Every David Fincher Movie, Ranked by Rewatchability

Few filmmakers have quite as defined a cinematic style as David Fincher. Known for his ability to craft dark thrillers that contain disturbing and grotesque content, Fincher has directed several films that are now considered modern classics. While financially his films have all fared very well, it’s the consistency of quality that makes Fincher such a continuously interesting figure within the industry. Now twelve films into his career, Fincher has yet to make a project that hasn’t pushed the industry forward in an interesting way.

Fincher’s efforts aren’t entirely contained to the big screen, as he has also worked on prestigious television shows such as House of Cards and Mindhunter, although the latter doesn’t appear to be returning for a third season. None of Fincher’s films have been bad, but some have proven to be more rewarding upon subsequent viewings. Here is every David Fincher movie, ranked on how rewatchable they are.

12 ‘Alien 3’ (1992)

Starring Sigourney Weaver and Charles Dance

Given that both Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens are considered to be among the greatest science fiction films of all-time, Fincher faced unwieldy expectations when crafting the third film in the space horror series. Alien 3is only a disappointment when compared to its predecessors. As a standalone sci-fi body horror film, Alien 3 features some terrific jump scares and yet another committed performance by Sigourney Weaver as the heroine Ellen Ripley.

While fans expressed their disappointment with how the film built off the ending of Aliens, no one hates Alien 3 more than Fincher. Studio meddling throughout the film’s production process left Fincher with little control over the creative direction, resulting in a disjointed sequel that feels like less of a sum of its parts. Considering the negative experience that Fincher had while making it, Alien 3 is the least rewarding of his films to rewatch.

Alien 3 can be streamed on Amazon in the U.S.

Rent on Amazon

11 ‘The Game’ (1997)

Starring Sean Penn and Michael Douglas

Although he’s often known for incorporating extreme moments of brutality, Fincher showed that he could create more psychological scares with his 1997 thriller The Game. The film drags its characters into a living nightmare and forces them to question their own reality; each revelation forces the viewer to second guess the knowledge that they think they possess. Strong performances by both Michael Douglas and Sean Penn ensure that the human heart at the center of The Game is never forgotten.

While it features one of Fincher’s most shocking endings, The Game is less entertaining for those who already know the twist. Much of the entertainment value The Game has is in slowly understanding the ramifications for the first time, which is lost upon subsequent viewings. That being said, its low ranking is only reflective of the overall strength of Fincher’s filmography.

The Game can be streamed on Amazon in the U.S.

Rent on Amazon

10 ‘Panic Room’ (2002)

Starring Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart

Based on its premise alone, Panic Room seems rather straightforward in comparison to Fincher’s more thematically nuanced works. Although it’s hardly the first home invasion thriller, Panic Room showed Fincher’s mastery at creating tension within an isolated environment. By centering the action around just one family as they attempt to survive an attack by vicious robbers, Fincher forces the viewer to imagine what they would do in a similar nightmare scenario.

Although it doesn’t contain the layered political and social commentary that would become essential to his later works, Panic Room features some of the best performances in any of Fincher’s films. Jodie Foster proves once again why she’s an icon of the horror genre with her powerful maternal performance; the film also notably featured as breakout performance by Kristen Stewart long before the Twilight saga turned her into a household name.

Panic Room can be streamed on MGM+ in the U.S.

Watch on MGM+

9 ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (2008)

Starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchette

Given just how acclaimed the original novel that it was based on was, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was arguably one of the most ambitious films of Fincher’s career. While its Academy Award-winning visual effects and makeup were grand achievements in their own right, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is notably one of Fincher’s most sincere and emotional films. There’s not a hint of irony in the film’s characterization of a timeless love story; the emotional authenticity that Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchette bring to the material only make the film more impactful.

While an essential viewing for any fan of F. Scott Fitzegerald’s source material, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is less rewatchable due to its extensive running time. At 166 minutes, the film can become slightly dull at points for viewers who are already well-versed in how the story ends.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button can be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

8 ‘The Killer’ (2023)

Starring Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton

Despite appearing to be just another Netflix action thriller, The Killer may be the most semi-autobiographical film of Fincher’s career. Fincher is a director known for his perfectionism and obsession, so crafting a narrative about an accomplished professional assassin who waxes poetic about his abilities isn’t that much of a stretch. What’s notable about The Killer is that Fincher treats the violent content like a procedural, complete with a highly entertaining voiceover courtesy of Michael Fassbender.

Although on a narrative level it’s fairly straightforward, The Killer is very rewatchable due to its dark sense of humor. Fassbender’s character often makes amusing comments about his targets, playing into the twisted worldview that the film presents. While comparisons can be drawn between The Killer and other films about hitmen, the cheeky humor and stylized approach signify Fincher’s perspective as an entirely unique one.

The Killer can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix

7 ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ (2011)

Starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was not the first adaptation of the novel of the same name, as a Swedish film trilogy starring Noomi Rapace was already highly acclaimed. However, Fincher’s version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo perfectly captures the bestselling novel’s bleak worldview and engaging mystery. Rooney Mara’s Oscar-nominated work as the hacker Lisbeth Salander offered fans of the series the most authentic depiction of the character that they could imagine; Mara captured the intelligence and ferocity that made Lisbeth an icon.

