David Fincher Ranked
Born: 1962
Films Directed: 10
David Fincher is a remarkable filmmaker and I have no qualms in saying he is my favourite director of all time. Starting out as a visual effects producer at Industrial Light & Magic in Lucasfilm waking on the likes of Empire Strikes Back and Temple of Doom. He went on to create his own production studio, Propaganda Films, where he often directed and produced TV commercials and music videos. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood got their start at Propaganda too such as Michael Bay & Zack Snyder. Come the 1990's Fincher was wanting to step back into Hollywood as a director, after a rocky start due to studio interference, he went on to create critically acclaimed masterpieces and cult classics with a heavily devoted fanbase (like myself). Fincher is something of a perfectionist with a reputation for shooting scenes hundreds of times in search for the perfect take. His precision camerawork and striking cinematography are also hallmarks of Fincher's work. Rarely will you find a director that balances the frame so well and moves the camera in such mathematically precise manners in order to get the cleanest shot possible. As you can probably tell by this intro I'm a massive David Fincher fan so I'm very eager to share with you my thoughts on his filmography, and which ones I personally prefer.
#10 The Game (1997)
#10 The Game (1997)
I'm going to start off by clarifying that I don't dislike any David Fincher film; so even though The Game is at the bottom of the list it's a film I still enjoy, but it is the film I have the most issues with. The Game follows Nicholas, played by Michael Douglas, an investment banker who is on the verge of his 48th birthday. It's one he is not looking forward to as his father committed suicide at that age. His estranged brother Conrad presents him with a gift for a 'game' with a company called Consumer Recreation Services which Nicholas initially seems reluctant to use. When he is informed by his fellow investment bankers that they too received gifts of a game at CRS and enjoyed themselves he takes up the opportunity only to find that he does not meet the criteria for the game due to being not psychologically stable enough. Shortly thereafter various strange occurrences begin to happen to Nicholas and he begins to believe CRS is putting his life in danger, though the company mysteriously no longer exists. He goes on the run whilst being hunted by unknown assailants and all of them point back to CRS, but what do they want with him?
The Game is narratively one of Fincher's weaker films. It's not hard to see the big reveal at the end coming relatively early on but I will admit it can certainly be a fun ride getting to that ending. The lead performance from Douglas is the highlight of the whole film. But I feel like almost every element of The Game has been done better by Fincher in most of his other films which is why it places at the bottom of the list.
#9 Panic Room (2002)
The Game is narratively one of Fincher's weaker films. It's not hard to see the big reveal at the end coming relatively early on but I will admit it can certainly be a fun ride getting to that ending. The lead performance from Douglas is the highlight of the whole film. But I feel like almost every element of The Game has been done better by Fincher in most of his other films which is why it places at the bottom of the list.
#9 Panic Room (2002)
Panic Room is perhaps Fincher's most anxiety inducing film, with the central plot revolving around a very small cast of characters in a very plausible situation. Meg (Jodie Foster) and her daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart) move into the home of a former millionaire and discover the existence of a 'panic room' on the upper floor of the house. The room is completely airtight with a steel door and each wall is made of thick concrete and steel with a wall of monitors which show every room in the house on a CCTV network. There is also a P.A system which allows the speaker to be heard throughout the home, and a landline phone to contact outside the home. The previous owner had left behind $3 million in bonds locked away in the panic room, and a small group of vicious and highly skilled burglars know it is there. When the burglars attack Meg & Sarah hole up in the panic room as the burglars try with all their might to gain access to the room.
Panic Room is a truly terrifying film at times and an excellent premise. It is however one of Fincher's weakest in terms of his technical abilities. In comparison to most confined thrillers Panic Room is fantastic, but in comparison to Fincher's other incredible filming outings it doesn't quite stand should to shoulder with them.
#8 Alien 3 (1992)
Panic Room is a truly terrifying film at times and an excellent premise. It is however one of Fincher's weakest in terms of his technical abilities. In comparison to most confined thrillers Panic Room is fantastic, but in comparison to Fincher's other incredible filming outings it doesn't quite stand should to shoulder with them.
