Ridley Scotthas been making feature films for close to half a century at this point. Even into his 80s, he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, as shown bya particularly busy 2021, which saw two of his films released just months apart. He’s tackled projects of all genres and has made some undeniable classics (likeBlade Runner, the firstAlien,Gladiator, andThelma & Louise, to name a few). But with such a wide variety of films, it’s understandable that not all of Scott’s films have been winners. And even those that were somewhat successful or critically well-liked have flown under the radar, becoming cult films years after their initial release, if they’re lucky. They deserve their time in the sun, too.
After a busy start to the 2020s, Ridley Scott is showing no sign of slowing down. He has a new historical epic that premiered at the end of 2023 calledNapoleon, which starsJoaquin Phoenixand dramatizes the life ofNapoleon Bonaparte, joining a long line of movies centered around the famous historical figure. More surprisingly is his film after that,Gladiator 2(2024), which is set to continue the story that was started in one of his greatest films. Time will tell how these movies turn out of course, but they do demonstrate Scott’s willingness to continue directing, with age seemingly unable to slow him down.
12’Black Rain' (1989)
Starring: Michael Douglas, Andy García, Ken Takakura
Black Rainis a neo-noir action thriller that starsMichael Douglas,Andy Garcia, andKate Capshaw. The film is set in New York City and follows a couple of cops who are charged with transporting a Japanese mafia leader back to Japan for prosecution. As they navigate the underbelly of the Japanese mafia, they encounter a slew of issues and conflicts.
Praised for its stylized visual effects and action sequences, as well as its lead actors' performances, it’s among the most underrated Ridley Scott movies that have faded into the background over the years.WhileBlack Raindoesn’t hit all the right marks when it comes to character development or atmosphere-building, it’s still worth watchingagain today for any fan ofthe buddy cop genre.
Black Rain
Watch on Hoopla
11’Legend' (1985)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry
Long before he was known for starring inthe explosiveMission: Impossibleseries, and a year before he established himself as an action movie icon withTop Gun,Tom Cruisestarred inLegend, a fantasy movie directed by Ridley Scott. The plot here is pretty barebones, with a hero needing to defeat a great evil and save a princess.
Legendcan feel a little generic, and it’s far from one of Scott’s best, but neither does it deserve to be completely forgotten about.It gets the job done for what it is, and becomes considerably more entertaining once Tim Curry enters the film, given he plays the lead antagonist called the Lord of Darkness who, for all intents and purposes, is basically Satan.
A dark lord, intent on casting the world into darkness, captures a princess and threatens the extinction of the unicorns to stop the dawn. A forest dweller, joined by magical creatures and an elven ally, must navigate treacherous landscapes and confront the dark lord to save the princess and preserve light in the world.
Rent on Apple TV
10’All the Money in the World' (2017)
Starring: Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlberg
All the Money in the Worldis a 2017 crime drama film based on the real-life kidnapping ofJohn Paul Getty III. The film follows Paul’s mother, Gail Harris (Michelle Williams), as she tries to negotiate his release after he is kidnapped by Italian gangsters. Despite her pleas, the victim’s multi-billionaire grandfather, J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), initially refuses to pay the ransom, forcing Gail to seek help from a former CIA agent.
Exploring the ramifications of greed and excessive wealth on familial dynamics,All the Money in the Worlddepicts the power struggleswithin the main characters' family in tense and often frustrating ways. It’s among the most underappreciated of Ridley Scott’s recent movies, and deserves more attention for its remarkable portrayal of the intense event.– Hannah Saab
All the Money in the World
Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World is a crime thriller based on the real-life kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in 1973. The film follows Getty’s mother, Gail (Michelle Williams), as she tries to convince his grandfather, the billionaire J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer, replacing Kevin Spacey), to pay the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
9’Body of Lies' (2008)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong
While it’s not one ofthe greatest action/thrillers of all time, 2008’sBody of Liesis certainly a decent one.It follows two men who are wrapped up in a hunt for the mastermind behind a series of terrorist attacks, with one being on the ground and consistently in danger, and the other observing events from the other side of the world, physically disconnected and safe.
To some extent, the talent involved in making this movie - primarily Ridley Scott as directed andLeonardo DiCaprioandRussell Croweas the film’s stars - are going through the motions, but are inherently skilled enough at what they do that the results are still solid. Those who like the other collaborations between Crowe and Scott, or those who are particularly fond ofBlack Hawk Downshould probably check this one out.
Body of Lies
Watch on Max
8’House of Gucci' (2021)
Starring: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto
A movie that can be wonderfully campy at some points but a little bit of a drag at other times,House of Gucciis certainly all over the place. It’s a crime/drama film based on a true story, following one woman’s plot to murder her husband, who just so happens to have a very famous grandfather:Guccio Gucci, the fashion designer behind the Gucci brand.
WheneverHouse of Guccilets its hair down and gets a little silly, it can be quite fun, with the bloated runtime of 158 minutes being the only thing preventing this from feeling like solid entertainment all the way through. At least the cast members look like they’re having fun, withLady Gagagiving it her all, andAdam Driveronce again demonstrating that he can do no wrong as an actor.
House of Gucci
Watch on Amazon Prime
7’Prometheus' (2012) & ‘Alien: Covenant’ (2017)
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce
Maybe it’s incorrect to callPrometheusand its sequel,Alien: Covenant, underrated in the traditional sense. Each got decent reviews from critics, and the former was a modest hit and created quite a buzz at the time of its release, thanks to it representing Ridley Scott’s return to theAlienfranchise, which he was instrumental in kicking off way back in 1979.
But perhapsPrometheuswas scrutinized too carefullyas anAlienprequelwhen that wasn’t its principal concern; more with being another story told within the world ofAlien. And then, whenAlien: Covenantwent more directly back to the series' roots, fans seemed to reject it for being an imitation of what they’d seen before.ForPrometheustaking a unique approach to science-fiction, andAlien: Covenantupdating the classicAlienformula, each deserves a little more love… or at least a little less hate than they’ve got in the years since they were each released.
Prometheus
Watch on Netflix
6’Matchstick Men' (2003)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman
Released in 2003,Matchstick Menis in that awkward no man’s land regarding a film’s age. It’s not nearly recent enough to be considered a “new” film by any stretch of the imagination, but given it’s still under 20 years old, it doesn’t feel like it’s been around long enough to be a classic.
All that aside, even if it were a little older,it may not quite be a “classic,” but it is a pretty good film, and feels unique within Ridley Scott’s filmography. It’s a mostly comedic crime movie about two con men and the complications that arise when one of them is suddenly reunited with his teenage daughter. With starsNicolas CageandSam Rockwellat their best—and perfectly in their element—you know you’re in for a good watch.
Matchstick Men
5’The Duellists' (1977)
Starring: Harvey Keitel, Keith Carradine, Albert Finney
The Duellistswas Ridley Scott’s debut feature film, and while it might be far from his best, it’s still a striking first film. It centers on a rivalry between two French lieutenants who have a series of duels over several years, with neither ever besting the other, and the result is that all their disputes continue to persevere and escalate.
It features two strong leading performances fromHarvey KeitelandKeith Carradine, showing how Ridley Scott was always great at getting good performances from his cast, even from the start.It also has some very pleasing visuals, strong attention to detail, and solid action, which are continually present in many of Scott’s films he made post-The Duellists.
The Duellists
Watch on Kanopy
4'1492: Conquest of Paradise' (1992)
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Armand Assante, Sigourney Weaver
1492: Conquest of Paradisewas made to coincide with the 500th anniversary ofChristopher Columbus' discovery of America, and that’s exactly what the film’s about. It takes a romanticized, almost mythical approach to history, painting Columbus in a heroic light and shying away from his darker aspects, making1492: Conquest of Paradisea problematic film to stomach.
When viewed as a specific depiction of the storynot so concerned with historical accuracy, it largely works, as it’s visually gorgeous, brilliantly scored, filled with exciting, memorable scenes, and feels suitably mythological. But it’s perhaps risky—irresponsible even—to suppress the truth when it comes to a historical figure like Columbus. Therefore, it is wholly understandable why1492: Conquest of Paradiseis not liked by all. The filmmaking and technical qualities as a whole are remarkable, though.If they’d been paired with a story that was willing to be wholly honest about history,1492: Conquest of Paradisecould well be considered one of Ridley Scott’s best.As it stands, though, it’s admittedly an intoxicating visual and aural experience with a story that’s not going to please (and indeed hasn’t pleased) everyone.
3’American Gangster' (2007)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Chiwetel Ejiofor
True-crime stories certainly haven’t dwindled in popularity in recent years, and neither have biographical films about real-life figures. AndDenzel Washingtonis still as popular an actor as he was in 2007.
Soit’s a little strange that acrime film based on a true storywith a powerhouse central performance by Denzel Washington has been mostly forgotten about, despite good reviews from the time of its release, but that’s the situationAmerican Gangsterfinds itself in. Hopefully, it won’t disappear entirely because it holds up well and earns its lengthy runtime with an ambitious and engaging story. But for now, it’s yet another film that’s disappeared in the crowd that is Ridley Scott’s filmography, simply because there’s already so much good stuff in there.
