Known best for his action films, Finnish director Renny Harlin has some underappreciated films in his career that highlight his penchant as a director. Harlin’s breakthrough in Hollywood came after directing the fourth installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. The slasher film cemented a few signature traits of Harlin’s that would continue to appear in his future work, namely his ability to direct a feature that leaves audiences with a fun time, regardless of flaws found within the film’s writing.

Harlin’s explored a variety of genres, such as comedy, slasher, sci-fi horror, and, of course, action thriller. Much of Harlin’s work has been critically panned and is appreciated by audiences for being “so bad it’s good.” However, that’s not to say Harlin hasn’t had a hit with critics, as Long Kiss Goodnight and Deep Blue Sea are two of his highest-rated films on sites like Rotten Tomatoes, with 68% and 60% respectively. Harlin’s films aren’t generally contenders for big award nominations, but as a director, he’s earned a popularity and charm to his films that keeps audiences returning to see what he’s doing next.

10

Cutthroat Island (1995)

It has redeeming qualities to it despite its gloomy legacy.

The reason the number of pirate-themed films declined in production is often attributed to the failure of Cutthroat Island. Harlin’s swashbuckler film is regarded as one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time, but reviews of the film aren’t entirely negative. Despite a restricted script and lack of humor, Cutthroat Island has a larger-than-life feel due to its grand set pieces.

Cutthroat Island also features an acclaimed score by John Debney that’s been positively compared to famous Hollywood composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold. A common thread in many reviews of Harlin’s film explains how the movie isn’t entirely awful, but doesn’t add anything new to the world of pirate adventures. Cutthroat Island is best enjoyed when audiences aren’t expecting a knockout film worthy of starting a franchise, and while the film’s scores on sites like Rotten Tomatoes aren’t as low as other Harlin films, its reputation lands the film at the bottom.

9

Driven (2001)

The second collaboration between Renny Harlin and Sylvester Stallone.

Both Sylvester Stallone and Renny Harlin wanted to make a movie about Formula One, but when those plans fell through, the two teamed up for Driven, a film about the Champ Car World Series. Written and led by Stallone, Driven follows a racer’s pursuit to win the CART FedEx Championship Series. Driven is ranked low in Harlin’s filmography, as well as Stallone’s, due to the dated use of CGI and weak script.

Though Driven wasn’t a box office or critical success, it continued the collaboration between Stallone and Harlin and has some memorable car-chasing scenes. This includes a scene in which Stallone’s character Joe races James (Kip Pardue) through the streets of Chicago. Ultimately, it’s not the strongest example of Harlin’s direction, but there’s enough of his famous action sequences to keep audiences engaged.

8

The Covenant (2006)

A comparable premise to The Craft, but not as successful.

The Covenant was another attempt by Harlin to explore the horror genre after Deep Blue Sea and Exorcist: The Beginning. Centered around four high school boys who are the descendants of witches, The Covenant did moderately well at the box office but still wasn’t highly praised by critics. The film doesn’t have strong performances from its lead actors, nor is the script well executed, but The Covenant has a charm to it that earns it an entry among Harlin’s top films.

The Covenant has become a guilty pleasure film for some audiences as its tendency to be over the top at times is endearing when watched with a modern lens. Additionally, its premise has similarities to the cult classic, The Craft, swapping out the female leads with male actors who’d go on to have successful careers. The Covenant is the first film role for many of its leading actors, such as Sebastian Stan, Taylor Kitsch, and Steven Strait.

7

The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane (1990)

A comedy-mystery film with a bold lead.

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane tends to get overshadowed by Harlin’s other film released the same year, Die Hard 2, but the former has redeeming qualities to it despite its negative reviews. Starring Andrew Dice Clay as the titular character, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane has earned a cult following, with audiences appreciating the distinct humor of Clay as a comedian. The film’s humor, and Clay as the leading man, isn’t for everyone, but his brash character is fitting for the comedy style he’s known for. The Adventures of Ford Fairlane is a time capsule of Clay’s peak as a comedian and of the popular comedy style from the late 80s and early 90s. The film also features notable names in Hollywood, such as Ed O’Neill, Priscilla Presley, and Gilbert Gottfried.

6

A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

A standout film within the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.

Keeping up with a franchise that makes a strong impression in its genre, such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, can be difficult at times. It’s not often that every sequel film will connect with audiences and critics the way the franchise’s first installment did, but A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is seen as a high point in the series of films. The plot isn’t entirely different from the previous films, but The Dream Master has Harlin’s campy tone that sets it apart from other films in the franchise.

