Matt Reeves befriended fellow filmmaker J.J. Abrams when they were just teenagers. Steven Spielberg hired Reeves and Abrams not long after to transfer some of his own Super 8 films to videotape. Reeves attended USC and produced an award-winning student film, which helped him acquire an agent. After graduating, he co-wrote The Pallbearer (1996), which became his directorial debut. From there, he would ultimately take Hollywood by storm
Following several smaller film efforts and TV efforts, including Felicity (1998–2002) that he co-developed with Abrams, Reeves directed the monster science fiction film Cloverfield (2008), which Abrams produced. Following the success of his two films for the Planet of the Apes universe, he took on directing the upcoming superhero film The Batman (2022), which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. As we count down the days till the highly anticipated Caped Crusader film, here are five films to see before it hits the big screen — and after, especially considering there have been talks about The Batman trilogy. In doing so, you're better familiarizing yourself with Reeves' unique behind-the-camera talents.
Cloverfield (2008)
Who can forget this found-footage standout? Were folks perhaps worried Cloverfield would just be a knockoff Blair Witch Project? Maybe. But the end result was a crowning achievement for Reeves.
The straightforward plot of Cloverfield kicks off with some young professionals celebrating their friend Rob's promotion with a massive surprise party. However, a deafening explosion and the arrival of an enormous scaly and gangly creature will abruptly interrupt the festivities, as all hell breaks loose in New York City. The Statue of Liberty is even decapitated. As the reptilian behemoth levels Manhattan, a daring dash to rescue Rob's lover begins, while at the same time, everything is recorded through the lens of a hand-held camcorder amid mayhem and destruction.
The film was produced by Reeves' buddy Abrams from a script by Drew Goddard. The film stars familiar faces like T.J. Miller and Lizzy Caplan, and as part of the film's viral marketing campaign, a teaser trailer was released ahead of screenings of Transformers without a title attached. With limited details revealed about the film prior to release, it garnered lots of online speculation. It would eventually earn $172 million worldwide at the box office against just a $25 million budget. The film served as the first installment of the Cloverfield franchise, followed by 10 Cloverfield Lane in 2016 and The Cloverfield Paradox in 2018.
Matt Reeves served as director of this film and received praise from critics for his cinéma vérité vision of the story. "One of the things about it, and part of the thing that was exciting to me as a director, was that it was basically an opportunity to take an epic-scaled story — a giant monster smashes up New York City — and do it from a very intimate point of view and be really locked to that intimate point of view," Reeves once told Rotten Tomatoes. "That makes for a very different experience and it doesn’t end up being, again, something that is completely distancing."
Let Me In (2010)
Let Me In takes place in early 1980s New Mexico, where a 12-year-old boy is lonely and bullied in school. At home, he dreams of avenging himself against the trio of bullies. He befriends his next door neighbor, a 12-year-old girl who only appears during the night in the playground of their building. Meanwhile, the girl's father is a wanted serial killer who drains the blood of his victims to supply her. On top of all that, a police officer is investigating the murder cases, believing that it's all part of a satanic cult's efforts.
Let Me In stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz and Richard Jenkins. It's a remake of the 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In, and Moretz won several awards for her performance with critics praising the on-screen chemistry with her co-star, Smit-McPhee. An official comic book miniseries prequel titled Let Me In: Crossroads was released after the film that establishes the back-story of Abby.
Reeves served as writer and director of the film, adapting the story with changes from the original Swedish version. Many critics noted Reeves' effort as a rare Hollywood remake that stayed true to the original.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Just when we thought the Planet of the Apes franchise was fizzling out, Reeves' epic 2014 sequel hit the masses. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes focuses on a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar (a reliably stellar Andy Serkis) who is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes features an all-star cast that also includes Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell and Kodi Smit-McPhee. It was also a box office success, grossing over $710 million worldwide against a $170 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film in the series. It even received an Oscar nod for Best Visual Effects.
Reeves served as director of the film, marking the film as his second collaboration with Smit-McPhee (who's currently in the Oscars race for The Power of the Dog). Reeves was praised for his direction of the film, so it was no surprise he was enlisted for a third installment in the reboot franchise...
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Enter War for the Planet of the Apes, where Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel (an intense, scene-stealing Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.
War for the Planet of the Apes was a commercial success, having grossed more than $490 million. This installment was also nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards. A fourth sequel is currently in development.
Reeves served as co-writer and director this time around and was again praised for his behind-the-camera efforts. "We wanted it to be biblical in nature," Reeves told Yahoo Movies. "There was this idea of taking a war movie but not letting it be conventional in any sense, letting it be a journey that you go on with Caesar, that you wouldn’t be bound by one genre per se, that you would be bound by connecting emotionally with the journey that Caesar goes on."
The Yards (2000)
This 2000 American crime film stars Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, and James Caan. Its unique setting is the commuter rail yards in New York City, in the boroughs of the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. In the film's plot, bribery, corporate crime and political corruption are commonplace in "the yards," where contractors repair railway cars for the city Transit Authority. Rival companies sabotage each other's work to win bids. The undercutting leads to murder. Interesting premise!
Reeves served as co-writer and co-producer on the film. Once described as an "America opera," The Yards is a smaller effort than Reeves' other features listed above, but the powerful, niche storyline is worth a watch — especially for fans of James Gray, who directed the film.