The films of David Fincher, ranked

Even Fincher himself isn’t a big fan of his entry in the “Alien” series. This was his film debut after building his name on commercials and music videos. After two very good – but decidedly different – movies “Alien 3” is a big step down in the franchise. In fact, we’d say that everything after “Aliens” in this franchise is skippable.

While Stieg Larsson’s books are quite popular, in truth they aren’t very well written. Hey, it worked for E.L. James, and it worked for Larsson we guess. In Sweden, they managed to turn the trilogy into three brutal films. Fincher somehow made a less brutal film starring Rooney Mara, but “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” still didn’t click with a lot of people, canceling any trilogy plans.

You are either on the wavelength of “The Game” or you aren’t. We don’t really want to get too much into the details of the film, because it has heavy spoiler potential. Sure, the movie is over 20 years old, but we still want to be cautious. Michael Douglas and Sean Penn are fairly good, but when the pieces fall into place you are either all in or not. Clearly based on this ranking, you can figure out where we are.

In truth, there isn’t much that separates “Seven” from the “torture porn” horror flicks to come like “Saw.” The only real difference is that this movie has some great actors in it. Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and the disgraced Kevin Spacey lift this grisly gorefest into something a tick about an exploitation film. Well, that and Fincher’s admittedly adept direction.

Before Kristen Stewart was a star, she was the daughter of Jodie Foster in “Panic Room.” The film feels appropriately claustrophobic, and we feel like maybe “Panic Room” is a little too dismissed in Fincher’s filmography. There is more positive to say about it than many do, maybe because it isn’t as out there or brutal as other Fincher movies.

Is “Benjamin Button” too long? Probably. Is it very weird? Brad Pitt plays a man who ages backward, so yes, it very much is. However, it’s incredibly ambitious in a way we admire. Fincher stepped outside his world of cold, grim procedurals to make a movie with a little more life – and dare we say emotion – in it. Plus, any movie that costars Pitt and Cate Blanchett is going to have its moments to be sure, and there are certainly striking sections of “Benjamin Button” that keep it from being a mere curiosity.

“Gone Girl” feels like Fincher’s sensibilities expressed to the greatest degree. Part of us feels like in his mind this is a romantic comedy, though admittedly a twisted one. He definitely seems to think there is something funny to it, in all its brutality, blood, and betrayal. Fincher showcased his actors quite well, though, and the film looks striking.

“Mank” is definitely an outlier in Fincher’s filmography. Why nobody is even brutally and pointlessly murdered! However, there is still plenty of cynicism oozing through the script. If you feel like fictional films have some obligation to try and be as accurate as possible, you might have a beef with “Mank.” Personally, we don’t care about that. “Mank” doesn’t have to be any more accurate about Herman J. Mankiewicz’s writing of “Citizen Kane” as “Citizen Kane” has to be accurate about William Randolph Hearst. The film looks great, the script crackles, and Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried are standouts in the cast.

We debated whether or not Fincher things “Gone Girl” is a comedy. He definitely thinks “Fight Club” is. Some people just can’t get in the same wavelength of this film, and frankly, we get that. It’s a little snarky and offputting, and in its worst moments feels self-congratulatory. On the other hand, it can be razor-sharp and has anarchic energy that is admirable in a film that is headlined by genuine stars like Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. If you don’t take it too seriously, one way or another, you can settle in to enjoy it.

“Zodiac” is a movie about people being destroyed by obsession and attention to detail, which is certainly interesting coming from a guy like Fincher who is known for being as meticulous as any living director. The acting is stellar and Fincher created perhaps the defining procedural film of the era. It’s bleak without being needlessly brutal and acting seems to have an ounce or two of emotion in it for its characters and the trial and tribulations they endure. “Zodiac” is definitely a stark watch, but the details are all accounted for.

“The Social Network” was nominated for Best Picture, and we’d argue it should have won. This is Fincher’s best work, and we feel like Aaron Sorkin’s script helped with that. Also, the fact that Fincher couldn’t exactly work murder into the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook. The film crackles from start to finish and features some fantastic performances, led by Jesse Eisenberg in a role that made him a star and critical darling. It’s funny, gripping, heartbreaking, and a portrait of one of the defining moments of the new millennium in a way that manages to be fair but also forceful. Fincher deserves a lot of the credit for that, as he reeled in some of his impulses while highlighting the ones that helped him here.