The Dream Master is consistent with Harlin’s knack for boldness, as seen by the choice to amp up the humor of Freddy Krueger as a villain. With memorable kills and one of the best Elm Street dream sequences, The Dream Master remained the highest-grossing film in the franchise until Freddy vs. Jason in 2003. The success of The Dream Master set Harlin up for a high point in his career throughout the following decade.

5

Mindhunters (2004)

A slasher whodunit with elaborate deaths reminiscent of a Saw movie.

Mindhunters follows a group of FBI profilers whose search for a serial killer goes awry when they begin getting attacked by a mystery killer. Similar to films in the Saw or Final Destination franchises, Mindhunters incorporates tropes that see its characters getting killed one after another as a result of an elaborate trap. There are weak spots throughout the film, but the slasher film remains engaging for the majority of its runtime.

The whodunit mystery isn’t fully effective as there are moments of predictability, but Harlin adds enough suspense to have audiences on the edge of their seats regardless. In the same vein as other Harlin films, Mindhunters is generally over the top, but this is when the movie is at its peak. Mindhunters doesn’t have a truly plausible plot, so the fun comes from its bloody and bold action scenes that make the film a thrilling viewing.

4

The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)

A Christmas action thriller that represents the best of Harlin’s talent.

As many of Harlin’s films do, The Long Kiss Goodnight has a unique premise that sounds absurd but whose over-the-top events have an appeal to them and are carefully carried out by the cast. Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, both appearing in other Harlin films, lead The Long Kiss Goodnight with their strong performances and matched chemistry. Davis also has the challenge of differentiating the two contrasting identities of her character, but does so expertly.

Still, while The Long Kiss Goodnight has plenty of violence and action for its genre, there’s also an underlying familial theme in the film when Davis’ character worries about the safety of her loved ones due to her involvement in the CIA. The heart of the film is unexpected but necessary for avoiding an empty plot that many action thrillers have the potential to fall into. The Christmas setting of The Long Kiss Goodnight and Harlin’s ability to mix high-stakes action with lighthearted fun makes the film one of his most enjoyable.

3

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Applauded for its action and is seen as one of the best shark movies.

Jaws is widely recognized as the ultimate shark film, but Deep Blue Sea is an underrated gem that isn’t as bad as some critical reviews may suggest. Centered around a group of scientists whose underwater research facility gets overtaken by genetically modified sharks, Deep Blue Sea is as ridiculously entertaining as it sounds. Like other Harlin films, the director utilizes a similar suspense as Jaws that makes the unseen underwater antagonist a lot scarier than when it’s presented onscreen.

This suspense, along with the notable action sequences, are the biggest takeaways from Deep Blue Sea. LL Cool J’s performance as Preacher has been the most acclaimed over the years, but each character in Deep Blue Sea avoids being one-dimensional and leaves audiences invested in their safety from the ruthless sharks. Deep Blue Sea is noted as a “so-bad-it’s-good” shark movie that has been listed numerous times underneath Jaws as one of the best shark movies (via Complex).

2

Cliffhanger (1993)

A heist film with impressive stunt work and suspenseful action.

Though it was one of the top-grossing films of the year, Cliffhanger didn’t gain enough fanfare for an immediate sequel. Co-written and starring Sylvester Stallone, Cliffhanger is the first collaboration between Stallone and Harlin, and follows the former’s character who becomes involved in a heist on the U.S. Treasury. Cliffhanger has memorable performances from Stallone as the leading star and John Lithgow as the antagonist, though not everyone was able to buy into his British accent.

Using the landscape to his advantage, Harlin manages to capture the location’s mountain ranges and add to the height-induced suspense of the film. Impressive stunt work was used in Cliffhanger and leads to nonstop and gripping action that keeps audiences immersed in the story. Drawing comparisons to other heroic action films, including Harlin’s Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger is ultimately a fun time.

1

Die Hard 2 (1990)

A sequel that didn’t shake the franchise, but positively impacted Harlin’s career.

Die Hard is Bruce Willis’ best franchise and the second installment, appropriately named Die Hard 2, proved the series of films could continue with ease. The thrills in Harlin’s film are pulled directly from its predecessor, resulting in a minimal difference between the two. However, the film isn’t wholly formulaic and still manages to stand out within the franchise.

Die Hard 2 raises the stakes and intensity of the film’s action sequences by introducing an elevated amount of violence. There are also enough plot twists in Die Hard 2 to keep it feeling fresh and exciting and Bruce Willis continues to be a dominant lead as John McClane. Die Hard 2 is neither the best nor worst film in its franchise, but it’s an important film and a high point in Harlin’s career that showcases his talent at its best.