De Bont first worked in the US on the teen comedy-drama "Private Lessons" (1981), already suggesting the voyeuristic nature of many of his later films, as a randy teenager stalks his father's housekeeper with a camera. The drug addiction drama, "I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can" (1981), did not quite seem like suitable material, but after reuniting with Verhoeven for the lurid but striking erotic thriller "The Fourth Man" (1982), De Bont became one of Hollywood's leading cinematographers, specializing in rough-and-tumble action drama and often outlandish sex-themed material. The formulaic sports picture "All the Right Moves" (1983) had suitably gritty cinematography, but De Bont did better with the rollicking adventure "Jewel of the Nile" (1985) and the garishly colored farce "Ruthless People" (1986).
De Bont's deliberately intrusive visual style calls attention to his slick frame compositions and glossy mise en scene, while also indulging a formidable prowess at camera movement. "Die Hard" (1988), a punchy action pic, embodied all these qualities and offered a strong argument that contemporary Hollywood's one true forte is an intoxicating flair for creating all the thrills that technological know-how can provide. "Black Rain" (1989), a collaboration with another visually authoritative artist, Ridley Scott, had little to offer but its look. "The Hunt for Red October" (1990) was a very popular reteaming with "Die Hard" director John McTiernan while "Lethal Weapon 3" (1992) was at least a watchable, workmanlike example of its genre. "Basic Instinct" (1992) again reunited De Bont with Verhoeven for for another flashy psychodrama, with camera angles designed as the last word in empty-headed kinkiness.
Having provided such showy craftsmanship on so many hit films, it was no surprise when the veteran De Bont was finally given a chance to direct a film. Situating himself solidly in the realm in which he has been most assured--the visceral--he came up with "Speed" (1994), widely categorized as "Die Hard on a Bus". Critical acclaim was unanimous: of course no one expected rich characterizations, complex thematics or a heart on a sleeve. What people hoped for were some exciting variations on film narrative's oldest formula, the chase, and that is what De Bont delivered--in spades. Modestly budgeted for a large-scale Hollywood action pic--$30 million--"Speed" proved the first sleeper hit of that summer and greatly improved the fortunes of stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. Offers also poured in for the suddenly hot director. De Bont was attached to a ultra-big-budget remake of "Godzilla" before he got swept up into "Twister" (1996), a special-effects oriented thriller from Amblin Entertainment about scientists who chase and study tornadoes. As with "Speed", De Bont avoided casting the usual "bankable" big names, opting instead for Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt and Cary Elwes. With "Speed 2: Cruise Control" (1997), the director stumbled a bit. Instead of a simple thrilling story as in the original, the sequel upped the ante. Set on a hijacked luxury liner, the film was merely a series of overstaged set pieces that overshadowed its stars Sandra Bullock and Jason Patric. Based on the film's disappointing box-office performance, it was unlikely a third entry in the series would be on De Bont's slate. Instead, he tackled a lackluster remake of the 1963 cult horror classic "The Legend of Hill House" titled "The Haunting" (1999) that despite an all-star ensemble that included Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson and Lili Taylor played to only ghostly audiences. De Bont also developed a reputation as something of an autocrat on his sets. He eased away from directing briefly, instead lending his producing skills to the sci-fi films "Minority Report" (2002), directed by Steven Spielberg, and writer-director Kurt Wimmer's "Equalibrium" (2002). De Bont returned to the director's chair in 2003 to helm "Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life," a superior sequel starring Angelina Jolie as the pneumatic video game heroine.