8. Roger Donaldson - Seeking Justice
I apologize in advance if this one seems like I'm reaching but all I could think during Roger Donaldson's 105-minute over-bland action film Seeking Justice was, "Hitch is rolling over right now." This film, almost immediately pushed into the corner after its limited release takes many of its elements from Hitch's The Man Who Knew Too Much (either the 1934 or 1956 version). Seeking Justice follows Nicolas Cage as Will, a man whose wife (January Jones) is beaten near to death. Wanting vengeance Will enlists a group of men led by Simon (Guy Pearce) who then take care of Will's problem. Some time later Simon returns and demands a favor of Will in return. Although the premise has been changed slightly it's pretty much the same as Hitch's film(s), which revolve around a family learning of an assassination plot only to be kept silent by their child's kidnapping. Another recent film, Stolen, also starring Nic Cage, features an equally similar plot: Cage's daughter is kidnapped by a man whom Cage owes money too. It's all well and merry but Donaldson is focused more on flourishing camera movements and bright lights rather than the thriller aspect of the film. Who really cares if Cage kills another man for Simon or not? Everything in Donaldson's film also seems forced, such as when it's revealed that Will's best friend (Harold Perrineau) is working for Simon. Hitchcock hated mysteries, he saw no point to big reveals. He was about the story and felt that mystery-like elements were too cumbersome in thrillers that were already going to be confusing. In either version of Hitch's film there's a sense of unity within the family, a heightened connection with many viewers. It should also be noted that the 1934 film features perhaps the best use of camera in any Hitchcock film. It's the night of a gala event and the camera starts high in the room and slowly pans down and zooms in on an item in the protagonist's hand. Classic filmmaking at its best.