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Francis Lawrence is an Austrian-born American filmmaker and producer. After spending a number of years working on music videos and commercials, Lawrence made his feature directorial debut with the thriller Constantine (which, per Deadline, recently received the greenlight for a sequel). He has since gone on to direct a number of films, most notably serving as director for three out of the four Hunger Games films.
Lawrence’s career shows no sign of slowing down as he has directed the Netflix original film Slumberland, set to be released November 2022, per Collider, and is lined up to direct the Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. With these keeping us on the edge of our seats, it’s only fair to go back and reflect on Lawrence’s best work to date. Here are the best movies directed by Francis Lawrence, ranked.
7/7 Red Sparrow
Red Sparrow tells the story of prima ballerina Dominika (played by Jennifer Lawrence) whose career comes to an abrupt end after an injury, and she turns to Sparrow School, which trains young people to use their minds and bodies as weapons. While Lawrence was praised for her performance, the film was subject to mixed reviews, with many critics feeling the film had more style than substance and a gratuitous amount of sex and violence that did not add to the narrative whatsoever. Despite its criticisms, Francis Lawrence has said that it is entirely possible that he would produce a sequel.
6/7 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
In the grand finale of The Hunger Games film series, we see Katniss preparing to go to war with President Snow and the Capitol, with all her people behind her, including Peeta, Gale, and Finnick, to name a few. The film underperformed at the box office, especially compared to its predecessors, but was subject to critical praise for the performances from the cast, the score, and the action sequences. Mockingjay Part 2 was nominated for Best Fantasy Film at the Saturn Awards and received three nominations at the Empire Awards. While many may have thought this to be the final installment in The Hunger Games film series, a prequel is currently in production, with Francis Lawrence set to direct.
5/7 Water For Elephants
Based on Sara Gruen’s novel of the same name, Water for Elephants revolves around animal caretaker Jacob (Robert Pattinson) and circus performer Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) whose compassion for circus elephant Rosie leads to a new romance. However, their relationship is halted by Marlena’s harsh husband and ringmaster, August (Christopher Waltz). While the film was praised for its beautiful story, criticism arose for the lack of chemistry between Pattinson and Witherspoon, making the love story fall flat. Water for Elephants was nominated for several awards and took home the Satellite Award for Best Costume Design.
4/7 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
Taking place directly after Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 follows Katniss in District 13 as she finds herself the symbol of mass rebellion against the Capitol while fighting to save Peeta. Mockingjay Part 1 was the second-highest grossing film in The Hunger Games film series and was a box office smash. Critics commended the acting and political subtext of the film, but criticized the lack of action and the slow pacing of the film, with some considering it to be just one long preamble to the impending war that takes place in the final film.
3/7 Constantine
Lawrence made his directorial debut in the superhero horror flick Constantine. Demon hunter John Constatine (Keanu Reeves) helps policewomon Angela Dodson (Rachel Weisz) prove that her twin sister’s death was not a suicide, but was the result of something supernatural. Based on the DC Hellblazer comics, Constantine is a unique film that explores the spiritual aspects to life and death. The film was praised for its intriguing premise and its one-of-a-kind spot as a theological action film, but was met with criticism for its lack of focus compared to many of Reeves’ previous films like The Matrix. It was recently announced that a Constantine sequel is in the making, with Reeves set to reprise his role and Lawrence returning as director.
2/7 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Catching Fire, the second film in The Hunger Games series and arguably the best, shows Katniss and Peeta returning to the Capitol to participate in the Quarter Quell. The film’s praise surpassed its predecessor, with many critics feeling that Catching Fire appeared more polished than the first, and thus the overall theme and tone of the film came together with greater ease. Audiences seem to have agreed with critics on this one because Catching Fire performed the best at the box office out of all The Hunger Games films. It was nominated for a number of accolades, including a nomination for Lawrence for the Saturn Award for Best Director.
1/7 I Am Legend
I Am Legend is a post-apocalyptic film revolving around Robert Neville (Will Smith), a scientist and one of the few survivors of the human-made plague that transforms people into mindless monsters. Neville wanders the streets of New York City with his dog, hoping to find other survivors while also searching for a cure for this horrible disease. While the film was praised overall, particularly for Smith’s performance, criticism arose for the discrepancies between the film and the novel upon which the film is based. The film’s popularity and interest has warranted the development of a sequel, which is set to have Lawrence and Smith return, in addition to Michael B. Jordan having a starring role.
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