#8 Alien 3 (1992)
A contentious one here and I'm sure many Fincher fans will wonder why I didn't put this at the bottom. Alien 3 was Fincher's Hollywood directorial debut and it was almost his only one. The development of Alien 3 was one of the most prolifically turbulent in cinematic history to the point that it's a miracle it even got made at all. Fincher himself has even sworn off the film like a bastard child he doesn't want to be associated with, but I've got a soft spot for it.
Visually Alien 3 is one of the most striking in the entire Alien series (topped only by the more recent Prometheus & Alien: Covenant due to the technological advancements made by their release).
Picking up an indeterminate time after the events of Aliens, Alien 3 sees Ripley awake on a prison planet Fiorina-161 with Newt, Hicks, and Bishop dead. A face hugger was in the transport they crash landed in and as a result it latches on to a dog and produces a Xenomorph/Dog hybrid which is much faster than the normal Xenomorphs. It is shortly discovered that Ripley has been impregnated with a Xenomorph and must not only fight with the prisoners to rid the planet of the current Xenomorph threat, but ultimately sacrifice herself to ensure the cycle ends.
Alien 3 had a notoriously difficult development cycle and Fincher was regularly hounded by executives at Fox who were constantly meddling with the film. Fincher's creativity was damn near stamped out completely in favour of a cookie cutter generic sci-fi action flick. So whilst I enjoy Alien 3 and even rank it above some of Fincher's other works, it is perhaps the least Fincher film of the bunch.
#7 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Visually Alien 3 is one of the most striking in the entire Alien series (topped only by the more recent Prometheus & Alien: Covenant due to the technological advancements made by their release).
Picking up an indeterminate time after the events of Aliens, Alien 3 sees Ripley awake on a prison planet Fiorina-161 with Newt, Hicks, and Bishop dead. A face hugger was in the transport they crash landed in and as a result it latches on to a dog and produces a Xenomorph/Dog hybrid which is much faster than the normal Xenomorphs. It is shortly discovered that Ripley has been impregnated with a Xenomorph and must not only fight with the prisoners to rid the planet of the current Xenomorph threat, but ultimately sacrifice herself to ensure the cycle ends.
Alien 3 had a notoriously difficult development cycle and Fincher was regularly hounded by executives at Fox who were constantly meddling with the film. Fincher's creativity was damn near stamped out completely in favour of a cookie cutter generic sci-fi action flick. So whilst I enjoy Alien 3 and even rank it above some of Fincher's other works, it is perhaps the least Fincher film of the bunch.
#7 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
This is the most recent David Fincher film I have seen and much like Alien 3 it doesn't feel awfully Fincher in nature. Whilst the clean camera work is certainly present, because the story is so unlike the rest of his filmography you could be forgiven for not realising it is a David Fincher film.
The story follows the titular character, Benjamin Button, from birth until death and tells the story of his extraordinary life. But the catch is that Benjamin ages in reverse. He is born as a deaf and blind old man and dies as an infant. This concept is so unique and alien that it really helps shine a light on what we take for granted in life, including who we take for granted.
The performances from Brad Pitt as Button and Cate Blanchett as his love interest Daisy are both fantastic, and the ageing special effects were at the time industry leading. Whilst the film certainly has it's issues, this is one of Finchers more interesting films as he is clearly working outside of his comfort zone on this one.
#6 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
The story follows the titular character, Benjamin Button, from birth until death and tells the story of his extraordinary life. But the catch is that Benjamin ages in reverse. He is born as a deaf and blind old man and dies as an infant. This concept is so unique and alien that it really helps shine a light on what we take for granted in life, including who we take for granted.
The performances from Brad Pitt as Button and Cate Blanchett as his love interest Daisy are both fantastic, and the ageing special effects were at the time industry leading. Whilst the film certainly has it's issues, this is one of Finchers more interesting films as he is clearly working outside of his comfort zone on this one.
#6 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Stieg Larsson's Millennium novel series took the world by storm in the mid 2000's. Unfortunately they were all published posthumously, so he never got to see how much of a smash hit his story was. With the Swedish film series starring Noomi Rapace was going full steam ahead with a full trilogy, Hollywood played its hand at adapting the story starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.
Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist recovering from alcoholism. He is contacted by Henrik Vanger who wishes for Blomkvist to solve the mystery of his missing niece, and in return he will give Blomkvist information regarding an individual who ruined Blomkvist's life. Blomkvist recruits Lisbeth Salander, a skilled hacker but antisocial recluse, hoping she will aid him in accessing hidden Vanger family records to solve the mystery.
It's a very complex story that I don't want to give too much away with, but rest assured it's Fincher's typical kind of story. A lot of morally grey characters and a lot of sadistic violence ensues.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a film that I remember more for how good it looks than for the story. Whilst I did enjoy the plot, it's not why I would recommend watching David Fincher version of the film. Craig & Mara are also great in the lead roles, but again I feel the Swedish version did these characters better. What makes Fincher's version so great is how the film looks, the pacing and how it flows, and just how unrelenting, and uncompromising the violence is.
#5 Zodiac (2007)
Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist recovering from alcoholism. He is contacted by Henrik Vanger who wishes for Blomkvist to solve the mystery of his missing niece, and in return he will give Blomkvist information regarding an individual who ruined Blomkvist's life. Blomkvist recruits Lisbeth Salander, a skilled hacker but antisocial recluse, hoping she will aid him in accessing hidden Vanger family records to solve the mystery.
It's a very complex story that I don't want to give too much away with, but rest assured it's Fincher's typical kind of story. A lot of morally grey characters and a lot of sadistic violence ensues.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a film that I remember more for how good it looks than for the story. Whilst I did enjoy the plot, it's not why I would recommend watching David Fincher version of the film. Craig & Mara are also great in the lead roles, but again I feel the Swedish version did these characters better. What makes Fincher's version so great is how the film looks, the pacing and how it flows, and just how unrelenting, and uncompromising the violence is.
#5 Zodiac (2007)
The Zodiac murders that took place in the late 1970's and early 1980's shook the U.S, and particularly San Francisco, to their core. They are murders that even to this day have never been solved and that's just what makes them so frightening, because the Zodiac killer could still be out there waiting for their next victim.
Fincher captures this paranoia perfectly in his dramatisation of the lives of three key people who spent months trying to track down the Zodiac killer whilst they were still performing the killings. Cartoonist, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhall), Crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), and Inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) all analyse every last detail of the Zodiac killings and all draw themselves in further down the rabbit hole of the twisted killers games in the hope of cracking his codes.
Zodiac is a thrilling watch, it also has some incredible special effects work (believe me, you'll hardly even notice it's there) and a stunning commitment to the accuracy of the time period it is set in. All of the performances are great and I guarantee it will leave you feeling uncomfortable by the end of the film. Not because of what you see, but because you know that you could be the next victim of the real Zodiac killer.
#4 Seven (1995)
Fincher captures this paranoia perfectly in his dramatisation of the lives of three key people who spent months trying to track down the Zodiac killer whilst they were still performing the killings. Cartoonist, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhall), Crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), and Inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) all analyse every last detail of the Zodiac killings and all draw themselves in further down the rabbit hole of the twisted killers games in the hope of cracking his codes.
Zodiac is a thrilling watch, it also has some incredible special effects work (believe me, you'll hardly even notice it's there) and a stunning commitment to the accuracy of the time period it is set in. All of the performances are great and I guarantee it will leave you feeling uncomfortable by the end of the film. Not because of what you see, but because you know that you could be the next victim of the real Zodiac killer.
#4 Seven (1995)
Seven is an extremely sadistic and twisted film, and quite possibly the most difficult of Fincher's films for audiences to stomach. But it is a true masterpiece of a crime thriller and one of the best films of the 20th century.
Detectives Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt), a newly paired duo, are tasked with investigating a series of grisly murders which are all inspired by one of the seven deadly sins. As they begin to piece together clues left behind by the killer, it becomes a race against time to try and save the remaining soon to be victims.
