All of these films feature a strong sense of atmosphere and his horror output, in particular, displays a mean, take-no-prisoners attitude rarely seen in mainstream horror flicks. Orphan, an underrated entry in the “evil child” sub-genre, is notable for its last act twist, cold atmosphere, and queasy subtext, all of which help elevate the movie far above being just a gimmicky thriller. With the notoriety of cast member Paris Hilton consigned to the past, his House of Wax remake emerges as a solid genre offering with a memorably creepy aesthetic and a pre-Hostel emphasis on body horror.

And Collet-Serra’s talents are not limited to horror. Think of any of the good post-Taken Liam Neeson action flicks which have come out in the last couple years—most of them are Collet-Serra’s work. While they stretch credibility and have their naff moments, Unknown, Non-Stop, and Run All Night are enjoyable thrillers. With his latest, The Shallows, it appears that Collet-Serra is maintaining his place as one of the best, unpretentious makers of mainstream entertainment in Hollywood.

John Hyams

Who would have thought that the 5th and 6th sequels to an action picture from 20 years ago would be good? Keep in mind that Hyams’ Universal Soldier entries were both DTV releases as well. And yet both films never betray their origins. Lensed by Hyams’ father, genre director Peter Hyams (Outland, 2010, Time Cop), Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009) and Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning (2012) are both inventive, enjoyable slices of b-movie goodness, and two of the better credits on Jean-Claude Van Damme’s recent CV.

Universal Soldier: Regeneration and Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning both feature terrific set pieces which would not look out of place in a big budget action flick, with excellent use of long takes—especially in how the films use moving camera-work to track and follow action (check out JCVD’s initial assault on the apartment block in Regeneration). It’s a technique that is rarely employed in Hollywood action movies, and it is remarkable how Hyams is able to pull it off. It’s creative choices like this which help make his films feel bigger and more cinematic. Showing considerable ambition and style on small budgets, it would not be a surprise if Hyams imitated his father and ended up behind the camera on a Hollywood action picture in the next couple years.

Adam Wingard

With his co-writer Simon Barrett, Wingard has moved to the front line of American genre filmmakers on the basis of the double-whammy of home invasion thriller You’re Next and excellent genre-bender The Guest. While You’re Next sprinkled touches of meta-humour among the thrills, The Guest is an exercise in reversing and rewriting expectations: it goes from thriller to comedy to action to horror without skipping a beat or feeling clunky. And it does so while providing terrific roles for Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe.