Ranking: Ridley Scott

Haven't seen: 'The Duellists' (this is the one I really need to check out, since I've read in places that it's his best/second best film), Legend, Black Rain, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, White Squall, G.I. Jane, A Good Year

15. The Counselor (2/5)

The worst film by Ridley Scott involving a tiger, and also easily his worst film. Scott typically seems to be a director who works best on his 'own'. By that I mean the more his personal directorial style comes through his work, the better the film tends to be. The Counselor is a failure on many levels, but the direction isn't one of them, as Scott does a decent job here. The problem of the film is that his style is never really focused upon. The film relies instead more upon its performances and the script (which was written by Cormac McCarthy, how odd), which means whatever flair Scott puts into the film is ultimately upended by the almost uniformly bad performances (Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender all hit career-lows/near career-lows, Javier Bardem stands out best but even he's not that good), and a script which just doesn't make any sense or impact of its overly convoluted plot. I should probably re-watch this for a better re-evaluation but...nah. 

14. Body of Lies (2.5/5)

Much better than The Counselor, but that's not saying much. It does share one similarity to that film though, in that it's extremely forgettable - when watching it I never picked out anything as being particularly 'bad', so to speak. It's just that the whole experience of watching it never had any impact on me whatsoever, and after watching it the main things I remember about it are the fairly decent cinematography and standard but tense soundtrack, the scene where Leonardo DiCaprio's Roger Ferris meets with a Jordinian intelligence officer played quite well by Mark Strong. Mostly it's just a standard generic thriller that could've been directed by just about anyone. DiCaprio and Russell Crowe as CIA agents are okay but this is far from either's best work, and on the whole this stands as a relatively negligible entry in Scott's filmography. 

13. Exodus: God and Kings (2.5/5)

The film has a fascinating story, which was told well in The Prince of Egypt and The Ten Commandments, of the Biblical story of Moses leading the enslaved Hebrew people of Egypt away from the rule of King Ramses'. Thus, I was actually anticipating this film a great deal, despite the early critical backlash against its supposedly racist casting choices (by opting to cast Caucasian actors as Egyptians/Hebrews, which is kind of double standards considering Charlton Heston of all people played Moses in The Ten Commandments). And I was ultimately quite disappointed. It's not an all-round terrible film, there are a few good moments especially in the final act with the direction of the divine plagues, and the intrinsic  power of the source material does have a certain power. However, the performances are almost uniformly cartoonish/poor with the exception of Christian Bale, and worst of all outside of the plague, Scott's direction feels almost workmanlike, never a good thing for a man of his talents. 

12. Prometheus (3/5)

And no, that's not Tom Hardy to the left. 

I'll get what I like about this Alien prequel out of the way first. The tense first act buildup is actually really well-done, Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender make decent replacements for our Ripley and Ash/Bishop for this installment, and it is certainly technically and visually competent. My main problems, and they are quite major, all go down to the writing. The characters are all simply too thinly fleshed out, meaning with every death we care very little for them, and certainly not in the same way each exit of a character in Alien provoked such a strong response in the viewer. Moreover, Damon Lindelof's script tries to throw too many big ideas and twists together when the film would've been better off as a more straightforward alien horror flick to set-up the universe of Alien. Certainly not a terrible film and it's watchable, but it's nothing special and certainly a bit of a disappointment. 

11. Hannibal (3/5)

Another lesser sequel by a director building upon a critically acclaimed first film which established its universe perfectly by another director, showing that perhaps like Martin Scorcese and The Colour of Money that sometimes, great directors can slack off a bit when doing follow-ups to films that weren't their conceptions. Hannibal is a far, far cry from the great Silence of the Lambs, as is Anthony Hopkins who is more over-the-top, hammy and humorous in his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter as the lead character, and thus far less effective than his supporting portrayal of utterly magnificent psychopathy in Silence of the Lambs. Also less effective is the character of Clarice Sterling, so perfectly played by Jodie Foster, and Julianne Moore, a good actress in her own right, just seems miscast. The film on the whole also suffers from a less concise, more wavering and ridiculous plot, which means though Gary Oldman's Mason Verger and Ray Liotta's corrupt Justice Department official are enjoyable adversaries, they're nowhere near as memorable as ol' Buffalo Bill. Still there are some good scenes, and it's a Hannibal Lecter story which means at the very least there's some enjoyment to be had with the darkly comical nature of the film. 