Whilst many of Seven's scenes could be considered iconic, the finale where Somerset & Mills take the captured killer John Doe out into and empty field where he reveals his master plan and completes his killings inspired by the deadly sins is one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history.
Seven is Fincher on top form from start to finish, and the fact that this film is considered damn near perfect just goes to show how good the remaining three films are!
#3 Gone Girl (2014)
Detectives Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt), a newly paired duo, are tasked with investigating a series of grisly murders which are all inspired by one of the seven deadly sins. As they begin to piece together clues left behind by the killer, it becomes a race against time to try and save the remaining soon to be victims.
Whilst many of Seven's scenes could be considered iconic, the finale where Somerset & Mills take the captured killer John Doe out into and empty field where he reveals his master plan and completes his killings inspired by the deadly sins is one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history.
Seven is Fincher on top form from start to finish, and the fact that this film is considered damn near perfect just goes to show how good the remaining three films are!
#3 Gone Girl (2014)
I'm sure some will disagree with me for placing Gone Girl above Seven, but it was Gone Girl that helped change my perspective on how films were made and truly made me fall in love with David Fincher as a director. It was one of the first Fincher films I saw and it left such a significant mark on me that I can't help but be completely captivated by how perfect this film is.
Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunn (Rosamund Pike) should be celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, however shortly after Nick went out for a run that morning, Amy went missing. What transpires is the hounding of Nick and his family by the media who blame him for Amy's disappearance. Nick hardly acts innocent, but there is no evidence to prove that he is involved with Amy's disappearance. The first half of the film acts as a way to crank up the pressure for it to explode in an excellent mid film twist that leaves the audience reeling as the film sprints uncontrollably towards a horrific ending that will undoubtedly stay with you long after the credits roll.
Gone Girl is the type of film that will make you paranoid about what is going on inside your spouses head, and showcases just how unrelentingly violent we can be to the people we love (both physically and mentally). It's an expertly paced, phenomenally acted, and impeccably directed drama that I simply cannot recommend enough.
#2 The Social Network (2010)
Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunn (Rosamund Pike) should be celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, however shortly after Nick went out for a run that morning, Amy went missing. What transpires is the hounding of Nick and his family by the media who blame him for Amy's disappearance. Nick hardly acts innocent, but there is no evidence to prove that he is involved with Amy's disappearance. The first half of the film acts as a way to crank up the pressure for it to explode in an excellent mid film twist that leaves the audience reeling as the film sprints uncontrollably towards a horrific ending that will undoubtedly stay with you long after the credits roll.
Gone Girl is the type of film that will make you paranoid about what is going on inside your spouses head, and showcases just how unrelentingly violent we can be to the people we love (both physically and mentally). It's an expertly paced, phenomenally acted, and impeccably directed drama that I simply cannot recommend enough.
#2 The Social Network (2010)
Similar to how Fincher dabbled with dramatising real events in 2007's Zodiac, this time he damn near perfects the dramatisation of the creation of the worlds largest social networking platform, Facebook. For a film that is all about the creation of a platform that is designed to bring people together, The Social Network is a story ultimately about people hurtling apart from each other due to hubris, greed, and jealousy.
Mark Zuckerberg is a Harvard student. He is a skilled programmer and is recruited by the Winklevoss twins to create a website where Harvard students can interact with each other and share updates about their college lives. He accepts the job but thanks to his friend Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg expands the idea of a Harvard social networking system to a global social networking system where people can interact to anyone anywhere in the world at the push of a button. Sharing their lives with each other online. This causes the Winklevoss twins to take legal action against Zuckerberg, but during these proceedings Zuckerberg is acquainted with Sean Parker, the creator of Napster, who advises Zuckerberg in ways to improve the user experience of Facebook. This results in Eduardo being pushed out of the company, and another lawsuit landing in Zuckerberg's lap.
The Social Network is a film all about fast paced and complex dialogue. There is so much to unravel in this film and though it lacks the blood or action of other David Fincher films, it makes up for it by placing all its tension in perhaps the highest quality conversations you have ever seen committed to film. The Social Network swept up awards left and right for good reason and it's because it is far more than a film about the creation of Facebook and something everyone should watch because it's damn near faultless.
