My very, very first professional job was when I was 19 years old - I got a job doing an educational industrial film on Shell Motor Oil's oil products. I really put my heart into it - I wrote a script for it, I did a lot of research.

Harlin directed the WWE Studios action movie 12 Rounds starring John Cena. X. Instead Harlin made another foray into low-budget horror with The Covenant which was another moderate commercial success.

His film Cutthroat Island (1995) held the Guinness world record for "Biggest Box-Office Flop of All Time". Harlin's movies have earned US$506543064 in the United States as of January 2013 making him the 87th highest-grossing director in the American market.