John McTiernan

Predator and Die Hard came out a year apart, both directed by McTiernan, and action films copied them for a decade. In Die Hard a New York cop arrives at his estranged wife's office Christmas party minutes before armed men take the building. Predator sends elite commandos into a Central American jungle where something is hunting them. He stages action so you always know where everyone is, and the suspense comes from that clarity.

Signature

• Heroes who get hurt (Die Hard).
• One man against a team in a confined space (Die Hard).
• Cold War submarine suspense (The Hunt for Red October).
• A heist romance (The Thomas Crown Affair).