#1 Fight Club (1999)
Mark Zuckerberg is a Harvard student. He is a skilled programmer and is recruited by the Winklevoss twins to create a website where Harvard students can interact with each other and share updates about their college lives. He accepts the job but thanks to his friend Eduardo Saverin, Zuckerberg expands the idea of a Harvard social networking system to a global social networking system where people can interact to anyone anywhere in the world at the push of a button. Sharing their lives with each other online. This causes the Winklevoss twins to take legal action against Zuckerberg, but during these proceedings Zuckerberg is acquainted with Sean Parker, the creator of Napster, who advises Zuckerberg in ways to improve the user experience of Facebook. This results in Eduardo being pushed out of the company, and another lawsuit landing in Zuckerberg's lap.
The Social Network is a film all about fast paced and complex dialogue. There is so much to unravel in this film and though it lacks the blood or action of other David Fincher films, it makes up for it by placing all its tension in perhaps the highest quality conversations you have ever seen committed to film. The Social Network swept up awards left and right for good reason and it's because it is far more than a film about the creation of Facebook and something everyone should watch because it's damn near faultless.
#1 Fight Club (1999)
Speaking from a purely technical standpoint, The Social Network is the best film David Fincher has ever made. But from a cultural perspective, Fight Club is the best David Fincher film ever made (and it's pretty damn amazing from a technical perspective too).
Our nameless narrator played by Edward Norton has trouble sleeping and so he visits help groups for survivors of various illnesses like cancer & brain parasites as it makes him so emotionally exhausted he drifts off like a baby. It is there he meets Marla Singer, a woman who is so dead inside she simply goes for entertainment. Our narrator travels a lot for his job and one time he is on a plane with a soap salesman by the name of Tyler Durden, Tyler speaks of how humanity is too attached to material possessions and men are no longer allowed to be men because society makes us conform to its expectations. The narrator and Tyler become friends and start a fight club, were men can meet in secret and fight each other for the opportunity to feel alive again. But as fight club grows so does Tyler's vision and what started as an underground fighting ring begins to grow into a full blown terrorist outfit that seek to destroy the credit card companies and reset the debt record back to zero.
Fight Club performed terribly at the box office but it's a film that became so notorious for its subject matter and unique twist in the final act of the film that it amassed a very large and very vocal cult following in the years after its release. Now Fight Club is one of the most adored films of the 20th century and widely regarded as Fincher's finest work. It ties all of his strengths together into a neat little package that whilst a little rough around the edges at times, is so clearly made with an unparalleled amount of love and care that it is elevated beyond the rest of his filmography. It can most definitely be a difficult watch if you don't like violence, but considering violence is the main theme of the film you're going to need a strong stomach for it to make it through.
Our nameless narrator played by Edward Norton has trouble sleeping and so he visits help groups for survivors of various illnesses like cancer & brain parasites as it makes him so emotionally exhausted he drifts off like a baby. It is there he meets Marla Singer, a woman who is so dead inside she simply goes for entertainment. Our narrator travels a lot for his job and one time he is on a plane with a soap salesman by the name of Tyler Durden, Tyler speaks of how humanity is too attached to material possessions and men are no longer allowed to be men because society makes us conform to its expectations. The narrator and Tyler become friends and start a fight club, were men can meet in secret and fight each other for the opportunity to feel alive again. But as fight club grows so does Tyler's vision and what started as an underground fighting ring begins to grow into a full blown terrorist outfit that seek to destroy the credit card companies and reset the debt record back to zero.
Fight Club performed terribly at the box office but it's a film that became so notorious for its subject matter and unique twist in the final act of the film that it amassed a very large and very vocal cult following in the years after its release. Now Fight Club is one of the most adored films of the 20th century and widely regarded as Fincher's finest work. It ties all of his strengths together into a neat little package that whilst a little rough around the edges at times, is so clearly made with an unparalleled amount of love and care that it is elevated beyond the rest of his filmography. It can most definitely be a difficult watch if you don't like violence, but considering violence is the main theme of the film you're going to need a strong stomach for it to make it through.