Every Michael Mann Movie, Ranked Worst To Best

Michael Mann is one of the most prolific crime thriller directors ever, although as Ferreri demonstrates, he veers into other genres as well.

Summary

• Director Michael Mann has made several of the greatest action movies ever made, ranked here from worst to best.
• Mann's film Ferrari is a dramatized biopic about Enzo Ferrari and features Adam Driver in the lead role.
• Heat is considered Mann's most iconic and culturally influential film, setting the stage for a potential sequel in the future.

Director Michael Mann has made several of the greatest action movies ever made, ranked here from worst to best. With the recent release of his celebrated Ferarri starring Adam Driver, it is somewhat surprising that the acclaimed director only has a total of twelve feature films under his belt as a director. Ferarri is the first film that Mann has directed since 2015's Blackhat, which is arguably one of his weakest efforts as a director. The 80-year-old director and producer was an executive producer on the 2018 hit Ford v. Ferrari, which was one of the year's best films.

Mann is an auteur of the modern crime genre who is responsible for classics such as Heat, Miami Vice, Collateral, and The Insider. Mann has created an iconic brand and style for his movies, which makes many of them feel like they should belong within the same extended universe. Mann got his big break in Hollywood writing a few episodes of the popular television series Starsky and Hutch during the 1970s and worked on the realistic show called Police Story, which has a lot to do with influencing his celebrated crime brand.

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12 The Keep

1983

The Keep is only the second feature film by Michael Mann, but following the immediate success of his film debut Thief, it can certainly be considered the director's sophomore slump. In retrospect, The Keep seems out of place in the filmography of Michael Mann as a supernatural horror film but suffers from a story that is convoluted and hard to grasp. The Keep does have some redeeming qualities, including a performance from Sir Ian McKellen and some interesting visual effects for the time, but in the grand scheme of Mann's work, it certainly belongs at the bottom of the rankings.

11 Blackhat

2015

Blackhat was a notable misfire from Michael Mann starring Chris Hemsworth that came out the same year as Avengers: Age of Ultron. Blackhat certainly tried to tap into the relevancy of the Edward Snowden era of cyber threats and corruption during the mid-2010s similar to the popular Sam Esmail's Mr. Robot series. Some of Mann's critics have claimed that Blackhat is even worse than The Keep in the way that it underutilized its outstanding cast of Hemsworth, Viola Davis, and Holt McCallany. While Blackhat isn't great, its story is compelling enough to make it worth the watch even though it won't lead to a rewarding end.

10 Ali

2001

Ali is a solid biopic about the greatest boxer, and arguably the greatest athlete, of all time Muhammad Ali. The film leaves much on the table in terms of its impact as it feels like it is one of Mann's most uninspired works in moments despite being so focused on one of the most pivotal figures in sports history. Will Smith gives a convincing but not transformative portrayal of the titular character, and the story feels drawn out and not entirely complete. The highlights of the film is certainly the cinematography and the performances by Smith and Jon Voight, who were both nominated for Academy Awards.

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9 Public Enemies

2009

Public Enemies also suffers a similar outcome as Ali does with the feeling that although the film is well-made it could have been much better than the final product. Johnny Depp and Christian Bale co-star in the 1930s true crime gangster epic that is a few strokes away from being a classic of the genre akin to The Departed. Ultimately, despite the hopes that Public Enemies could be an excellent gangster film, it contains too many flaws, particularly in its inflated storytelling and characters, for it to possibly be considered elite in the true crime category.

8 Miami Vice

2006

Miami Vice is arguably Michael Mann's most divisive movie as viewers often tend to really enjoy it or really not like it. Over time, the film has become a cult classic in its own right as a film adaptation of the original 1984 television series starring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas which Mann was a producer on. Miami Vice is one of Mann's best movies because of the sleek style and gritty and moody atmosphere that he brings to it, which has become his claim to fame ever since Theif debuted in 1981.

