POPCORN ACTION FANS ONLY! Whose the Best Stylish Action Director?

[Addicted2Bayhem]

I dont want people coming in here saying this guy sucks or that guy sucks..all these guys are good stylish action directors and all I want is some INTELLIGENT discussion among die hard popcorn action fans who is the BEST and most STYLISH???


Here's the choices....

1. Michael Bay (Armageddon, Bad Boys 2, The Island)
2. Tony Scott (Enemy of the State, Man on Fire, Domino, Deja Vu)
3. Joseph Kahn (Torque)
4. McG (Charlie's Angels, my fave TV show Fastlane)
5. Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day, XXX2: State of the Union)
6. Renny Harlin (Mindhunters, Cliffhanger, Driven, Die Hard 2)
7. Louis Leterrier (Transporter 2, Unleashed)
8. Pierre Morel (District B13)
9. Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium, Ultraviolet)
10. John Woo (Face Off, Mission Impossible 2)
11. The Wachowski Bros. (Bound, Matrix Films, V for Vendetta)
12. Florent Siri (Hostage)
13. John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines, Flight of the Phoenix, The Omen)
14. Rob Cohen (The Fast & The Furious, Triple X, Stealth)

[Cronos]

have to say Michael Bay is my favourite action director, ive always loved his style of directing ever since i saw The Rock. he always provides extremely entertaining films that look great and also have kickass soundtracks

also John Woo, Tony Scott and Renny Harlin are right up there with him

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Michael Mann puts all of these people to shame....yes....even your beloved Michael Bay.

[Shockwave]

Out of that list?


The Washowski Brothers


The original Matrix alone would make it close, since i think its one of the finest action movies ever made but...




....V for Vendetta is still my number 1# movie ive seen in a theatre this year. Smart shit.



Most of the others on that list have one really good movie to me and thats about it. (Woo has Face/Off, Bay has THE ROCK, ect, ect, )

[X-Nightcrawler]

Oh god, all of them. Love Michael Bay, Mann, John Woo, Tony Scott, the entire gang.

[ElderPredator]

The whole friggin' gang! Love them all!

[bigred760]

I wouldn't put Michael Mann or the Wachowski Bros. in the same realm as Michael Bay or John Woo. The formers put intelligence, style, and more meaning into their movies than the latter. Bay and Woo simply put a lot of explosions, guns, and slow motion into their movies and hope for the best. Not that that's a bad thing, just different. I don't think I'd put Tony Scott in there with Bay or Woo either.

[Shockwave]

Woo and Bay can both go for more then explosions and such, but it is rare.

Out of the two fo them, id have to say i prefer Bay.

[Philip Marlowe]

For me, I think John McTiernan is my favorite. Even though he's not on your list he should be look at he credentials Predator, Die Hard, Die Hard with a Vengence, Last Action Hero etc. The Man is a big part of the genre.

Tony Scott is vastly becoming a major contender for the spot after watching the chaotic yet meaningful Man on Fire totally under appreciated film and Now Domino which I watch last week and was thoroughly impressed. He's find such good ways of fleshing out his style of actiojn filmmaking and with powerful characters that have magnitudes of weight behind them.

Not that Stephen Sommers is that great of a director but when were talk popcorn action movies The Mummy and Deep Rising have to be mentioned.

Even Paul W.S. Anderson has a few such as Solider and Resident Evil.

One of your picks was Harlin and that's another guy The Long Kiss Goodnight would be my choice pick of his.

John Moore's Flight of the Phoenix had some serious good stuff in it and I thought all of his changes to the original movie were all in good taste.

Another one is James Cameron he made the popcorn action an in thing in the 80's.

I could go on. Great thread.

