Related
J.J. Abrams is one of this propagation ’s most fertile megahit filmmakers , but which one of his flick is the best in our ranking of his life history ? Abrams first made a name for himself in television system , spearheading shows such asFelicityandAlias , before making the leap to feature films . Since then , Abrams originate a repute of being a enfranchisement whisperer , emerging as the go - to - guy for studio look to revitalise stagnant properties . As a movie director , Abrams has worked almost solely in found Hollywood blade , with only one original title under his knock .
It ’s light to see why Abrams is so appealing to major studio apartment executive director . He ’s get laid for his kinetic directing style , put in his movies with a quick pace and propulsive energy . Abrams is also talented at staging exciting activity chronological sequence , display a keen center for braggy - budget spectacle that looks great on the big silver screen . His storytelling has delivered mixed results , but visually his moving-picture show are always unattackable . Another one of Abrams ' calling cards as a director is casting , as all of his motion picture have top - snick ensembles with few ( if any ) weak links .
Related : J.J. Abrams Describes Rise of Skywalker Like George Lucas Did The Phantom Menace
impart his taste for genre filmmaking , Abrams is one of the most notable Steven Spielberg protégésto emerge this era , and he is n’t afraid to wear his influences on his sleeves . As we ’ll get into , that habit can potentially do trouble , but more often than not , it ’s a convention that ’s for the most part successful . After all , there ’s a reason why he keeps getting invited to boot enfranchisement .
6. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
The wage increase of Skywalkerfaced a grandiloquent chore , front to end Disney ’s sequel trilogy and the Skywalker saga as a whole on a cheering note of hand . However , the results were far more mixed . WhileThe hike of Skywalkerfeatured a number of Abrams ' hallmark ( entertaining action , fast pace ) , the playscript he co - wrote with Chris Terrio received literary criticism for tell a muddled , rushed story that rarely sacrifice key character - driven mo room to emit . Threads likeFinn ’s new Force sensitivity , General Leia ’s end , and Ben Solo ’s repurchase were n’t in full fleshed out , negatively affecting the impact they made . Emperor Palpatine ’s much - hyped return key was also seen as a shortcoming , leaving fans with more questions than answers ( many of which were adjudicate in the novelizationreleased months subsequently ) .
to boot , The Rise of Skywalkerwas interpreted as a rather strident effort at a course - correct take after Rian Johnson ’s divisiveThe Last Jedi , essentially making itStar Wars’version ofJustice League . The screenplay featured a telephone number of perceivedLast Jediretcons that either contradicted or seek to " from a sure point of view " their way around some of Johnson ’s more avant-garde creative choices . Lucasfilm ’s lack of a cohesive design was most patent onThe Rise of Skywalker , which reason out the saga on a sour note . Perhaps the most damning indictment of it is some rooter trust Colin Trevorrow ’s discardedDuel of the Fateswould have been a better motion picture .
Related : Why Alice Eve ’s Carol Marcus Did n’t Return for Star Trek Beyond
5. Star Trek Into Darkness
After Abrams rejuvenatedStar Trekwith his critically - acclaimed 2009 reboot , Paramount understandably brought him back for a sequel . Star Trek Into Darknessearned irrefutable reviews from critic , but theStar Trekfan base was far less exonerative . The boastful sticking point for TV audience wasthe plethora ofWrath of Khanreferences , which even Abrams later admit was a flaw . It was disappointing because the creative team opted for a retread of the franchise ’s most iconic offer , when they had a full universe of possible action useable after getting the series off to a strong start . In many respects , Star Trek Into Darknesshighlighted Abrams ' biggest impuissance as a filmmaker : he has a tendency to skew too close to nostalgia and court without pushing thing in a young direction .
To be fair , Star Trek Into Darknessisn’t necessarily a " bad " moving picture . The rebootedEnterprisecrew are as well-off as ever in their roles , with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto confidently leading the charge . Though it was dependent to criticisms of whitewashing , Benedict Cumberbatch ’s casting gave the movie a compelling , well - rounded villain who steal scenes , and Abrams staged some fun set pieces that looked great onscreen . Still , after the breath of fresh air that wasStar Trek , Into Darknesscouldn’t fully measure up . Its precursor set a high-pitched bar to clear , butInto Darknesshad the piece necessary to pull out it off . unluckily , Abrams ' approach did n’t hit all the Deutsche Mark .
Related : What break Wrong For J.J. Abrams ' Star Trek Movie Series
4. Super 8
Super 8is at its proficient when it ’s a approach of age drama about a untested boy trying to get by with his female parent ’s dying while attain flick with his friends . There ’s a potent worked up core group there , covering the healing exponent of companionship and forgiveness - exemplified by Joe ’s sweet efflorescence romanticism with Alice . It ’s always risky when a motion-picture show relies so heavy on an unproven child cast of characters , but Abrams demonstrated his bent in the department by assembling an extremely talented roster of youngsters to convey the chief grouping to life ( Elle Fanning was a real find , as she went on to have a varied career ) . The admirer ' interaction feel reliable and dead catch the menstruum setting . In that way , Super 8is Abrams ' most personal work . He was one of those kids run around pass water movies with a Super 8 camera .
