MovieChat Forums > Death Sentence (2007) Discussion > James Wan is a terrible director

James Wan is a terrible director

posted 10 years ago by Milkyway123
17 replies | jump to latest

Really sloppy. Really amateurish.

There is a pattern in the James Wan movies I've seen: Death Sentence, Insidious 1&2 & Conjuring. A pattern that consists of sloppy made productions and stories. Really amateurish. He lacks an attentive eye. I am surprised since the man is being hailed as the next big thing.

A very quick summary of points:
-the most pivotal scenes, the dramatic highpoints, in the movie: the killing of his son in the gas station and then later on the killing of wife and second son. A whimper!

-the mourning of said deaths: cheesy melodramatic cheese.

-terrible music choices. Terrible place to place the music. Terrible idea to have pop music in such pivotal scenes, instead of a good ol' fashioned film score.

-they seemed to go for the "realistic" angle , so Bacon is not a flawless killing machine, instead he accidentally kills most of the bad guys. Yep, much more realistic!

-Bacon kills the second guy in the garage after they've tracked him down near his workplace (there was a hearing so his identity is not a secret + it was in the newspapers). After he escapes, he tries to live a normal life until the black guy comes in to the office to deliver the obvious to him: we know where you live.

-apparently you can just walk in and the security guard happen to catch you and only then you are supposed to sign in.

-after the black guy has forced himself in to the building and is acting threathningly, the security guy and three more tries to hold him from attacking Bacon, and during this ordeal the guard still asks Bacon; "sir, should we escort this person out?". Well, wtf do you think bozo?! Worst security ever.

-that annoying useless cop. Urgh! After his ENTIRE family is slaughtered (+2 cops dead) and he is laying broken in a hospital bed she gives him a lecture that this has to stop or else he will die. Wtf?!

-how can you make a good actor like John Goodman suck? Seriously,

I really hopes that he doesn't get too much control on True Detective season 2 and ruins that too.

[–] Milkyway123 10 years ago

He lacks an attentive eye.

Oh boy, I did not exaggerate, I'll add one more thing to the list:

-Bacon is shoot in his abdomen, one shot. He falls to the floor with no injury to his head. The camera even zooms in on his head and his head looks completely fine. Fade to black. Now all of a sudden he has a huge surgery scar on his head, while the injury in his abdomen is barely noticeable when he moves and punches people.

The man can't even have continuity from one scene to the next. Sloppy indeed.

Huge fail.

[–] BloodyPredator 10 years ago

I disagree.James Wan did a good job with this Film and he is a Good Director and Filmmaker.

[–] Milkyway123 10 years ago

You say you disagree yet you can't muster one counter-argument to the arguments I list?

[–] marty-130-840283 9 years ago

This film is incredible. The way James moves the camera.

Check out the scene in the parking garage where he's running from the thugs, it's 1 long tracking shot! holy *beep*

There are so many great scenes, he's a genius director, gifted, it's only your opinion he sucks.

store clerk getting his guts blown out

check out the way he filme the speeding muscle cars, low angle, camera on the floor,

realistic depictions of trauma, Nick breaking down in the shower and sobbing, the screaming wife falling to her knees in the hospital

incredible action choregraphy, amazing and tense shootouts, very inventive action choregraphy (like the bathroom shootout, pulling the rug from under the thugs feet, BOOM he blows a huge hole in the wall as he falls on his arse)

stylish and energetic editing, gets your pulse pounding

[–] Milkyway123 9 years ago

by marty-130-840283

"Check out the scene in the parking garage where he's running from the thugs, it's 1 long tracking shot! holy *beep*"

So so. Nothing new or unique. Fincher does these sorts of things regularly (Panic Room comes to mind) and much better. And Joe Wright did one of the best tracking shots ever on Atonement. THAT was an impressive and elaborate tracking shot to be in awe of.

There are so many great scenes, he's a genius director, gifted, it's only your opinion he sucks.

Mature. You can't even argue the points I have made. I criticize story structure and you are talking about camera angles.

[–] DracTarashV 9 years ago

I don't think he'll ever be considered one of the greats, but he is above average for a "thriller director". The tracking shot in this film is possibly his finest moment... so far.

Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Milkyway123 9 years ago

by LEP-IN-DA-Hood » Mon Dec 29 2014 14:18:05
IMDb member since May 2014
1. Justin Lin is directing True Detective, not James Wan. Epic fail here.
2. Most of his movies have been fairly low budget movies, so when you compare Death Sentence to an expensive movie like 'Atonement' I'm seriously wondering if you are a retard here.
3. You waste a paragraph nitpicking a pointless security guard dialogue, the tell-tale sign that you don't have much of an argument.
4. Wan doesn't just use pop songs in his movie, he creates his own scores and they are pretty darn good.
5. Insidious, Saw, and death sentence are solid movies. The Conjuring and Dead silence are middle of the road, and Insidious 2 is his only real stinker. You are being way to harsh as he is an above average director.

1. You're right. Sorry about that. They have both worked on the Fast and Furious series so I get them mixed up sometimes.

2. I didn't compare it per se. I only brought it up because of the previous poster talked about great tracking shots. The one in this film is not even impressive for its budget - FYI tracking shots doesn't have to be expensive so you don't even know what you're talking about. Also, Atonement's production budget was estimated 30 million, Death Sentence 20 million. So... the only retard seems to be you.

3. Tell-tale sign that I don't have an argument? I have only written 8 other points I thought was bad. Pay attention!
Also, nitpicking? You clearly have no clue about story structure. There is a scene after this one that is depended on your so called "nitpicking" scene. But you wouldn't know anything about it cause you clearly don't have a clue about anything.

4. Umm... Who said "just use pop songs"? I wrote "terrible idea to have pop music in such pivotal scenes", which he did in this particular film.

5. An above average director, yet the way you defend him (with insults) like he was your uncle! Nonetheless, I disagree. I think that he is lower than average.

[–] desperadodave79-177-212918 9 years ago

I'm not a huge fan of this and I felt there was potential not reached. But you act like your opinion is fact. Sorry kiddo it isn't. Nobody has to come up with points on the film is good or that Wan is a good director.

If you like or dislike something that's how you feel. I get you're young and all, but you aren't gonna change someone's opinion.

[–] jmaybay 9 years ago

I'm only gonna say. He's not a genius. But you're kind of knit picking here. Looking at the whole picture. It's a good ACYION movie. Most aren't known for their attention to detail. Their known for their guts and explosions and shock factors. I'm not saying this is all action movies. There are some that have their ducks in a row but that's not why most people go watch an action flick. They go to watch action. Point and case. JOHN WICK horrible plot continuity bad lined whatever. Still brought people in and had them saying it was a good movie. Not me but as I work in a theatre I heard it far too much.

Anyway. I can't go with you on the conjuring that was the scariest thing I've seen in a long time. I'm also biased about insidious one so my opinion on that does not count haha.

I'm not saying you're wrong by the way. I'm just saying you are write but it really doesn't make sense to knit pick an action movie no one takes seriously aside from entertaining the

[–] peace_on_earth 9 years ago

I loved the way this movie was produced and directed. I loved the way the camera was all over the place in some shots and I loved how it didn't feel too HOLLYWOOD and perfect. This movie is awesome in my opinion.

I like to think I'm always right :-) 

[–] ugottrollolololol 9 years ago

James Wan is a great director. Maybe not as good as David Fincher, Nolan, or Alfonso Cuaron, but he's a rising director and may reach their status one day.

[–] coldnaps 8 years ago

Agree completely. Wan is pure by the book. Nothing creative or innovative.