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[Frosty Droid]

He peaked with Felicity.

Edit: I'm not serious, but I'm always surprised to see Keri Russell in Mission Impossible 3, and then I remember why.

 

[TheExhaustedWalrus]

I think his movies are decent but they all seem to borrow the same Spielberg-esque style. Into Darkness was pretty bad.

 

[old manatee]

J.J. Abrams always plays it super safe. His movies are never outright bad, but they are always derivative.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

Not a full on "holy shit, worst thing ever!" bad. But, I think MI3 wasn't good. At all.

Really liked Super 8, though.

 

[Jimrpg]

The movies I've seen of his have been bad, super 8 and MI3. Not downright absolutely horrible like say a zack Snyder but completely overrated.

They just have zero enthusiasm, excitement and inventiveness. I mean when I watch a new Scorsese movie, I still feel he's got 'it' despite him being around for ever. it's daring and he's still fresh. Even woody Allen has more talent. JJ is basically the opposite.

Oh and MI2 is way better than MI3.

 

[aeolist]

his direction is mostly fine, his writers have been a problem though

 

[Sephzilla]

Okay, so it's better than Final Frontier and Nemesis. That bar is so low it's actually on the ground.

It's still a shit movie.

I'd put it above Search for Spock and Insurrection as well.

Spoiler

I'd also put it above Star Trek 4 but I know I'm in the minority by thinking that movie is also shit

 

[vainglorious]

I wonder how many lens flares Star Wars will have!

 

[cLOUDo]

It is more accurate to ask
Has J.J. Abrams ever directed a good movie?

 

[marrec]

It is more accurate to ask
Has J.J. Abrams ever directed a good movie?

MI:3 is good? Maybe... I mean, it's hard to tell really.

Otherwise nah, his movies are all perfectly serviceable but never rise above that.

 

[| Praxis |]

It is more accurate to ask
Has J.J. Abrams ever directed a good movie?

This. I wouldn't say any of his films I have actually seen are bad. Just mediocre and forgettable.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Both Star Treks and Super 8 were terrible.

And MI5..someone already said it.

Thos Star Trek movies were unbelievably bad. Michael Bay bad. Worse than that, actually, because Bay doesn't really try to do anything cerebral. Those ST movies are insulting.

Super 8 wasn't good.

 

[Sora the Cat]

Super 8 was great.

 

[Arkos]

When the car explodes and Ethan gets slammed into another car than just gets up and keeps running is one of the most viscerally awesome moments in a movie. I had the same reaction when Captain America would throw his entire body into a wall chasing someone in Winter Soldier.

The physicality in Abrams' films is always great, and it really makes me exciting for how the action is going to play out in The Force Awakens.

Yes. Agreed. (Tom Cruise running is always A#1 tier. Even in Jerry Maguire. But, I digress)

 

[daviyoung]

I couldn't finish MI:3 and Into Darkness is absolute shit. The rest of his work is fine.

Thought he did Cloverfield but apparently not. In which case Star Trek 2009 and Super 8 are fine.

 

[PayOffWizard]

Star trek is such a dumb movie its makes my brain hurt.

 

[Struct09]

Didn't know so many people on GAF didn't like Super 8. I loved it.

 

[injurai]

Lost was a bunch of bullshit overall.

He directed the Pilot and his production company was used for the show. He directed and wrote practically none of it.

 

[Hilbert]

Both of his Star Trek movies got fantastic reviews.

Star Trek has a 95% on RT. Star Trek Into Darkness has a 87% on RT. Last two Transformers movies? 19% and 18%.

You can't compare the reception to these franchises at all.

If rotten tomatoes determines if a movie is good or bad, then there was no reason for the OP to ask a question. It should have been presented by a statement.

I would say the thread is asking for opinions.

 

[Coen]

Didn't know so many people on GAF didn't like Super 8. I loved it.

I'm with you. It's a nice movie to watch with the kids.

 

[Sub_Level]

no, his movies are decent, sometimes good. I only disliked MI3, but it wasn't complete shit

Seymour Hoffman saved that movie.

 

[marrec]

Seymour Hoffman saved that movie.

That's probably why I actually enjoyed MI:3, the only good villain of all the MIs.

 

[Spotless Mind]

Super 8, MI3 and Into Darkness are pretty goddamn bad. Terrible scripts combined with schmaltzy, pandering direction.

 

[Who]

I also thought Super 8 sucked. The build up was great but the conclusion was terrible.

 

[kai3345]

Uh...most of them?

 

[FStop7]

Super 8 was terrible

y'all are on crack, MI3 was amazing. The gunbattle on the bridge is top 5. When the special forces dudes fast rope down onto the bridge, the shot of them doing so is so good. Looks like real footage.

