Film direction is an art. As most directors progress over the years, they hone their craft and find a unique identity that elevates their projects. Someone like Edgar Wright spent years bringing together match cuts, music, and frenetic editing acrossThe Cornetto TrilogyandScott Pilgrim vs. The World.And all of that came together inBaby Driver,as Wright pieced together all the individual elements that made his work great.
Unfortunately, not every film director’s career follows the same trajectory. A debut feature project that receives critical and/or commercial acclaim should be the goal for every director, right? Well, not quite. That kind of early success is often a double-edged sword, because the bar has already been set almost impossibly high, and most directors in that position struggle to hit those heights again.
These kinds of directors usually fall in two camps; one kind delivers consistently strong projects after a game-changing debut, while others go off the deep end and don’t even come close to their first effort. A handful of directors (some of them very well-known) peaked with their debut film.
10Jan de Bont — Speed
20th Century Fox
Dutch cinematographer and producerJan de Bontdirected a grand total of five films over the course of his career, and 1994’sSpeedwas a debut for the ages.Starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, and a runaway bus,Speedwas 90s action at its absolute finest, delivering a non-stop thrill-fest that showed de Bont could deliver as a director.
His follow-up project,Twister,was also well-received, though it was a couple of notable steps beneath his debut effort. After this, his reputation as a director would take a nose-dive, first delivering the much-reviledSpeed 2: Cruise Control,and 1999’sThe Haunting,both of which earned de Bont a Golden Razzberry nomination for Worst Director. His final film,Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Lifewas middling at best. Unfortunately afterSpeed,it was all downhill.
Related:Best Debut Movies From First-Time Filmmakers
9Guy Ritchie — Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Guy Ritchie’s filmography is full of beloved films;Snatch, RocknRolla,and the twoSherlock Holmesfilms starring Robert Downey Jr., just to name a few. But his first feature film is arguably the greatest of the lot. In a lot of ways, there would have been noSnatchwithoutLock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels,with the former being Ritchie’s sophomore effort.
Lock, Stockis a crime film with a dark comedic streak that is often forgotten when talking about Ritchie’s work, which is a shame. It has a great plot, memorable characters, and a far better ending thanSnatch.Ritchie’s debut film is also pretty rough around the ages, which arguably adds to its charm, and the fact that it hasn’t proven to be as popular as some of his other work really makes it a bit of an underrated gem for most.
8Neill Blomkamp — District 9
In all honestly,Neill Blomkamphad the odds stacked against him afterDistrict 9.Blomkamp crafts a film that is much more than just a sci-fi action film, constructing a compelling character study with themes of coming terms to one’s identity, with political undertones that resonate long after the credits roll.
If that wasn’t enough, Blomkamp draws a career-defining performance out of Sharlto Copley who turns in an immensely complex, sometimes harrowing performance as his character, Wikus van de Merwe, slowly turns into a prawn. Blomkamp’s next two efforts were middling at best, asElysiumandChappiefailed to recapture the magic that madeDistrict 9special. His follow-up was a horror film titledDemonic,which sank without a trace.Blomkamp’s most recent work,Gran Turismo, is an exciting addition to his filmography, but it still pales in comparison toDistrict 9.
7Richard Kelly — Donnie Darko
Widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time,Donnie Darkofeatures great performances, uncommon intelligence, and a sense of daring that made it so memorable, and somewhat unwieldy. It is a film that has been discussed and dissected to no end, as fans and critics alike have sought to truly understand the events unfolding in the movie.
There are very few movies quite likeDonnie Darko,which meant that directing another project of exceeding quality would be nothing short of a Herculean task.Richard Kellyhas directed only two more films since his 2001 feature debut, and both films unfortunately only stood out for how middling they were. Compared toDonnie Darko,Southland Tales,andThe Boxare a massive step-down in standards.
6Ruben Fleischer — Zombieland
When it was first announced, no one expectedZombielandto be nearly as successful as it was. With a razor-sharp script, classic zombie gore, well-choreographed action sequences, and a lovable cast,Zombielandquickly became one of the greatest zom-coms ever made.
Ruben Fleischerhas had a couple more hits since then, most notably with the firstVenommovie and the hilariously miscast adaptation ofUnchartedstarring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. But no film, not even the much-belatedZombieland: Double Tapcame even close to the high-standard Fleischer had established with his first zombie film.
5Orson Welles — Citizen Kane
While its significance may not be readily apparent to modern-day viewers,Orson Welles’Citizen Kaneis considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Endless imitated but never replicated,Citizen Kanewas a semi-biographically character study that fueled the anti-fascistic rhetoric of the time.
Welles' first feature film was his magnum opus. Culturally and thematically relevant, supported by excelling technical work behind the camera and marvelous performances in front of it,Citizen Kanedefined Welles' legacy. Though he did direct a number of other projects that were critically acclaimed as well, none came close to the industry-definingimpact ofCitizen Kane.
4Frank Darabont — The Shawshank Redemption
An argument can be made thatFrank Darabont’sThe Shawshank Redemptionis one of the most emotionally resonant films ever made. A story of inextinguishable hope and enduring humanity, likeCitizen Kane, The Shawshank Redemptionis one of the greatest movies of all time.
Darabont’s second-greatest venture was probablyThe Green Mile,which was also set in a prison but with more fantastical elements involved. Regardless of their differences, Darabont was a master at drawing an emotional reaction out of viewers, and he was at the top of his game withThe Shawshank Redemption.
3George A. Romero — Night of the Living Dead
Zombies would not be nearly as relevant in pop culture and cinema if it hadn’t been forGeorge A. Romero’sNight of the Living Dead. Of course, a number of zombie movies preceded this one, but Romero’s effort was the first to capture the mainstream imagination. Often critiqued for its commentary on the Cold War and national racism,Night of the Living Deadproved that stories of humanity could be told through the undead.
Romero went on to have a legendary career, populating his filmography that expanded on zombie lore and the sub-genre of horror he helped popularize. But none of them were as effective or enduring asNight of the Living Dead.As was the case for Orson Welles andCitizen Kane,Night of the Living Deadwas a legacy-defining film for Romero, and one whose quality he would never manage to surpass.
Related:The Best Zombie Movies of All Time
2Sam Mendes — American Beauty
Darkly comedic, brilliant cast, and an eerily effective portrayal of midlife ennui madeAmerican Beautyone of the greatest films of the year when it released in 1999.Sam Mendes' debut feature film received widespread praise from critics and audiences alike, though that sheen has worn off in recent years considered the cast and some of the themes the film explores.
Regardless,AmericanBeautyis Mendes' best movie in a filmography stacked with a couple of entries in theJames Bondfranchise, and1917,which can be considered a close-second in Mendes' work. Mendes has more-or-less managed to maintain a high standard in his films, which is a testament to his abilities and talent as a director.
1Jordan Peele — Get Out
Precious few expectedGet Outto be nearly as good as it was. Known primarily for his comedic work inKey & Peele,no one knew what to expect fromJordan Peeleas a director, especially as the director of a horror film. But whenGet Outwas released, viewers quickly realized that it defied labels.
An ambitious meld of horror, mystery, comedy, and a perfect commentary of race,Get Outis a film that is going to be studied and appreciated for years to come. Peele’s next two films,UsandNope, did not lack in ambition either, but they were unable to meet the incredibly high bar set byGet Out.With just three feature films under his belt, Peele still has a lot to offer viewers. He may even come up with something better than his first outing, but the sheer genius coursing through every frame ofGet Outmeans it will not be an easy task by any means.
