The early 2000s were a very different time in Hollywood. Coming off 1999, considered a high point by many for smart, edgy blockbusters (The Matrix, Magnolia, Fight Club — to name a few), the movie industry at the beginning of our current millennium wasn’t as friendly to superheroes and sci-f monsters as it is now. That would change in a few short years, but before it did, one influential director stepped in to change everything.
