Why Master Action Director Michael Mann Is ‘Bored’ By Current Action Movies

While Mann believes his stories belong on the cinema screen, he has been left dissatisfied with the way modern filmmakers are approaching action films today. 

“I’m just bored by it. It’s not very interesting … I mean, sometimes the choreography is so outrageous that it’s fascinating, and it is quite good. But generally, no. It’s just stale.”

Mann didn’t name any specific movies, but when you consider the state of current mainstream blockbuster cinema, it’s easy to see Mann’s point. Take Marvel Studios, for example. Because of the company’s large output and recruitment of independent directorial talent, a lot of the action sequences on these Marvel Cinematic Universe productions are overseen by the second unit director and a pre-visualization team, and often planned before a director is even attached. When Lucrecia Martel, a beloved Argentinian filmmaker, pitched for “Black Widow,” she was even told “not to worry about action sequences” in her pitch.

This type of approach leads to unmotivated action sequences. Empty calories. Action without character depth, stakes, or conflict that clashes with the established tone and flow of the film. In short, it’s what Mann so bluntly describes as “stale.”