Breck Eisner is a capable organiser of action and tension, especially when the story gives him a clear job. We recommend his genre work selectively: convincing settings and well-staged danger cannot always compensate for convoluted writing.
Fi1m perspective
In The Expanse (2015), a convincing science-fiction setting takes shape before its inhabitants become easy to follow. That unevenness is a useful starting point for Breck Eisner, a director we rate for his handling of genre action but approach cautiously when the scripts become elaborate. We were frustrated by the series’ tangled opening: the heavy explanations made meeting its inhabitants needlessly difficult. Its detail and cast reward patience, though our recommendation remains chiefly for viewers with an existing interest in science fiction.
That opening should not be laid at Eisner’s door. He joined the series in 2017, directing 14 episodes across seasons two to six, including several premieres and finales. Working with showrunner Naren Shankar, he helped sustain its science-fiction setting over several seasons. Those recurring assignments suit his emphasis on visual effects and atmospheric tension. We can credit a substantial contribution without making him responsible for everything the programme gets right or wrong.
His earlier features show what he can do with a self-contained assignment. Sahara (2005), his feature debut and an adaptation of a Clive Cussler novel, gives him multiple adventure plots to organise; clear action storytelling is the useful skill on display. The Crazies (2010), a remake of George A. Romero’s 1973 film, puts sustained horror and tension at the centre of the job. Its taut pacing is a persuasive reason to watch, even if the film stays within familiar horror conventions.
The Last Witch Hunter (2015), with Vin Diesel, exposes the limits of that competence. Eisner keeps the fantasy action controlled, but the convoluted writing and rushed finale limit what that control can achieve. We find him worth watching when tension and action are the main business, and less convincing when a complicated script needs its weaknesses disguising. There is skill here, but it pays to be choosy about the material he has been given. For a first encounter, we would choose The Crazies.
Biography
Breck Eisner is an American film and television director. He studied English and theatre at Georgetown University and earned a master's degree in film production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
His feature film credits include Sahara (2005), The Crazies (2010) and The Last Witch Hunter (2015). On television he has directed episodes of Taken (2002), Fear Itself (2008) and, most extensively, The Expanse (2015–2022), for which he directed 14 episodes across several seasons including multiple season premieres and finales.
Eisner is the son of former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner. In 2024 he co-founded the production company Expanding Universe Productions with the creators of The Expanse.