[SAI]

Three words: John Fucking Woo

Forget his Hollywood output, mainly a watered down bullshit version of his Hong Kong work and see films like Bullet in the Head, Hard Boiled, The Killer and A Better Tomorrow

[ilovemovies]

1. John Woo/Michael Bay (tied)
2. The Warshowski brothers
3. Rob Cohen (this guy is underrated and I thought Stealth was VERY cool and SPECTACULAR!)
4. Renny Harlin
John McTiernan
Tony Scott
James Cameron


1. James Cameron - he's in a league of his own and is one of my favorite filmmakers, period.
2. Martin Campbell
3. John Woo
4. The Warshowski brothers
5. Renny Harlin
6. Michael Bay
7. John McTiernan
8. Tony Scott
9. Rob Cohen
10. Roland Emmerich

Some others I like

Jan De Bont (Speed, Twister)
Clark Johnson (The Sentinel, SWAT)



Actually, Spielberg is the king of popcorn flicks. James Cameron is #2.

[RandalGraves]

Rob Cohen
John Woo
Michael Bay
Michael Mann
Jan De Bont

[CletusHorniblow]

On That List: The Wachowski Borthers

Even though one of them is more of a "sister" nowadays, I'm still a lover of both The Matrix trilogy and V for Vendetta and can't wait untill I get to see their interpretation of Speed Racer.

Off of that list: James Cameron

Terminator, T2: Judgement Day, Aliens, The Abyss....this guy has made so many great popcorn action flicks that I'm even willing to forgive him for Titanic (which I personally couldn't stand).

[bigred760]

Wachowski Bros. didn't direct V for Vendetta, that was James McTeague.

[dennisv]

UWE BOLL!!!






Am I serious? Am I Not? I'll leave that up to you.

[Alkemist]

John Woo
Michael Bay
and...Stephen Sommers, just for the Mummy series though.

[Addicted2Bayhem]

A collection of awesome YouTube clips dedicated to the epicness that is Michael Bay and his mind blowing Action Excellence!!!!! Watch and enjoy and then contemplate this all combined with transforming robots next summer....

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs0KEHZdYpU&NR
A collage of Car Chase scenes from films, many are Bay's...



LINK: A collage of Bay action scenes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cax-1WgqiE

LINK: Bad Boys 2 Ferrari Chase Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01UB...ted&search=

LINK:Bad Boys 2 chase part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpeq...ted&search=


Check that sh!t out and tell me he isn't the baddest of the bad boys...

[Gordon]

John Woo and Johnnie To have to be my numero uno's. Fulltime Killer. Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow, will blow anyone's mind. Even if they don't like action.

[CletusHorniblow]

Originally posted by bigred760
Wachowski Bros. didn't direct V for Vendetta, that was James McTeague.

I'm sure that they had more than their fair share of input during the filming, though. Still, it's amazing to see how many of us fell for the whole "famous director gets producer credit on poster and his mistaken for director" mistake that most of us constantly bitch about.

[Shockwave]

Check that sh!t out and tell me he isn't the baddest of the bad boys...

He isnt the baddest of the Bad Boys. Hes got a long way to go.

Hes good, but hes got to do at least a few more GREAT movies before hes even considerd in the same league as people like Speilberg and Cameron to me.

Box Office total isnt going to do it. If that was the case George Lucas would be the greatest action director of all time.

:)

[Gordon]

I just realized...

Originally posted by Addicted2Bayhem
10. John Woo (Face Off, Mission Impossible 2)

If you think he's number ten now, watch his Asian stuff.

[king_verhoeven]

Too bad the 2 greatest action directors aren't mentioned in the list. These directors are responsible for my top 4 of action flicks ever:
1.Terminator 2
2.Die Hard
3.Predator
4.Aliens

James Cameron and John McTiernan

[outsyder]

This thread is pointless without Paul Verhoeven.

Oh, and James Cameron rules all.

[Philip Marlowe]

Jonathan Mostow's Breakdown and U-571 are to quality popcorn movies. Mr and Mrs Smith I found to be better than average.Jan De Bont's Speed has to be consider an ultimate popcorn movie. Some Oldie but goodies would be The DIrty Dozen, Where Eagles Dare, Kelly's Heroes and The Magnificent Seven

[king_verhoeven]

Originally posted by outsyder
This thread is pointless without Paul Verhoeven.

