John Hyams makes action we can follow and suspense that takes its time. We value that discipline, especially in his stripped-down thrillers; his more abstract films need a greater appetite for atmosphere and fighting.
Fi1m perspective
In a John Hyams action sequence, we can usually tell where the next blow will come from. He favours long takes, moving cameras and consistent screen direction, so a fight remains something we can follow through each exchange. The clarity matters: there is more suspense when we understand the distance someone has to cross. We rate him for that discipline, particularly when he applies it to a stripped-down thriller.
The Smashing Machine (2002), his documentary about MMA fighter Mark Kerr, makes sense as an early stop for a director so interested in physical exertion. His television work included four episodes of NYPD Blue (1993), directed between 2003 and 2005. We warmly recommend that series for its cast and writing, especially Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz, while finding its plotting more conventional than its rough style suggests. That praise belongs to the programme; four episodes cannot establish how much of its success belongs to Hyams.
With Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009) established his reputation for forceful action. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012), which he also wrote, took the extended fights into more atmospheric, abstract territory. These are films for viewers who take pleasure in how an action sequence is built. The latter needs a tolerance for atmosphere and fighting taking priority over straightforward storytelling.
Black Summer (2019), which he created and directed, gives his long takes and minimalism room to work. We felt uneasy watching it because the sustained shots deny us the small respite of a cut. The later feature Alone (2020) narrows his attention to character-focused survival suspense, with the stripped-down scenario doing much of the work. Here his patience feels especially well suited to the material.
Sick (2022), written by Kevin Williamson, carries his action choreography into a slasher. It is a sensible use of his skills: keeping bodies and distances clear matters just as much when someone is trying to escape a fight. Start with Alone for the suspense, or Universal Soldier: Regeneration for the fighting.
Biography
John Hyams is an American screenwriter, director and cinematographer. He is the son of director Peter Hyams. He graduated from Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts, where he studied painting and sculpture, and exhibited work in New York and Los Angeles before moving into film.
Hyams wrote, produced and directed the 1997 feature One Dog Day, which premiered at the Taos Talking Picture Film Festival. He directed episodes of the television series NYPD Blue (2003–2005). His feature credits include Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009) and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012). He has also directed episodes of series including Z Nation, The Originals, Chicago P.D. and Chucky, and served as showrunner on Black Summer.
