If a director has been active in Hollywood for a substantial period, it’s likely that they have experienced some form of professional setback or disappointment.
It’s only natural for a filmmaker to experience a flop now and then in the competitive world of cinema, whether it’s critically or commercially. Legendary directors like Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, and Otto Preminger have also made their fair share of less successful films. Of course, opinions can vary greatly, so you might argue that Topaz, The Conqueror, or Skidoo are among their best works! (It’s all a matter of personal taste.)
To grasp the dramatic ups and downs that directors often experience in their careers, have a look at the list provided, which ranks and contrasts the most critically acclaimed and panned movies by some of today’s top Hollywood filmmakers from recent decades. Most of these directors have multiple successful films with nearly unanimous approval from Rotten Tomatoes critics. However, it’s also worth noting that most of them have at least one movie on the site that received negative reviews as well. (There are exceptions, and those cases can be intriguing too.)
To ensure impartiality, we’re focusing solely on the movies these artists have directed. It wouldn’t be equitable to criticize Steven Spielberg for “Transformers: The Last Knight,” given he was merely a producer in that film. However, it is justifiable to judge Michael Bay for it. Please note that this list does not include short films, but feature-length documentaries are included and you’ll find some of them scattered throughout.
Check out the most highly-rated and least-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes, as rated by 25 esteemed filmmakers. Some of the titles might leave you bewildered, just like they did for me!
The Best and Worst Reviewed Movies By 25 Top Directors
J.J. Abrams
Paul Thomas Anderson
Wes Anderson
Michael Bay
Kathryn Bigelow
Tim Burton
James Cameron
The Coen Brothers
Jon Favreau
Top-Ranked: The Jungle Book and Iron Man (tied at 94%)
Bottom-Ranked: Cowboys & Aliens (44%)
David Fincher
Greta Gerwig
Peter Jackson
Spike Lee
George Lucas
Christopher Nolan
Jordan Peele
Sam Raimi
The Russo Brothers
Martin Scorsese
Top-Rated Films: “Personality Crisis: One Night Only”, “My Voyage to Italy”, and “A Personal Journey Through American Movies With Martin Scorsese” all share a perfect 100% rating.
On the flip side, “Boxcar Bertha” has a rating of 54%.
(Note: I’ve rephrased the original text to sound more conversational and easy to read.)
Ridley Scott
M. Night Shyamalan
Zack Snyder
Top-Rated Movie: Dawn of the Dead (77% approval rating)”
“Bottom-Rated Film: Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver (16% approval rating)
Steven Spielberg
Quentin Tarantino
Robert Zemeckis
Terrible First Movies from Beloved Directors
Stanley Kubrick: Fear and Desire (1952)
Stanley Kubrick, the filmmaker himself, tried for a long time to eliminate any trace of his initial feature film titled “Fear and Desire,” an anti-war movie set in an undisclosed nation amidst an undefined conflict, which was produced and distributed during the Korean War. Remarkably for those who collect films, some copies managed to escape destruction. Although it’s not a top-notch production with scenes that feel repetitive and a storyline similar to many others, you’ll find the same anti-war sentiment in it that later emerged in Kubrick’s more skillfully crafted masterpieces such as “Full Metal Jacket” and “Dr. Strangelove.”
Stanley Kubrick tried to delete his first movie called “Fear and Desire,” an anti-war film made during the Korean War. Luckily, some copies survived. While it’s not a great movie, it has the same anti-war message as his later masterpieces like “Full Metal Jacket” and “Dr. Strangelove.
Francis Ford Coppola: Dementia 13 (1963)
Numerous notable film directors kick-started their careers by producing low-budget horror movies, and Francis Ford Coppola is one of them. He made his debut in the industry with a cheap imitation of ‘Psycho’, titled ‘Dementia 13’. This movie was initially released as part of a double feature alongside Roger Corman’s ‘X: The Man With the X-ray Eyes’. The titles themselves don’t suggest high-quality cinema, but the film’s poor quality was so striking that Corman deemed the original version unfit for release. He then hired other directors to add additional scenes. This film marked Coppola’s first mainstream release following his work on a few adult-themed films. It’s astonishing to think that just under ten years later, he would be the same director who brought us ‘The Godfather’.
Brian De Palma: Murder a la Mod (1968)
In a somewhat expected turn of events, Brian De Palma’s debut film, titled Murder a la Mod, revolved around a model who was not only a thief but also met an unfortunate end, her murder turned into a snuff film that sparked a chain reaction of terrors. This film left audiences puzzled upon its premiere, with some praising its innovative approaches while acknowledging its rough and unpolished narrative. Much like any first attempt, the director’s inclinations are clearly visible — themes of murder, mystery, violence bordering on exploitation, revealing the grim depths of human desires. Despite its flaws, it hints at greater potential.