7 Ferrari

2023

After the misfire of Blackhat, Mann came back with a strong punch in 2023 with the Adam Driver-led Ferrari. Much of Ferrari's success has to do with the casting of Penelope Cruz, who nearly steals the entire movie from the formidable performance of Driver as Enzo Ferrari. Fans of Mann will appreciate the signature style that is all over Ferrari. However, Mann's Achilles heel strikes again as the pacing of the story does arguably feel off at times, somewhat dragging toward the finish despite the fast-paced subject matter.

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6 Manhunter

1986

Mann returned to form with 1986's Manhunter after tripping over The Keep three years prior. The impact of Manhunter cannot be understated, as Brian Cox's chilling depiction of Dr. Lecktor ended up inspiring the global phenomenon of the cannibalistic doctor Hannibal Lecter in 1991's Silence of The Lambs, famously portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. Manhunter is undoubtedly one of Mann's most groundbreaking and disturbing movies but unfortunately is also one of his most underrated masterpieces.

5 Thief

1981

Mann's feature debut Thief stars James Caan as a safe cracker looking for his last major heist. These types of crime thriller films would become Mann's claim to fame, and Theif was the one that started it all. For a first-time directorial effort, Mann demonstrates a mastery of the genre and suspense, combining successful aspects of both the crime drama of the 1970s and the mindless action genre of the 1980s wrapped up into one swift production. Caan gives one of his best career performances in this must-watch Michael Mann classic.

4 The Last Of The Mohicans

1992

Michael Mann expanded his scope away from the crime genre into the realm of historical fiction with The Last of the Mohicans. Starring the unparalleled Daniel Day-Lewis, The Last of the Mohicans depicts a gruesomely realistic depiction of the French and Indian War and acts as Mann's best, and only, true war epic. While other of Mann's movies certainly have more replay value, The Last of the Mohicans excels in all categories and contains many of Mann's greatest achievements as a director.

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3 Collateral

2004

Collateral is a fan-favorite Michael Mann movie that is hard to peel your eyes away from once you start watching. Starring two powerhouse actors Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise, Collateral easily has one of the best screenplays and onscreen chemistry between actors out of any other Michael Mann movie. With a simple premise and an endless amount of tension and suspense, Collateral is about as classic as it gets when it comes to stylized Michael Mann crime movies.

2 The Insider

1999

The Insider features stellar performances from Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, and Russell Crowe, who arguably gives a career-best as a Big Tobacco whistleblower named Jeffrey Wigland. The Insider is layered with conspiratorial themes and undertones and contains some of the most intense moments that Michael Mann has ever put to film. As a whole, The Insider is Mann's best overall film, having been nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor.

1 Heat

1995

While The Insider is certainly the most critically acclaimed film by Michael Mann, Heat is without a doubt the most iconic and culturally influential installment of his filmography. Heat is a definitive and quintessential heist movie that essentially defines the genre at its most fundamental level. Featuring a legendary cast of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, and Natalie Portman, Heat is Michael Mann's most impactful film of his decade-spanning career, setting the stage for Heat 2 sometime in the near future.

Ferrari

Ferrari is a dramatized biopic about Enzo Ferrari, detailing his family problems and his struggle to prepare for the 1957 Mille Miglia. The film stars Adam driver as Enzo Ferrari, alongside Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, and Gabriel Leone. Heat director Michael Mann helms the film and also worked on Ferrari's script.

Release Date

December 25, 2023

Director

Adam Driver , Shailene Woodley , Jack O'Connell , Sarah Gadon , Penelope Cruz , Patrick Dempsey

Cast

Michael Mann , Brock Yates

Rating

Not Yet Rated

Runtime

130 Minutes

Genres

Biography , Drama , History

Writers

Troy Kennedy-Martin , Michael Mann , Brock Yates

Budget

$90 Million

Studio(s)

STXfilms , Moto Productions , Forward Pass , Le Grisbi Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment , Esme Grace Media , Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment

Distributor(s)

Neon , STXfilms