ButSuper 8also has a creature lineament element , which arguably is n’t handled as swimmingly as the coming of long time aspect . The mystery surrounding the monster ’s appearance and the unusual happening that fall out throughout an unsuspecting town can be engaging , though at prison term it plays as a standard government cabal subplot to give the film genre thrills . Abrams also is n’t always entirely sure what he require the creature itself to be , making it a admixture ofJawsandE.T.(which is fitting , givingSuper 8’sclear reverence for Greco-Roman Spielberg films ) . That approaching hamstrings the third enactment a second , undercut the firm foundation established originally on . Super 8might have been better if it dispute the monster altogether and just further flesh out the human story at its center .
Related : How Tall Is Tom Cruise ?
3. Mission: Impossible III
While watchingAlias , Tom Cruise thought Abrams would be a skillful choice to helm aMission : Impossiblefilm , and that suspicion evidence to be right . There are some rough edges in the technical aspect of Abrams ' filmmaking as he transitioned over from telly , butMission : unacceptable IIIis still an exciting action at law motion picture featuring all the franchise raw material fan have come to carry . Besides the set pieces , Mission : Impossible IIIalso had a strong worked up core , premise Ethan Hunt ’s wife Julia . Their relationship was the backbone of the celluloid , helping Ethan grow as a character . It give interview more of a rationality to care about what befall outside of the usual world - saving heroic verse the IMF does on a daily basis .
Mission : unsufferable III’strue ace in the hole , however , isPhilip Seymour Hoffman ’s villain , Owen Davian . The tardy swell player is still arguably the o.k. adversary the franchise has encounter , bequeath a howling impression on viewers right from the tense cold open . missionary work : Impossible IIIis definitely an outlier in Hoffman ’s filmography , but he brought his usual dedication to the function . Hoffman was the staring foil for Cruise , and it was a blast to see the two caption playact off each other . In retrospect , Mission : Impossible IIIreally pose out the template for a J.J. Abrams film - as everything from terrific casting to breathtaking action is on display here .
Related : Star Trek : The Origin of McCoy ’s " Bones " Nickname ( & Why Abrams Changed It )
2. Star Trek
After Abrams gaveMission : Impossiblea shot in the limb , Paramount give him the key toStar Trek , hope for alike solution . In the post - Star Warsprequel landscape , there was a nothingness for a freehanded - scale space risky venture , and Abrams’Star Trekreboot deliver in spade . While circles of die - hard Trekkies fill offspring with the motion-picture show ’s approach path , Star Trekwas able to make the longstanding holding relevant again to a New audience , injecting it with a silky esthetic and exciting action ( right from the jump with a gripping dusty open ) . Perhaps the celluloid ’s greatest accomplishment is the way it smartly meld reboot and continuation by introducingthe alternate realism of the Kelvin Timeline . It did n’t discard the old canyon , while still making the property accessible to those unfamiliar with the lore .
Star Trekwas also a risk since Abrams recast sci - fi icons such as Captain Kirk and Spock , but he find out the right hoi polloi to make it work . The cast was one of the most acclaimed elements ofStar Trek , with each actor making their part their own , while also honoring the legends that came before . There were a lot of dissimilar waysStar Trekcould have gone wrong , and as luck would have it Abrams pushed all the right buttons . Star Trekwas such a great reintroduction , it ’s a shame the Kelvin Timeline series flame out after just three installments .
Related : Star Trek & Star Wars Both Repeat J.J. Abrams ' unfit Story twist
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
A common critical review of Abrams’Star Trekfilms is that they wereStar Warsmovies inStar Trekclothing . So it is n’t surprising Abrams was at the height of his powers when he fuck off to make an actualStar Warsmovie . OnThe Force Awakens , Abrams honed his filmmaking workmanship and showed how far he ’d come as a theatre director sinceMission : Impossible III . The ocular storytelling on video display is strong ( Rey ’s innovation on Jakku is a definite highlight ) , and the unlined blending of practical and CGI effect recaptured the oldStar Warsmagic . Plus , Abrams ' energetic expressive style sure as shooting primed theStar Warsproperty like a glove , as he arrange thrilling laid pieces that delivered the usualStar Warsthrills and powerful character import .
The Force Awakensadmittedly skew close toA New Hopein footing of story flight and there are a few frustrative plot point ( the mystery of Luke ’s lightsaber ) , but Abrams deserve credit for hire some risks along the manner ( save Luke for a last - minute cameo was bold ) . His decisiveness to build up the full first routine around all newfangled character was a gamble that could have derailed the movie before it even began . However , Abrams and his cast were up to the labor , straightaway beget fans commit in Rey , Finn , Poe Dameron , and Kylo Ren . This provide the newcomers to be the primary focus , illustrating they were more than capable of carrying a full trilogy . Considering the intense amount of pressure that was onThe Force Awakens , it ’s a nonaged movie miracle it turn out as well as it did , setting the stage for Disney ’s subsequence trilogy in a way that made fans sometime and new excited to see what come next .
More : Why Rise of Skywalker ’s Han Solo Cameo Repeats Force Awakens Dialogue