10. Robin Hood (3/5)

Really an over-hated film when it came out, I must say. As a Robin Hood film, maybe it is a bit of a letdown; it doesn't have the air of fun and adventure one would usually associate it with the tale of the bandit who robs from the rich and gives to the poor, and his band of Merry Men are particularly dour-faced in this one. Like 2004's King Arthur, however, as long as you try your best to ignore what it's supposed to be, a re-telling of a legendary heroic icon, and accept it for what it is, a straightforward action film, there's fun to be had. As Robin Hood, Russell Crowe gives a decent enough reprisal of his righteous brooding hero routine once again, the supporting cast is quite fun (especially Matthew Macfayden as a particularly slimy Sheriff of Nottingham), and the cinematography and set design is absolutely favulous, especially the beach at the Cliffs of Dover scene. Cate Blanchett is a bit miscast as Maid Marian though, she's a great actress but it just doesn't really fit her. 

9. Matchstick Men (4/5)

Perhaps Scott's most low-key venture to date (though I still haven't seen A Good Year as I've mentioned), though there's a cheeky bit of Nic Cage to make things more manic. It's a crime piece about two con artists, Roy and Frank (played by Cage and Sam Rockwell), who find their schemes firstly rejuvenated but then subsequently complicated by the arrival of a daughter Roy never knew he had (Alison Lohman). The film's double-crossing con elements feel more Coen-esque than Scott-esque, and though it never becomes a Fargo it's still a perfectly solid film in its own right. Cage is fun to watch as always (see above), and though it may not be as entertaining as his Bad Lieutenant or haunting as his alcoholism portrayals, he's still fun to watch as are his co-stars. I also need to re-watch this to gather more exact thoughts, so look in the future for a possible bumping up. 

8. American Gangster (4/5)

A film that would've benefited from two separate installments, or even a whole miniseries dedicated to the rise and fall of infamous heroin-smuggling gangster Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), and the relentless pursuit of him by detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). The film's scope is so grand, that one can't help but feel but several elements of the two protagonists' personal lives and sometimes, even in the very intriguing scenes of Lucas' crime dealings, I got the feeling everything was being very quickly glossed over for sake of keeping everything down to a manageable length. Nevertheless, the film remains a quite compelling portrayal of two men resorting to extreme measures to maintain his position, and bring down the other, thanks to the terrific work of Washington and the equally admirable, if more limited, work of Crowe. Stylistically it does a great job at bringing out the gritty aspects of Lucas' career,  and allows the few brutal violent seuqneces to resonate with so much viscreal power. Flawed on account of its pacing, it nevertheless is a very compelling viewing experience. 

7. Black Hawk Down (4.5/5)

Perhaps the most obvious example of Ridley Scott getting a platform to show off his considerable talents, as this is a film almost wholly defined by his direction. What could've been a by-the-books, standard action film about a US military raid becomes a heart-pounding, thrilling and gritty portrayal of a peacekeeping mission gone wrong. Though it could perhaps have used a bit more characterization to make the figures shooting and shouting onscreen more memorable individually, there's not much to fault in the ensemble as everyone seems realistic as soldiers, and anyway this isn't a film about in-depth interpersonal development between the characters onscreen. Instead, Scott opts to take away the typical 'human' factor away from the war film and focuses on the sheer intensity of the situation, each shot making you feel like one of the men scrambling around the rubble and crash sites. A tough film to watch and its approach is certainly divisive, but while I don't quite love it, I still think it's an extremely impressive piece of work that should've garnered Scott the Oscar.

