One of the most productive directors in Hollywood, Ridley Scott has been churning out movies consistently ever since he first made a splash with Alien, way back in 1979. Regardless of whether it’s historical drama, sci-fi, or comedy, some things always seem to be in films by Scott. A strong focus on visual design and often star performances from some of the best actors in Hollywood make them memorable. So we are talking about the 5 Best Ridley Scott Movies.
On the heels of Scott’s historical epic Napoleon, we look at his 5 best films – literally spanning six decades, from the ’70s till now! This is How Ridley Scott’s Top 5 Movies Break Down
Black Hawn Down (2001)
Scott followed up Gladiator with this adaptation of Mark Bowden’s book about the disastrous Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993. The movie was extremely timely considering that it hit theatres just months after the September 11th attacks.
The film follows a group of soldiers(Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Tom Hardy, and others) as they fight their way through hostile streets of Mogadishu trying to save their failed mission. Few capture so much about what war is really like as well as its gripping tension. Little does anyone know that the director wants us shocked by particular scenes where violence is shockingly more brutal than any other kind. Once again, the emphasis on visual design and camera techniques paid off.
Black Hawk Down managed to strike the right chord at the right time though; even though it concentrated on the hopelessness and sense of despair resulting from a botched mission, ultimately it was an inspiring ode to valor.
The Last Duel(2021)
Even this decade saw him produce an awesome movie – The Last Duel (2021) – that explores women’s rights via a brutal and bloody conflict nobody would have anticipated. It’s a tough watch for sure but amazing performances by Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, and Adam Driver make it worth your while. The social commentary is as relevant today as it was in 14th-century France. Over three character-driven chapters, the movie unfolds masterfully (based on real events) as a knight and his former best friend prepare to fight each other to death over rape accusations made by the knight’s wife against him- it doesn’t look good.
Gladiator (2000)
Russell Crowe’s career was truly launched by Gladiator which won Best Picture and set off his ongoing collaboration with Scott. As for Scott himself, he won an Oscar for Best Director for that film, which also revived the long-stilled “sword & sandals” genre.
Maximus Decimus Meridius portrayed by Russell Crowe took home an Oscar too as a leading actor in this epic. After Commodus, Aurelius’ son betrays him Maximus becomes a slave who will meet his end at the gladiator’s arena.
Crowe’s intense portrayal of Maximus endeared him to audiences and critics alike while Joaquin Phoenix nabbed an Oscar nomination for playing Commodus the slimy antagonist. Although loosely based on historical events, Scott wanted a more accurate representation of Rome as a city and society than Hollywood had traditionally presented. Rumors of a sequel or prequel to Gladiator have been around for years; now more than two decades later, Gladiator 2 is within reach.
Alien (1979)
Alien is a movie every Ridley Scott fan can get behind and remains a classic of both the science fiction and horror genres, which gave us the iconic tagline “In space, no one can hear you scream.”
Scott must have been unaware that he was starting something big in his career when he accepted this job. His worry was mainly over how to make a spaceship look real as well as creating an alien creature. By clever costume design and a variety of practical effects, the Xenomorphs were brought to life; H.R. Giger’s surreal set designs created a sense of being trapped in a cold, hostile, and claustrophobic atmosphere together with Nostromo’s crew.
It wasn’t surprising at all that the Alien franchise quickly expanded. Scott showed us just an isolated peep into an exciting new sci-fi universe.
Blade Runner (1982)
Scott returned to sci-fi three years later after impressing fans with Alien by directing this adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, starring none other than Han Solo and Indiana Jones – Harrison Ford himself! Ford plays Deckard – a detective specializing in catching blood-thirsty androids called Replicants; Rutger Hauer on the other hand is Roy Batty – electric is his second name.
Blade Runner easily stands out among Scott’s visually stunning movies ever made so far. The special effects are still decent for 40 years ago while the seedy rain-soaked neon-lit future world according to Scott nothing else like it. It was accused during its release period of being more focused on style than substance, but fans over the decades have come to appreciate its themes and emotions.
Besides there are many versions of the film available for scrutiny. As with the Kingdom of Heaven before it, Blade Runner received heavy editing from the studio upon theatrical release (including new narration and an unnecessary happy ending). In 1992 came Director’s Cut, followed by many official and unofficial revisions, but it wasn’t until 2007’s Final Cut that Blade Runner was finally available to fans in its purest form. The wait was long but well worth it.
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