MovieChat Forums > The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020) Discussion > Mike Flanagan or James Wan?

Mike Flanagan or James Wan?

posted 4 years ago by billbrown7071 (3195)
3 replies | jump to latest

I have the opinion Mike Flanagan and James Wan are currently The absolute Best in the Horror/Ghost Genre..

Up until Hill House and Bly Manor, I thought James Wan was the clear cut Best....But i think Mike Flanagan might have overtaken him....

Mike Flanagan Highlights are-

The Haunting Of Bly Manor----9/10
The Haunting Of Hill House----10/10
Midnight Mass-8.5/10
Doctor Sleep----8.5/10
Ouija: Origin of Evil----8.5/10
Before I wake----9/10
Oculus----8/10
Absentia---7.5/10
Hush----Have Not Seen
Gerald's Game---Have Not Seen

James Wan Highlights-
Saw----9.5/10(IMO literally one of the greatest twist ending of all time)
Dead Silence---7.5/10(another great twist ending)
Insidious-8/10
The Conjuring-9/10
Insidious: Chapter 2----7.5/10
The Conjuring 2----8.5/10
Malignant-8/10

I think James Wan's 2 best are Saw and The Conjuring....I think Saw is something truly special and The Conjuring is a masterclass in scares and setting the atmosphere

I think Flanagan's 2 best are Hill House and Bly Manor(although He didnt direct all episodes)

Thoughts....

[–] not_a_virus.exe (1267) 4 years ago

Gerald's game sucked ass. Doctor sleep wasn't scary, but entertaining regardless. Hush was very impressive. But nothing Mike has done, has topped Hill house. That show is on a whole other level of perfection.

The thing is, I don't think Mike is particularly strong when it comes to sheer horror. Scares and unsettling atmosphere just aren't his strong suits Imo. He excels in storytelling and character development way beyond anything wan has done, who on the flipside, excels in building atmosphere and delivering scares at the cost of storytelling.

And no, I don't consider shocking twist endings to be indication of strong storytelling, as entertaining and satisfying as they may be.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

i haven't seen bly manor yet, and i was a bit underwhelmed by dr sleep & before i wake, but otherwise i've loved pretty much everything flanagan has done. i think he's by far the most interesting & entertaining & flat out great director going in the genre right now.

absentia 5/5 - my favourite indie horror of the past 20 yrs.
oculus 4/5
hush 4/5
before i wake 2.5
ouija - 3.5
gerald's game - 3.5
dr sleep 2
haunting of hill house - 4.5

wan is good, but i feel like he's a very talented journeyman. i'll happily watch anything he does, but he just doesn't get me interested & excited the way flanagan does.

saw - 3.5
dead silence - 2
insidious - 3
the conjuring - 3.5
the conjuring 2 3
insidious 2 3

none of those 3s are meant in a bad way for wan. i think those are all perfectly good, entertaining films. they just don't stick with me the way flanagan's do.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I prefer Flanagan. Wan is good too, but Flanagan is more interesting. My ratings:

Flanagan:
Doctor Sleep (2019) 8/10
Gerald's Game (2017) 8/10
Before I Wake (2016) 8/10
Oculus (2013) 8/10
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016) 7/10

Wan:
The Conjuring (2013) 8/10
The Conjuring 2 (2016) 8/10
Dead Silence (2007) 8/10
Saw (2004) 7/10
Insidious (2010) 6/10