 

[AndyD]

Both modern Star Trek films. They were boring as hell.

Yep. And the lens flare! Oh god.

 

[Oersted]

That's probably why I actually enjoyed MI:3, the only good villain of all the MIs.

The villain ain't good, the actor is. Did the villain even had a motivation, completely forgot?

 

[Kinyou]

He's a pretty solid director but the only movie that really wowed me back in the day was Mission Impossible (nowadays it feels a little dated). He deserves some credit for bringing the franchise back on course after the mess that MI2 was.

 

[Warm Machine]

MI3 was good. Actually if say it was really good. Super 8 was a nice throwback but the monster's motivations were confused.

The first Star Trek was fine except for the dumb as dirt production design and plot conveniences. The second trek was fine but it was essentially a remake.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Super 8 is as close as Abrams has gotten to a bad movie.

M:I 3 and the Star Treks are all good movies.

 

[banefirelord]

I thought Into Darkness was boring, but it wasn't really bad, per se.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

I think Star Trek Into Darkness is his worst film. It's certainly the most incoherent and with the biggest plot holes. Although I wouldn't say it was a bad film, just a middling one.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

I think Star Trek Into Darkness is his worst film. It's certainly the most incoherent and with the biggest plot holes.

It has considerably less "plot holes" than its predecessor.

It's a fairly linear movie. There are a couple scenes where characters (annoyingly) stop down to explain to you exactly what's happening, and why it's happening.

 

[IISANDERII]

Star Trek Darkness was real bad, completely derivative. Soulless, gutless.

 

[marrec]

The villain ain't good, the actor is. Did the villain even had a motivation, completely forgot?

Right. Doesn't matter if the dude had no motivation PSH made me believe in him.

 

[dorkkaos]

It has considerably less "plot holes" than its predecessor.

It's a fairly linear movie. There are a couple scenes where characters (annoyingly) stop down to explain to you exactly what's happening, and why it's happening.

I think my only problem with Into Darkness was.....how....un-star trek it was. It was less Star Trek and more Star Wars lol. But outside of that, I enjoyed it. It was a fun movie for me to watch.

 

[Rogan]

Calling Star Trek (2009) terrible is just trolling.

 

[Coffee Dog]

The second star trek and super 8 suck. I don't know why people are saying that they don't because people like them, people like all sorts of awful shit.

 

[Dang0]

I had fun watching Star Trek, but then forgot everything about it the moment I left the cinema.

 

[Skinpop]

i thought both star trek movies were awful and horribly miscast so yes he has.

 

[Frank Serpico]

If only there was a way to research it...

I just watched an interview of his about directing MI5 and Star Wars and I'm starting to wonder if this guy isn't a bona fide legend.

Your thoughts?

He directed MI3 only which was just average, MI4 and MI5 both blow MI3 out the water and they were both different directors. Second Star Trek he did was also kind of weak

 

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

I don't think he's ever directed a 'bad' movie, but he's also never directed a truly 'great' movie either. Star Wars looks to be pretty good so far, so maybe this will be it.

 

[nilbog21]

Let's see here,

Star Trek movies
Super 8
Mission Impossible 3

I guess he makes shit movies very well? Not sure how to praise this man

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Star Trek Darkness was real bad, completely derivative.

The concept of Star Trek was an elevator pitch based on an already existing TV show, but happening in outer space. It began life as derivative entertainment.

I'm unsure why "derivative" is even used as an automatic negative considering where we are as a culture and what it is we consume in large quantities across television, music, sequential art, and film.

 

[atr0cious]

Only thing I'm really excited for is that JJ is such a film geek, this will probably be the best shot Star Wars film ever. The trailers alone show some really promising camera work.

 

[Fjordson]

Has he ever directed a really good one though? The 2009 Star Trek was a fun flick, but that's about it.

Honestly, the most impressive thing Abrams has done is the LOST pilot to me. Forget all the baggage of the series as a whole, that pilot was an impressive two hours of television.

 

[Oersted]

Only thing I'm really excited for is that JJ is such a film geek, this will probably be the best shot Star Wars film ever. The trailers alone show some really promising camera work.

I wouldn't trust Mindel. Or Abrams. At all. And how does film geek equate quality? Kevin Smith is a film geek.

 

[brandonh83]

Has he ever directed a really good one though?

No, certainly not. All of his movies are meh. I'm sure this is why he was hired for Star Wars.

 

[mokeyjoe]

What's with all the Super 8 hate? (Super H8?)

I loved Super 8, thought it was great.

I wouldn't trust Mindel. Or Abrams. At all. And how does film geek equate quality? Kevin Smith is a film geek.

I'm pretty sure a lot of directors would qualify as film geeks.