10 Best Ridley Scott Films, Ranked
Throughout
his
long,
storied
career,
Ridley
Scott
has
only
known
how
to
pump
his
films
to
the
maximum
volume
and
to
throw
the
kitchen
sink
at
his
audience.
Full
of
large
budgets,
bloody
carnage,
and
maximalist
aesthetics,
his
movies
are
capable
of
occupying
every
inch
of
a
cinema.
Stemming
from
his
second
film
Alien
to
his
latest
release,
Napoleon,
Scott
has
shown
no
sign
of
reining
in
his
aggressive,
speed-of-light
work
rate.
Scott
is
a
filmmaker
known
for
an
increasingly
large
color
palette
and
super-slick
commercial
style,
even
though
his
artistry
has
never
suffered.
Even
after
raking
in
hundreds
of
millions
of
dollars
in
box
office
revenue
and
plenty
of
Oscar
nominations,
Scott
continues
to
churn
out
top-notch
work.
Here
are
his
top
10
so
far.
Updated
November
28th,
2023
by
Callum
Jones:
Ridley
Scott
fans
will
be
glad
to
learn
that
this
list
has
been
updated
to
include
his
latest
work,
Napoleon.
10
Napoleon
(2023)
The
most
recent
addition
to
Scott’s
lengthy
filmography,
the
historical
epic
Napoleon,
depicts
the
life
of
France’s
most
notorious
leader,
Napoleon
Bonaparte,
played
by
acclaimed
actor,
Joaquin
Phoenix.
Predominantly
centering
on
the
ruler’s
relationship
with
his
first
wife,
Empress
Joséphine
(Vanessa
Kirby),
the
story
spans
almost
thirty
years
and
covers
many
famous
battles,
such
as
the
Battle
of
Austerlitz
and
the
Battle
of
Waterloo.
The
cast
also
includes
Ben
Miles,
Tahar
Rahim,
Rupert
Everett,
and
Matthew
Needham.
What
Makes
It
Great
Napoleon
is
a
historical
epic
in
the
same
vein
as
classical
films
such
as
Ben-Hur,
Cleopatra,
and
Lawrence
of
Arabia,
and,
while
the
historical
element
may
be
somewhat
lacking
—
the
film
has
gained
criticism
for
its
many
historical
inaccuracies
—
the
epic
part
certainly
isn’t,
with
the
film
being
large
in
scale
and
scope.
With
stunning
cinematography
courtesy
of
Dariusz
Wolski,
violent
battle
scenes,
and
magnificent
performances
by
the
two
leads,
with
Napoleon,
Scott
once
again
shows
why
he’s
one
of
the
best
in
the
business
when
it
comes
to
directing
historical
epics.
9
Black
Hawk
Down
(2001)
Coming
off
the
tails
of
Gladiator,
you’d
think
no
director
would
be
willing
to
plunge
themselves
right
back
into
the
battlefield,
but
Scott
did
just
that
with
Black
Hawk
Down.
Featuring
an
incredibly
stacked
cast
that
includes
the
likes
of
Ewan
McGregor,
Josh
Hartnett,
and
Tom
Sizemore,
the
film’s
story
revolves
around
an
elite
unit
of
Army
Rangers
left
behind
in
a
Somalian
city
who
must
fend
off
hundreds
of
militias
while
they
wait
for
rescue
to
arrive.
What
Makes
It
Great
While
it
never
quite
reaches
the
heights
of
the
director’s
earlier
works.
Black
Hawk
Down
is,
nevertheless,
a
pulsating
survivor
story
filled
with
tense
action
and
non-stop
shootouts.
Like
most
great
war
films,
it’s
brutal,
violent,
and
relentless,
with
Scott’s
frantic
and
immersive
direction
helping
to
transport
the
audience
to
the
story’s
setting.
Technically
accomplished
and
excellently
performed,
Black
Hawk
Down
is
an
underrated
gem
in
the
filmmaker’s
very
strong
back
catalog.
Stream
on
Paramount+
8
American
Gangster
(2007)
The
only
way
Scott
could
do
a
crime
film
is
to
go
epic,
and
that’s
precisely
what
he
does
in
2007’s
American
Gangster.