Oh, and James Cameron rules all.

How could I forget my homeboy!! And yes JC rules all!!

[PSU80]

Michael Bay or John Woo.

[bigd23]

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
Michael Mann puts all of these people to shame....yes....even your beloved Michael Bay.

To be honest...Mann isn't really an action director. He may have a few minutes of action in his movies but I wouldn't consider him an action director. See: Insider, Ali, Collateral, Vice (a couple of scenes but mostly a love story), Heat ( a few action scenes but mostly drama)...

BTW..as far as that list goes...Michael Bay..always seems to have best cast and best action sequences...without a doubt

[bigred760]

Originally posted by bigd23
To be honest...Mann isn't really an action director. He may have a few minutes of action in his movies but I wouldn't consider him an action director. See: Insider, Ali, Collateral, Vice (a couple of scenes but mostly a love story), Heat ( a few action scenes but mostly drama)...

That's what I've been trying to tell them. Just because a movie has action in it, doesn't necessarily make it an action movie.

[hail2theking]

Those are all fantastic directors but when it comes down to my own favorite action directors, it would go something like this:

John Woo - by far my favorite action director. His American stuff has its moments (Face/Off, Hard Target) but his Hong Kong films are still superior.

Isaac Florentine - A man who goes above and beyond the budget, script and actors he's handed by low budget studios. His over the top style continually improves with each film he directs, leaving his best movies to be Special Forces and Undisputed 2.

Wayne Kramer - He may have only directed one action film, Running Scared, but it was one hell of a movie. Stylish and violent all the way with a fantastic performance from Paul Walker

Mark L. Lester - constantly delivering over the top violence and car chases no matter where his directing career is.

and a few honorable mentions:

Ringo Lam
Andrew Davis
Robert Rodriguez
Sam Firstenberg
Mark Roper
Joseph Merhi
Richard Pepin
Craig R. Baxley

[HerbertWestPwns]

I definately gotta go with McTiernan and Cameron

[chota_raavan]

Micheal Bay has the perfect commercial action style

John Woo for his slow-mo action scenes with music in the background are top of the list

Wachowski Brothers for their action keeps you thinking even after the movie is done. Loved their Assassins too.

Uwe Boll for hes so terrible that you love to hate him. Possibly even watch his movies so u get a chance to abuse him and take out all frustration you have in you :D

[Addicted2Bayhem]

I dont get what is so hard about this.

I even put it in the damn thread title.

POPCORN ACTION FANS ONLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Jesus H. Christ. You people listing Michael Mann, James Cameron, and Spielberg reallyhave no clue what a popcorn action movie is. Other than maybe true lies, Cameron makes very serious, intelligent sci-fi/horror action epics. Spielberg is not a PURE POPCORN action director. Come on you guys are supposed to be film "experts" LOL. How could you not understand this simple instruction?

Mann is not an action film director, at least not a pure popcorn action director. He makes serious action/cop drama thrillers.

Ok lets put it this way, of all the directors out there who ONLY make non-serious action films, ONLY...of all the directors out there who only makes BAY-like action films, ONLY!!!!!...Whose the best? Get it now?

And by the way, this thread is asking who is the flashiest. Ya know guys like Woo and Tony Scott and Mike Bay and the Wachowskis who blow you away and change the game...ya know? Even if Cameron, Spielberg, Mann, and McTiernan JUST made action films (lets ignore their dramas and other films)...I wouldnt really classify the action films they HAVE done as very flashy...and if you think anything Cameron, Spielberg, McTiernan or Mann have directed was visually flashy...BOY oh BOY do I feel sorry for you...you dont know what you're missing...LOL Get with the times buddy...

GOD DAMN!

[outsyder]

Cameron isn't visually flashy?

