall.