Match Cut Directors Consensus - Richard Donner

[Rowland]

Yeah.

1 > [2 = 4] > 3

1 > 3 > 4 > > 2

[Derek]

That seems a common perception, but I've found it in retrospect to be one of the most imaginative sequels and cleanly directed action movies of late.

I don't really have any interest in rewatching the fourth as I found it's direction bland and set pieces either unimaginative or utterly ridiculous, even for the DH universe. Having Justin Long as a sidekick did it no favors either. I haven't seen With a Vengeance in years however, so I do wonder how that one will hold up.

[Rowland]

I haven't seen With a Vengeance in years however, so I do wonder how that one will hold up.

The first hour and change is great before it's bogged down in the second half with a gratuitous bomb-in-a-school subplot, and the ending is laughably anticlimactic. Still, much better than your typically hackish Hollywood action movie, directed with flair by McTiernan and benefiting considerably from all of its NYC location shooting.

[Qrazy]

Ehh I've seen the third one twice now and there's as much bad as good there. I don't see that it's significantly better than Beverly Hills, Rush Hour, Lethal Weapon, etc. I'd have to watch them back to back to know which one I prefer but it's all the same brand of mediocrity.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Yeah.

1 > [2 = 4] > 3

...I agree.

[Morris Schæffer]

That seems a common perception, but I've found it in retrospect to be one of the most imaginative sequels and cleanly directed action movies of late.

Looking at how low the action genre has fallen as of recently, Die Hard 4.0 was a tremendous blast. Good post Rowland.

[Spun Lepton]

1 > 3 > 4 > > 2

Agreed.

EDIT: Actually, no, I didn't read that right.

1 > 3 > 2 > 4

[Spun Lepton]

The Omen -- 7/10
Superman -- 5/10
Superman 2 -- 7/10
The Toy -- 3/10
Ladyhawke -- 7/10 (haven't seen it in a long time)
The Goonies -- 4/10
Scrooged -- 7/10
Lethal Weapon -- 7/10
Lethal Weapon 2 -- 6/10
Lethal Weapon 3 -- 5/10
Assassins -- 5/10
Conspiracy Theory -- 5/10
Lethal Weapon 4 -- 5/10

I think I appreciate his work on Tales from the Crypt more than anything else he's done. "Dig That Cat ... He's Real Gone" was one of the best episodes of the series.

[Yxklyx]

The Omen - 5
Superman - 8
Superman II - 5

[thefourthwall]

Superman - 7.5
Ladyhawke - 8
Goonies 8.5
Scrooged - 7
Maverick - 7.5
Conspiracy Theory - 6
Lethal Weapon 4 - This came free with my first dvd player in 2000, but I've never watched it.

[D_Davis]

1 > 3 > 4 > > 2

Yes. Although I'd add a few >s between 1 and 3

[Derek]

Superman - 6.0
The Goonies - 6.5
Lethal Weapon - 7.0
Scrooged - 6.5
Lethal Weapon 2 - 6.0
Lethal Weapon 3 - 5.0
Conspiracy Theory - 4.0
Lethal Weapon 4 - 3.5

[MadMan]

Previously I had not realized that I had seen 10 movies from Donner. He might be in consideration for a favorite director of mine-we'll see. Anyways....

The Omen (1976)-10.0
The Goonies (1985)-8.0
Lethal Weapon (1987)-9.0
Scrooged (1988)-9.0
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)-8.5
Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)-8.0
Maverick (1994)-8.5
Assassins (1995)-3.0
Conspiracy Theory (1997)-6.5
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)-4.5

See, this is why I love the 100 scale more. Some of these movie's ratings were rounded up. Guess its about time I saw Superman, eh? :P
Looking at the rest of his filmography, there's not a whole lot left that's really worth seeing.

[StanleyK]

Results:

Ladyhawke - 7.150 (10)
Superman - 7.125 (20)
Lethal Weapon - 7.031 (16)
The Omen - 6.656 (17)
The Goonies - 6.278 (18)
Scrooged - 6.267 (15)
Lethal Weapon 2 - 6.231 (13)
Maverick - 6.000 (12)
16 Blocks - 5.500 (7)
Conspiracy Theory - 5.000 (13)
Lethal Weapon 3 - 4.708 (12)
Lethal Weapon 4 - 4.036 (14)
Assassins - 3.550 (10)
The Toy - 2.900 (5)

Average: 5.602

Didn't make it:

Superman II - 6.571 (7) ---> it's not his.
Radio Flyer - 3.667 (3)
Timeline - 3.667 (3)

Most seen: jenniferofthejungle

[Spun Lepton]

Superman II - 6.571 (7) ---> it's not his.

D'oh!

[MadMan]

The Omen - 6.656 (17)

Heh, only a few more percentage points were needed...

[megladon8]

Despite my obviously sarcastic response a few days ago, I really do find it disconcerting how low some of the ratings for Superman are.

I didn't even grow up with it (the first film is the only one I had never seen as a kid) and I still find it to be the very definition of "movie magic" watching it as a grown man.

And Christopher Reeve as Superman/Clark Kent is the single greatest piece of film casting ever.

[Derek]

Despite my obviously sarcastic response a few days ago, I really do find it disconcerting how low some of the ratings for Superman are.

Aside from two 5's and a 4, 17 ratings were 6 and higher. I can't really see what's so surprising about that. Given the fact that a number MatchCutters are not all that interested in superhero movies, I'd say it fared better than I expected it would.

[The Mike]

Despite my obviously sarcastic response a few days ago, I really do find it disconcerting how low some of the ratings for Superman are.

I didn't even grow up with it (the first film is the only one I had never seen as a kid) and I still find it to be the very definition of "movie magic" watching it as a grown man.

And Christopher Reeve as Superman/Clark Kent is the single greatest piece of film casting ever.

Try loving Conspiracy Theory. :cry:

[StanleyK]

The Omen (1976) - 5.5
Superman (1978) - 4
Inside Moves (1980) - 7
The Toy (1982) - 1
Ladyhawke (1985) - 7
The Goonies (1985) - 4
Lethal Weapon (1987) - 5.5
Scrooged (1988) - 1
Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) - 5.5
Radio Flyer (1992) - 5.5
Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) - 4
Maverick (1994) - 5.5
Assassins (1995) - 5.5
Conspiracy Theory (1997) - 5.5
Timeline (2003) - 2.5
16 Blocks (2006) - 5.5


His reputation for making generally above average action films is unearned imo, and the two comedies he made are among the worst I've ever seen.