While none of his films are necessarily for the faint of heart, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo may be too disturbing to watch more than once. Between graphic sequences of torture and sexual assault, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo features shocking moments of brutality that may be upsetting to those who are already well-accustomed to Fincher’s work.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo can be streamed on MGM+ in the U.S.

Watch on MGM+

6 ‘Mank’ (2020)

Starring Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried

The term “passion project” may be an overused one, but Mankmay be the most personal film of Fincher’s career. The historical biopic was based on a screenplay written by his father, Jack, and chronicled the political machinations that were involved within the Old Hollywood studio system. Considering Fincher’s own adverse experience working with Hollywood producers, Mank may offer some perspective on how he feels about art being subjugated for financial reasons.

Despite the somewhat cynical view it has on the film industry, Mank is a treasure trove for fans of classic cinema. The film goes into the chaotic production of the all-time classic Citizen Kane by examining the dynamic between Orson Welles (Tom Burke) and screenwriter Herman Manckieicz (Gary Oldman). It may not be as well-suited to a general audience of non-cinephiles, but those interested in this era of filmmaking find more than enough reasons to rewatch Mank several times.

Mank can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix

5 ‘Gone Girl’ (2014)

Starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck

As with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fincher’s adaptation of Gone Girl was highly anticipated based on the absolute phenomenon that Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name had been upon its initial publication. Although it allowed him to incorporate some truly shocking violent sequences, Gone Girl works best as an analysis of a broken marriage. The media fanfare that the disappearance of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) causes inspires her husband Nick (Ben Affleck) to be put under the public spotlight for his failures in their relationship.

Although its twist is now an iconic one, Gone Girl is even more thematically rich upon multiple viewings. Interlaced within the shocking plot revelations is interesting commentary about the role that the media plays in the justice system; the film also incorporates a brilliant score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross that only makes it more unnerving.

Gone Girl can be streamed on Amazon in the U.S.

Rent on Amazon

4 ‘Fight Club’ (1999)

Starring Edward Norton and Brad Pitt

While it was not a hit when it was initially released in 1999, Fight Clubhas become one of the most beloved cult movies of all-time. Ironically, some of the film’s most earnest fans may have missed the point of Fight Club’s satire entirely; while the film ends on a shocking moment of destruction that was even banned in some countries, it’s really a satire of toxic masculinity that warns about the rise of violent fanaticism. Fight Club is interested in how Fincher uses the film’s structure to condemn his main characters and their destructive worldview.

Some films may collapse after a shocking reveal, but Fight Club’s infamous plot twist only makes the film more rewatchable. The knowledge that the Narrator (Edward Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) are actually the same person may inspire viewers to take a second look at the film to see the bits of foreshadowing that were teased early on.

Fight Club can be streamed on Amazon in the U.S.

Rent on Amazon

3 ‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo

While the real case that it was based on has baffled investigators for generations, Zodiacis a very subversive mystery film that doesn’t conform to genre stereotypes. By tackling a famously “unsolved” murder investigation case, Fincher was able to dig into the ambiguity of the material and explore the nature of obsession. It’s a brilliantly crafted procedural that goes deep into the role that journalists, cops, and civilians played in one of the most famous serial killer cases of all-time.

Although it’s not necessarily as violent as his other work, Zodiac might be the scariest of all of Fincher’s films. Prolonged sequences featuring different suspects who could be the “Zodiac killer” create an atmosphere of psychological dread that is nearly suffocating; it’s an expert work of craftsmanship that is worth revisiting purely to appreciate the aesthetic perfectionism of Fincher’s filmmaking.

Zodiac can be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch on Paramount+

2 ‘Se7en’ (1995)

Starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman

In his first film after the blunderous production of Alien 3, Fincher proved himself to be an uncompromising filmmaker with Se7en. The 1995 psychological mystery thriller turned the serial killer genre on its head by focusing on a psychopathic villain who uses the Biblical “seven deadly sins” as a source of inspiration. While the violent content he got away with is impressive, what’s even more admirable is the bleak worldview Fincher enhanced Se7en with. The film’s downbeat ending served as a sharp critique of the inherent cruelty of mankind.

Serial killer movies certainly rely on their villains, but Se7en features engaging protagonists that are played beautifully by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. The notion of two police officers at different points in their careers reflecting upon their longevity allowed Fincher to turn Se7en into a profound work of existentialist dread.

Se7vn can be streamed on Amazon in the U.S.

Rent on Amazon

1 ‘The Social Network’ (2010)

Starring Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield

It may have played fast and loose with the real story that it was based on, but The Social Network became an instant classic that summarized the chaos of the Internet era. Although it’s an origin story of Facebook, The Social Network uses the rise of Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) as a way of exploring how the Internet fuels feelings of loneliness and a desire to connect. The splintering of Zuckberg’s relationship with his best friend Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) is heartbreaking to witness.

Despite the film’s thoughtful critique of toxic masculinity, The Social Network is easily the most entertaining film of Fincher’s career. The Oscar winning editing and screenplay by Aaron Sorkin incorporate moments of dark comedy as it intertwines different court cases within the rise of Zuckerberg’s social media empire. Its insights into how Facebook has changed communication forever make The Social Network the most rewatchable of Fincher’s impressive work.

The Social Network can be streamed on Max in the U.S.

Watch on Max

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