6. Kingdom of Heaven (extended edition) (4.5/5)

Basically Scott's take on Ben-Hur is how I see it, in this tale set during the Crusades, of a simple blacksmith Balian (Orlando Bloom) who seeks redemption for him and his deceased wife's sins, in defending the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Scott's work is remarkable in several regards, as firstly, he manages to turn out a pretty good, Charlton Heston-esque leading man turn from Bloom, and secondly, he churns out a pretty good epic around him at the same time. The film may take a while to get going, especially the 190-minutes version I watched, but once the initial slow-burn wears off and the battle for the kingdom of Heaven begins, it's Scott at his prime. With particular highlights being the Battle of Karak and the confrontation between leper King Baldwin (Edward Norton) and sultan of Egypt Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), Scott makes his grand scale battles resonate as well as the quieter human moments, and even manages to make a small romance between Balian and eventual Queen of Jerusalem, Sibylla (Eva Green) have some impact. Not a flawless film as it meanders a bit in the beginning and end, but an extremely entertaining one.

5. Thelma & Louise (4.5/5)

Now I used to think Scott, great a director he was, was a bit 'masculine' in his style (though I've since come to go against gendered groupings of films), and wondered whether beyond his action-packed extravaganzas he'd have the range to delve into other genres. Well I was silly to make this assumption before I'd even seen this film and Alien. I love a road trip film when done well, and all the better when it involves people being on the run, as that more often than not creates something special like a Badlands or True Romance. This film's a bit different though in that the titular duo of Thelma and Louise, played respectively by Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, don't really have high ambitions or malicious intent in their trip. They're just two women who live rather mundane lifestyles, wanting to have a good time. This film on the whole could be argued as more of an actor's showcase than director's showcase, and why not when you have Davis giving such a heartfelt and endearing portrayal of a controlled, naive housewife, and Sarandon playing her street-smart waitress with demons in her past, matching each other's performances beautifully throughout. That being said Scott does showcase a deft hand on the road trip sequences at giving such a vibrant air of adventure, as well as the knowing casting of a young Brad Pitt as a hot hitchhiker Thelma simply can't resist.  

4. Gladiator (4.5/5)

Ah, the Best Picture-winning historical epic that unfortunately couldn't garner Scott a deserved win (although Steven Soderbergh was certainly a deserving winner). This is probably Scott's most popular and well-known film, and there's a reason for it: it's a darned good film. The sword and sandals epic genre is an easy one to mess up, and could possibly seem silly if you have the wrong director, cast and production team on board to make it more Life of Brian than Ben-Hur. Well luckily for Dreamworks and Universal they hired the perfect guy for the job, Scott who can turn the simplest story of good vs evil, and at its centre a vengeful Roman general turned gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius (played and uttered with explosive conviction by Russell Crowe). The story is simple and most of the characters are as well, but it works for the film because they all play up their respective natures perfectly, from Crowe's brooding hero to Joaquin Phoenix's hissy fit-emitting and incestuous emperor, to Djimon Hounsou's gladiator best friend to the wise gladiator trainer Oliver Reed. They all play their parts perfectly, as does Hans Zimmer who forgets all about any restraints or subtletly and brings out all his tricks to create one heart-pounding score. Scott brings the action scenes to life wonderfully, giving you the feeling you're in the Colosseum watching thrilling action piece after action piece take place, fitting for the conceit of the film, and amidst the spectacle there's also some truly moving moments that make the film's tearjerking ending make a lot of impact.

