MovieChat Forums > Bryan Singer Discussion > pretty average director

pretty average director


Have no idea why some folks make him out as such a great, modern blockbuster filmmaker. He's an average director at best.

Like really, what else has he made aside from The Usual Suspects and the X-Men movies that make him deserve all this praise he gets? When you look at his filmography as a whole, he's arguably had more misses than hits. For every good movie he makes, he seems to follow up with a couple stinkers before redeeming himself with a movie everybody likes.

His filmmaking style and technical craft are in it of themselves, largely unimpressive. He also hasn't been involved with the writing process of any of his films after Public Access (aside from being credited for story among a dozen other writers on the X-Men films). He seems to be one of those directors where the quality of their film lies entirely on the backbone of the script he's been given. If it's good, it'll be good. If it's bad, it'll be bad. Either way, he won't do much to improve or enhance upon it with his direction. Similar to directors like Clint Eastwood or Ron Howard.

Any thoughts?

Discuss...

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X2 is awesome

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I absolutely love The Usual Suspects, it's one of my favourite movies. But other than that, I'm not at all impressed with his work.

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Got off to a great start with Usual Suspects but other than that its mostly mediocre superhero movies.

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He and Zack Snyder are two of the most soulless directors living today. Don't get me wrong--they're visually impressive and know how to cast their movies. But their films are surface level and lacking humanity. I was so alienated watching The X-Men that I actually fell asleep during the second movie. They lacked the soul and character of the TV series (and presumably the comics), even though everyone was perfectly cast (especially Patrick Stewart as Professor X).

What particularly irritated me about the X Men films is that all of the diversity of the series was missing. What was great about the series (never read the comics, but was a fan of the show) is that it was an ensemble cast. It had everyone from sassy Southerners and All American Boys/Girls Next Door to regal African queens and bookish intellectuals. Singer took an ensemble IP and turned it into nothing but another male power fantasy based around a stereotypical Alpha Male (Wolverine).

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