David Cronenberg: Stereo (1969)
Although not generally recognized as a groundbreaking sci-fi masterpiece, the film “Stereo” serves as a platform for director David Cronenberg to showcase his recurring themes: sex, mental health, science, unusual behavior, and the potentially disastrous outcomes when these elements intertwine. The story revolves around an experiment at the “Canadian Academy of Erotic Investigation,” where participants develop psychic powers through sexual exploration in an attempt to replace the “antiquated family structure.” As the film progresses, everyone engages in bizarre sexual activities and ultimately loses their sanity, a common occurrence in Cronenberg’s work.
Oliver Stone: Seizure (1974)
As a devoted admirer, it’s astonishing to think that the filmmaker behind masterpieces like Scarface, Platoon, Wall Street, JFK, and Natural Born Killers started his journey in Hollywood with a shoestring budget horror flick. Yet, here we are, immersed in Seizure, a film that seems straight out of a Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace episode. This chilling tale revolves around Edmund Blackstone, a horror writer whose nightmares become terrifying reality when his loved ones fall victim to the Queen of Evil, a masked strongman named Jackal, and a dwarf known as Spider. The plot reads like something straight from the pages of a dark fantasy novel, but what makes it even more intriguing is its amusing backstory: Apparently, this movie was partly funded by gangster Michael Thevis, who was trying to wash his money while under FBI scrutiny.
Joel Schumacher: The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)
Joel Schumacher’s body of work, though generally well-received, has its ups and downs (and we’re happy that people eventually appreciated his Batman films), and this is particularly noticeable in his debut film, “The Incredible Shrinking Woman.” This film is a comedic take on “The Incredible Shrinking Man,” with comedy legend Lily Tomlin playing an ordinary housewife who shrinks after being exposed to an experimental perfume. She’s later kidnapped by a group of eccentric scientists and manages to escape with the aid of a clever gorilla. The idea and execution are more amusing than truly engaging, and it wasn’t warmly received upon its initial release.
James Cameron: Piranha II: The Spawning (1982)
In a genre more fitting for thrill-seeking director James Cameron, a chilling tale of genetically modified fish terrorizing a coastal resort might be the scene. However, his debut directorial effort was quite different from the colossal underwater sets and eco-friendly ocean themes that would later define him. Unlike his iconic work in “The Terminator,” Piranha II: The Spawning, a sequel to Joe Dante’s horror comedy Piranha, was a tumultuous production. After the original director was dismissed by Greco-Italian B-movie producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, Cameron stepped in at the last minute. Unfortunately, Assonitis also took control of the editing process after Cameron had finished shooting. As such, “The Terminator” is considered his first full-length film, although he regards Piranha II as “the best aerial piranha movie ever made.
John McTiernan: Nomads (1986)
A more polished version of the film “Nomads” might have survived Pierce Brosnan’s laughably poor French accent, but unfortunately, the rest of the movie is equally disappointing. Brosnan portrays a French anthropologist who develops an unhealthy fascination with a group of nomads and their disturbing acts in downtown Los Angeles, which seems like an unusual start for action director John McTiernan, and not a promising one at all. The plot, filled with unexpected twists and turns, leaves one longing for “Nomads” to be a self-contained episode of “The X-Files” instead of a 90-minute feature film.
David Fincher: Alien 3 (1992)
David Fincher, who later became renowned for directing some of the most impactful American films, initially didn’t have a promising start. Although he contributed innovative elements to the ‘Alien’ series, such as the xenomorph dog and a Biblical ending for Ellen Ripley’s story, his work on ‘Alien 3’ falls short compared to his later achievements. The movie is set on a planet housing a forced labor prison populated by a group of criminals that can be comically evil and violent. The plot follows Ripley as she battles against the latest alien attack. Fincher himself has distanced himself from the film due to the studio interference he faced during production. Many fans argue that an alternate script by William Gibson, which was set in a space station shopping mall, is superior to the final product.
Edgar Wright: A Fistful of Fingers (1995)
Numerous film directors hope their initial directorial ventures would be forgotten by history, and none more so than Edgar Wright whose cinematic journey leading to an adored collection of genre parodies and self-referential movies started with the spoof of spaghetti westerns titled “A Fistful of Fingers“. This was one of several early films Wright created with assistance from his schoolmates, focusing on a solitary cowboy tracking down a criminal who was responsible for killing his cherished horse. The movie is almost overwhelmingly packed with inside jokes and references to the legendary movies that influenced Wright’s creativity. Although it stands in stark contrast to the later films that propelled the director to fame, it offers an accurate preview of Wright’s abilities.
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2025-03-21 23:55