And yet 4 of his films have won Oscars for Best Visual Effects (in 5 nominations), not to mention the LEGION of other technical Oscars they've garnered.

His films have also gathered 3 Art Direction nominations (1 win) and 2 cinematography nominations (1 win).

[Addicted2Bayhem]

His special effects are superb...Im not arguing that.

But as a stylish director, I expect some unique camera angles, zoom ins, in your face action, objects flying into the screen, perfectly used slow motion effects, basically all the thing that make Bay, Woo, the Wachowskis, and Tony Scott stand out. James Cameron writes good films and has great characters, awesome special effects, but when it comes to pure flashy and exciting DIRECTING with a camera, there is absolutely nothing unique or stylish about him. Unless you can show me something I haven't see of his that can change that statement.

And I have seen both terminator films (first film was awfully directed, 2nd one was directed well, not flashy or stylishly, but well). I have seen true lies, probably his most "stylish" action flick..but nothing to go crazy about. A Michael Bay/Tony Scott "talking scene" is ALOT more exciting than any action set peice in that movie. Titanic doesn't really count, and for that subject matter, flashiness was not required for that film. He directed it perfectly for what he was trying to accomplish.

It's been a while since I seen Aliens but from what I remember it was directed in a MUCH more exciting way than the way Ridley Scott directed Alien. But still nothing compares to what Tony Scott, Bay, and the others action kings are doing today. I repeat, I am a huge huge fan of James Cameron, his prowess and greatness when it comes to intelligent story and CGI, the man is a genius. But even HE will tell you, stylish directing is not his THING. And I dont even expect that from him. He is on another level.

Think about it this way. Do you remember the scene in terminator 2 when Sarah O'Connor, John, Arnold, and the black scientist guy from Cyberdine go to the lab to destroy everything? They had to use a key card to open some door. The camera was placed on all the characters...the camera is NOT moving...we see FROM A DISTANCE as one character uses their card (but it doesnt work since the security found the guard tied up in the bathroom and placed a lock down on every door).

Now take a similar scene in The Rock directed by Bay. In the opening break in scene Ed Harris and his Marine guys use a key to open a door that leads to the weaponary virus they steal. We see a low angle shot of their feet in slow motion walking toward the door and the key chain slowly drops (quick cut to a close up of the chain) and then they get to the door and the camera zooms out from the giant key hole and we see the key drop from his hand in super slow motion and as it falls and dangles we hear a loud KURSHH!! as if a car ran into a steel wall (sound effect of course). Umm..now THATS stylish and flashy. Something as simple a man taking a key out of his damn pocket is made 50 billion times more interesting the way BAY directs it.

Also look at the Matrix films where guys are shooting at each other and we see the shell casings fall on the ground in slow motion or the way the water on the ground (from the ceiling sprinklers that went off) splashes up in the air in slow motion during those gun fight scenes. Cameron and Spielberg and Mann do nothing like this. Nothing they do even comes close to this. I am shock I even have to define to you so called "film experts" what flashy and stylish means. I thought it was common sense. Guess I was wrong...I'll be glad to educate you folks though if ya still dont get it...

Do you get what I mean now by stylish director?

[outsyder]

Saying Cameron isn't a stylized director is a pretty ignorant statement, given how much clout you give to Bay's overstylized accomplishments.

Cameron's affinity for darker blue hues in his movies and/or night shots (The Abyss, The Terminator, Aliens, about half of the Terminator 2 shots, etc.), his subtle use of slow-motion during action shots (like in Aliens during the marine raid on the alien nest, and in Terminator 2 when the T-850 pulls himself up with a chain in the steel factory and destroys the T-1000 with the grenade launcher), and close-up fight sequences to enchance claustrophic effects.


Just because his style isn't blatantly obvious, doesn't mean his films are devoid of it.

