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Is Christopher McQuarrie the best action director now?

Is he?

  • Yes

    Votes: 66 39.3%

  • No

    Votes: 80 47.6%

  • Other

    Votes: 22 13.1%
  • Total voters
    168
  • Poll closed .
PinaColada

PinaColada

Member
Oct 27, 2017
380
After watching Mission Impossible: Fallout again I have to say that he has a lock on best action director for me now. He really reminds me of a prime John McTiernan and I can't wait to see what he continues to make.

He just has a great sense for how action movies need to be for now and into the future and I love it. Fallout is almost a literal edge of your seat movie because of his direction. Of course being with the Cruise missle doesn't hurt things.
 
Directed by Fulci

Directed by Fulci

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,439
He's up there. I'm certainly anticipating the shit out of whatever he does next.

That said, action is way too broad a genre to have a sole champion
 
UnpopularBlargh

UnpopularBlargh

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,206
He's great but imo he's not the best. The following I'd say are better or just as good:
Gareth Evans. Bong Joon Ho. Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. George fucking Miller. And many more.
 
Tom_Cody

Tom_Cody

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,970
Haloid1177 said:
Did George Miller die or something?
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Fallout was my favorite action movie since Fury Road, and Rogue Nation is probably the next after that. I can't wait for Miller to return to the director's chair.

giphy.gif
 
OP
OP
PinaColada

PinaColada

Member
Oct 27, 2017
380
Also I see I missed an H in Christopher. Ah the joys of typing on a phone...

Edit: Late, but thanks to the mod who added it in for me!
 
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phazedplasma

phazedplasma

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,855
Hes real good, I just wish he'd stop with mission impossible. The formula in those films is so tired now.
 
broncobuster

broncobuster

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,139
Other: he's the youngest best action director.

Granted, young in this instance is 50. But guys like Cameron, Miller, and so are all quite a bit older.
 
Extra Sauce

Extra Sauce

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,911
I'll let you know after watching Fallout tonight but the chances of anyone stealing George Miller's crown (as of 2015) are slim.
 
SolidChamp

SolidChamp

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,867
I think McQuarrie is up there, but then again Chad Stahleski is proving to be fucking amazing after just two John Wick films (with the third one on the way).
 
VaporSnake

VaporSnake

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,603
I'd definitely say he's the current king of the chase scene, but overall action director? ehhh.
 
Trigonometrize

Trigonometrize

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,143
As a relatively casual movie consumer, he's certainly my favorite. I liked Rogue Nation more than Mad Max that year and I like Fallout way more than both of them.

Lowrys said:
Yes, I think so. Please let no one mention Nolan in this thread.
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Isn't it kind of agreed upon that's one of his weaknesses? At least the Batman movies were often lacking.
 
a916

a916

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,833
Miller's made one (absolutely amazing) action movie in the last 33 years, I have a hard time justifiably giving him the title of "Best Action Director Now" because we're dealing with what amounts to one movie.
 
golem

golem

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,878
Fallout is great but the rest of his action movies were pretty uneven. Maybe hes just hitting his stride
 
BossAttack

BossAttack

Member
Oct 27, 2017
42,978
Pretty much.

Lowrys said:
Yes, I think so. Please let no one mention Nolan in this thread.
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Nolan isn't bad, it's just people have a narrow idea of what an "action scene" means. Is the fight choreography in the TDK trilogy generally poor? Yes. But, is the Docking Scene in Interstellar one of the best action scenes in the last decade? Yes. Is the Inception intro with all the water pouring in also an amazing scene? Yes. Is the hallway fight in Inception jaw dropping? Yes. Is the tension of the dogfights in Dunkirk fucking nail biting? Yes.

Nolan directs good action scenes, but he can also get sloppy at more traditional action scenes.
 
Lowrys

Lowrys

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,389
London
BossAttack said:
Pretty much.



Nolan isn't bad, it's just people have a narrow idea of what an "action scene" means. Is the fight choreography in the TDK trilogy generally poor? Yes. But, is the Docking Scene in Interstellar one of the best action scenes in the last decade? Yes. Is the Inception intro with all the water pouring in also an amazing scene? Yes. Is the hallway fight in Inception jaw dropping? Yes. Is the tension of the dogfights in Dunkirk fucking nail biting? Yes.

Nolan directs good action scenes, but he can also get sloppy at more traditional action scenes.
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I'd argue that those set-pieces are good but not because of the direction. But you make a fair point.
 
PanSexual_Peacock

PanSexual_Peacock

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,709
Hard to compare John Wick to MI considering the scale difference. Same with the raid films. Different types of action sequences.
 
snackshack

snackshack

Member
Oct 30, 2017
874
I think he's a good director in general. He's got an eye for things. Jack Reacher is an underrated classic.
 

foggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,972
No, but he's pretty much the ideal blockbuster action guy so that counts for something
 
OP
OP
PinaColada

PinaColada

Member
Oct 27, 2017
380
PanSexual_Peacock said:
Hard to compare John Wick to MI considering the scale difference. Same with the raid films. Different types of action sequences.
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Completely agree, I consider myself an action movie aficionado and love all the aforementioned movies and directors but just think that McQuarrie is moving the direction in a way others have not for large scale action movies.

I also love the Bond movies but fully realize that overall the MI movies have passed them by other than Casino Royale.
 
broncobuster

broncobuster

Member
Oct 26, 2017
8,139
John Wick duo is an interesting case with one moving on to do JW2 and JW3, while the other did Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and the upcoming Hobbs & Shaw Fast and Furious spin-off.

Speaking of which, Justin Lin is up there for Fast 5 alone.

Gareth Evans is amazing but I don't think he's come into the Hollywood studio system yet?
 
Rogue Blue

Rogue Blue

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
2,279
I'm one of the seven people here that didn't enjoy Fallout (I did really like Rogue Nation though) so I would say no.

He does good scenes, but I still feel like someone like George Miller and Fury Road is the apex of action film making.
 
OP
OP
PinaColada

PinaColada

Member
Oct 27, 2017
380
I do get that there won't be a consensus on what I asked but either way I'm stoked because it feels like we are in the midst of a action renaissance that we haven't seen since the late 80's to early 90's.

Overall it's great as a movie buff.
 
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