For nearly 50 years, Ridley Scott has been winning audiences over with his memorable characters, epic stories and striking visuals. Like his contemporaries Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, Scott understands scope and how to apply those ideas to craft blockbusters that are equally entertaining and important. At 86 years old, Scott does not plan to retire anytime soon, as he remains one of Hollywood’s most prolific filmmakers.
This weekend marks the arrival of Scott’s 29th feature film, “Gladiator II,” the sequel to his Oscar-winning 2000 epic “Gladiator.” In honor of the film, we explored Scott's filmography and did the impossible: ranked his seven best movies.
7. ‘Prometheus’
Out of Scott’s entire filmography, “Prometheus” was his riskiest endeavor. Why risk tarnishing the reputation of the classic “Alien?” It was a high-risk, high-reward move from the English filmmaker. Set 30 years before “Alien,” “Prometheus” follows an expedition, led by Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace), to a distant moon. The crew believes this will lead to the origins of humanity and godlike creatures known as the “Engineers.”
The trip is a success, as the crew safely lands on the barren moon. Even without Xenomorphs, the crew battles horrifying creatures, though their scariest enemy might be a humanlike android named David (Michael Fassbender). With stunning visuals and a terrific cast, “Prometheus” was a gamble that paid off for Scott, who revitalized the “Alien” franchise.
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6. 'Thelma & Louise'
“Thelma & Louise” will be remembered for its legendary final image that immortalized the characters when they chose freedom in the face of death. However, Scott’s road-trip movie is ultimately a feminist classic featuring two women who stood up for themselves and fought back against a patriarchal society. Backed by Callie Khouri’s Oscar-winning script, “Thelma & Louise” stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as two friends who embark on a weekend fishing trip.
When a man tries to rape Thelma (Davis) at a bar, Louise (Sarandon) shoots and kills him. Believing the police will fail them due to a lack of evidence, the duo decides to flee to Mexico. It’s a race against time, as Thelma and Louise must reach the border before Detective Slocumb (Harvey Keitel) catches them.
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5. ‘The Martian'
Scott rarely directs comedies. However, that doesn’t mean his movies aren’t funny. While “The Martian” isn’t a true comedy — despite its Golden Globes win in that category — it does incorporate dark and sarcastic humor in an optimistic examination of the human spirit. Based on Andy Weir’s novel, “The Martian” stars Matt Damon as Mark Watney, a brilliant astronaut left on Mars after mistakenly being declared dead.
Alone on a foreign planet, Mark must stay alive long enough to link up with another research crew arriving in four years. To survive, Mark must science the you-know-what out of this and rely on his instincts. “The Martian” represented a return to form for Scott, proving he still could deliver a successful blockbuster after missing the mark with “Exodus: Gods and Kings.”
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4. ‘Black Hawk Down’
Two things are working against “Black Hawk Down.” It was released three years after “Saving Private Ryan,” Spielberg's WWII saga on the shortlist of the greatest war movies ever made. Additionally, “Black Hawk Down’s” politics are murky, especially with the depiction of Somalis and the mission's inaccuracies.
With those two distinctions aside, “Black Hawk Down” absolutely rips as an action movie. It follows a group of U.S. soldiers fighting to escape a Somali city after their helicopter is shot down. “Black Hawk Down” features some of Scott’s best technical work in riveting battle sequences. The cast is also stacked with several leading men at the beginning of their careers, including Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom and Tom Hardy.
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3. ‘Blade Runner’
Imagine making the greatest sci-fi horror movie and following it up with one of the most influential sci-fi works of all time. Scott did that with “Alien” and his follow-up, “Blade Runner.” Scott’s cyberpunk sci-fi mystery is set in the dark, gloomy and futuristic setting of 2019 Los Angeles.
Harrison Ford stars as Rick Deckard, a former police officer tasked with tracking down and killing four replicants — artificially engineered humans. After falling in love with a replicant (Sean Young), Deckard questions his own identity and mission as he ponders what it means to be human. With haunting visuals and a synth-driven score, “Blade Runner” is Scott’s most philosophical film.
2. ‘Gladiator’
After 24 years, audiences are still entertained by Maximus Decimus Meridius in “Gladiator.” If Ellen Ripley is Scott’s greatest female heroine, Russell Crowe’s Maximus remains his top male hero. Set during ancient Rome’s peak, "Gladiator" follows Maximus, a Roman general handpicked by Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) to be the next emperor but whose downfall is orchestrated by Marcus' amoral son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).
Sold into slavery, Maximus becomes a powerful gladiator driven by vengeance as he plots his revenge against Commodus and the empire. Backed by an excellent script and magnificent visuals, “Gladiator” is everything an epic period piece should be: smart, gripping, and emotional.
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1. ‘Alien’
No phrase embodies “Alien” more than "simplicity is perfection." There are not many plot points in “Alien.” The crew of the Nostromo wakes up early from stasis to explore a planet. The group explores an unknown planet, witnesses a creature burst from someone’s chest, and fights for their survival against a killing machine known as a Xenomorph.
That’s really the gist of what happens, and yet, “Alien” is one of the greatest films ever made. It’s a murder mystery that serves as Scott’s masterclass in atmosphere and dread. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley became the gold standard for action heroines. Many filmmakers would have rushed to show the Xenomorph in the first act. Not Scott, who takes his time by utilizing silence to build suspense. It’s the defining work of an exceptional director.
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