[Addicted2Bayhem]

The fact that his style isn't blatantly obvious is the reason why he and directors like him are not viable options for this thread asking about the FLASHIEST, most STYLISH, blatantly OBVIOUS action directors. I never said he didn't have style. Just not enough for this topic.

[Shockwave]

The fact that his style isn't blatantly obvious is the reason why he and directors like him are not viable options for this thread asking about the FLASHIEST, most STYLISH, blatantly OBVIOUS action directors.

Often times those are the SHITTIEST action directors. The good ones know not to go overboard on that shit.

The action Cameron has put on screen has put me into the movie more then anything Bay has ever done.:o

[blk_flower]

James Cameron- T2, Terminator, Aliens, True Lies
John McTiernan- predator goes a long way

[Tyler_Durden_208]

Originally posted by Shockwave
Often times those are the SHITTIEST action directors. The good ones know not to go overboard on that shit.

The action Cameron has put on screen has put me into the movie more then anything Bay has ever done.:o
Agreed. I love The Rock, but T2 and Aliens kick its ass any damn day.

[Philip Marlowe]

First, I beg to disagree John McTiernan have as much or more style as Bay and Woo. And besides your idea of the "FLASHIEST, most STYLISH" can be, and is different from mine and others. That's what's so great about films. Everybody has a different perspective.

You asked for other peoples perespective and when those mentioned were not your idea of "popcorn films" you told them they were wrong. which is wrong simply cause that's there idea not yours. I could possible agree with you that Mann is no action director but the action scenes/sequences within his films have defiantly been some of the most stylish imo.

[Hatfield]

I think my fav. director out of that buch is Tony Scott....bc of movies like True Romance, The Last Boy Scout, Man on Fire, Revenge etc.

and I would put John McTiernan high on my list of fav. popcorn action directors bc of the Die Hard movies and Predator...

and I hate McG

[Squid Vicious]

Steven Spielberg (Jaws, Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, Jurassic Park, Minority Report, War of the Worlds)
James Cameron (The Terminator, Aliens, Terminator 2, True Lies)
Richard Donner (Superman, Lethal Weapon)
John McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard)
Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man movies)
Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City)

Bayhem: I apologize if these directors don't meet your standards of what makes a PURE FLASHY STYLISH POPCORN ACTION DIRECTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!! But just because they don't bash you over the head with their style and include things like character development and coherence in their movies doesn't mean they aren't stylish.

[Shockwave]

The reason why i couldny say Bay is anywhere near one of the best action directors is because he has yet to make an action movie that would find its way onto my top 10 action films of all time.

Hes still got alot of time to go, and movies to show, and i actualy think hell mature as a director and give us all at least one unforgettable action film, but hes just not there yet to me.

[hail2theking]

Let's get a few things straight. I'm pretty sure that popcorn action films aren't usually judged by simply style, visual flair or the amount of awards they have won. They are judged by how mindlessly entertaining they are.

Cameron, Spielberg and Mann don't direct popcorn or trashy action films. Their films are praised for visual effects, direction, writing and acting. If I were to judge Heat by the standards of a popcorn action movie, it would get a very low grade due to the lack of a high body count, cheesy one liners and constant action

That's what popcorn action is all about. Cameron, Mann an Spielberg may have their awards but neither of them directed Commando, Hard Boiled or Bloodsport

[Gordon]

I would say Tarantino could meet the list if he made action movies. The shit he's done that I've seen is really good.

Too bad, huh.

[Tony_Montana]

JOHN WOO
John McTiernan
Paul Verhoeven

If we are talking about just pure popcorn directors. Renny Harlin, Micheal Bay, Robert Rodriguez and Richard Donner are pretty good as well but not up to the level of those three. I'd mention Cameron and Spielberg here but apparently they are no longer applicable :)

[CletusHorniblow]

If Cameron is no longer acceptable, then allow me to change my vote to Robert Rodriguez.

*BUMP*

[Powerslave]

John Woo, no doubt. The Killer, Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow, all awesome.