3. The Martian (5/5)

Many have questioned not so much my love for the film (which was acclaimed by not only critics, but also audiences, making over 600 million USD worldwide), but my love for Matt Damon's performance, which I've read in some circles has been considered the weak link in the lineup, and should've been dropped in favour of Johnny Depp in Black Mass. Well, I'll get onto him in a bit, but let me wax over the merits of the film as a whole first. The Martian is unique for a 21st-Century science fiction film in that it maintains quite the breezy tone throughout, even though it's essentially a Cast Away tale of a man, space botanist Mark Watney (Damon), lost in space, and left to fend for himself on Mars. It's a risky approach that pays off wonderfully with Scott's understated but efficient direction, and the wonderful screenplay by Drew Goddard which makes science interesting and a stranded man's plight funny (still haven't read the critically acclaimed Andy Weir novel, I really should). The film switches back and forth from life on Mars to the rescue attempts of those back on Earth and Watney's crew, somehow managing to give life to a huge ensemble of interesting characters despite effectively being one man's tale of survival. It's eloquent and entertaining filmmaking on almost every level of technical design, it never loses momentum or interest through its crisp editing and engaging storyline, and as for Damon it's fantastic underrated work as he gives my favourite Ridley Scott leading performance as an upbeat and extremely clever individual with a fresh quip for every moment, cheeky and charismatic throughout but also delivering in the darker moments perfectly, and making you truly care for this man and his journey back home. Plus, bonus points for choosing not Life on Mars but Starman as the David Bowie inclusion into the soundtrack.

2. Blade Runner (5/5)

I love all three films at the top of this list, but I must admit it's been awhile since I've watched either of them (though I might re-watch this one tonight). Blade Runner is probably Scott's most daring film, and without seeing The Duellists I'd have to agree with that. His science-fiction noir vision is unlike any that came before, and stands in particularly stark opposition to the contemporary Star Wars films. Where in most of the films above Scott takes on a previously trodden territory and makes his mark, in Blade Runner he creates a whole world of its own, and boy is it a beauty to behold. On a visual level, it's impeccable, as Scott takes acclaimed science-fiction novelist Philip K. Dick's source material, and turns it into something truly grand and conceptually mind-bending. I'm keen to re-watch it to simply look for little details in each scene from the Tyrell Corporation freezer tothat neon-lit bar, and of course that rain-drenched finale. The story itself is straightforward and simple, and all the better for that (later revisions to make it more 'complex' don't sit too well with me), of Harrison Ford taking down rogue 'replicants', androids basically indistinguishable from humans. The acting is fine all-round, with each small character making his mark well, and Ford is good too (bar the voiceover which I don't fault him for since no-one could've possibly enjoyed doing those useless studio mandated lines), but from that standpoint the highlight is of course Rutger Hauer, who spends about 90% of the film as one of the most intimidating and memorably menacing villains with something a bit 'off', a bit humane about him, and its final moments completely subverts this whole approach to reveal that all that villanous posturing was always just an act, and delivers one of the best (wouldn't argue with anyone who calls it the, best) ending monologues of all-time. Deservedly definitive and iconic film that asserted Scott as one of the most independent, inimitable visionaries of the film industry.

1. Alien (5/5)

I'll hold off extended thoughts because, as aforementioned, I need a re-watch of the film, and also because I want to do an extended article on this film as it's well-worth it. Gifted with the best tagline of all-time on its poster (In space, no one can hear you scream...), the film more than lives up to it by crafting arguably the greatest horror movie of all-time. One thing I always forget when revisiting the film is how minimalist it really is. The titular alien takes a long time to appear in its full form, and even then its appearances are sporadic. This doesn't matter because Scott is a master in conveying atmosphere, here it is of the most unbearably tense sort. Aiding in this is Dan O'Bannon's taut and deceptively complex script that confines things to nearly one setting (love that), creates a claustraphobic group dynamic of suspicion in the air (love that), and also worthy of note that when Veronica Cartwright and Sigourney Weaver were brought on board to play characters intended to be male in the original script, barely anything was changed in it. It prominently fulfils the Blechdel test (a conversation with at least two [named] women in it, who talk to each other about something besides a man), and always a nice little bit of trivia to share with people. Beyond that I won't get too much into the ensemble (though I will say the MVP is Veronica Cartwright), or the exquisite production design and especially the lighting, the special effects, or that king of scary music Jarry Goldsmith's score, but this is a film you should see, but perhaps not alone, and not in the dark, and probably don't have a cat nearby either.