The
drama
loosely
tells
the
real-life
story
of
Frank
Lucas,
the
biggest
distributor
of
heroin
in
the
United
States
during
the ’60s
and ’70s.
Denzel
Washington
stars
as
the
suave,
smart,
and
vicious
gangster
who
meticulously
builds
his
criminal
network
while
slowly
and
tragically
involving
his
family.
Meanwhile,
Scott’s
longtime
collaborator,
Russell
Crowe,
plays
a
determined
detective
named
Richie
Roberts
who
is
just
waiting
to
bring
Lucas
down.
What
Makes
It
Great
Like
Black
Hawk
Down,
American
Gangster
is
often
overlooked
in
favor
of
Scott’s
better-known
work,
which
is
a
shame,
because,
with
this
film,
the
legendary
director
proves
that
he
can
do
gritty
gangster
movies
just
as
well
as
the
best
in
the
business.
Large
in
scale
and
scope,
yet
intimate
and
poignant
in
story,
the
film
works
as
both
a
neat
throwback
to
classic
gangster
and
noir
films,
as
well
as
an
intelligent
update
of
them.
It’s
a
ruthless
and
tense
film
that
holds
its
audience
from
beginning
to
end,
largely
thanks
to
the
masterful
performances
of
its
two
leads.
Stream
on
Max
7
House
of
Gucci
(2021)
Despite
being
in
his
eighties,
Scott
has
continued
to
work
at
breakneck
speed
and
churn
out
memorable
films
in
recent
years.
His
second
film
of
2021,
House
of
Gucci
depicts
the
true
story
of
the
Gucci
family,
revolving
around
Patrizia
Reggiani
(Lady
Gaga),
an
office
manager
from
humble
beginnings,
who
marries
into
the
Gucci
dynasty
whose
quest
for
power
leads
to
deadly
outcomes.
As
well
as
Gaga,
who
was
nominated
for
a
Golden
Globe
for
her
performance,
the
film’s
star-studded
cast
also
includes
Adam
Driver,
Al
Pacino,
Salma
Hayek,
Jeremy
Irons,
and
more.
What
Makes
It
Great
Though
it
received
some
criticism
upon
its
release,
particularly
for
the
quality
of
the
cast’s
accents,
as
well
as
the
shifts
in
tone,
it’s
hard
to
deny
that
House
of
Gucci
is
anything
less
than
an
enjoyable
romp.
After
all,
it’s
over-the-top,
lavish,
camp,
and
has
a
tongue-in-cheek
tone
that
makes
it
deliciously
humorous.
Add
to
that
a
talented
and
committed
cast
led
by
a
truly
mesmerizing
lead
performance
from
Gaga,
and
House
of
Gucci
is
a
thrilling
crime
film
that
makes
a
nice
addition
to
Scott’s
lengthy
filmography.
Stream
on
Prime
Video
6
The
Martian
(2015)
When
it
comes
to
cinematic
vision,
Ridley
Scott
knows
no
bounds.
Even
when
shooting
for
the
moon
—
or
in
the
case
of
The
Martian,
Mars
—
Scott’s
commercial
viability
never
lessens
the
craft
or
artistry
of
his
films.
In
the
film,
Matt
Damon
plays
Dr.
Mark
Watney,
a
lone
astronaut
struggling
to
survive
after
becoming
stranded
on
the
Red
Planet.
For
a
large
chunk
of
the
movie’s
runtime,
it
is
exclusively
a
one-man
show,
with
Damon’s
character
being
the
only
one
that
appears
on-screen.
As
the
film
progresses,
a
rescue
mission
is
launched
to
save
Watney
and
the
story
expands
to
include
several
other
characters,
played
by
the
likes
of
Jessica
Chastain,
Jeff
Daniels,
Kristen
Wiig,
Sean
Bean,
and
more.
What
Makes
It
Great
Despite
its
vast,
otherworldly
setting,
The
Martian
is
an
intimate
affair
that
acts
as
both
a
character
study
and
a
survival
story.
It’s
an
intelligent
film
that
has
gained
a
lot
of
praise
for
its
scientific
accuracy,
a
rarity
in
sci-fi
blockbusters.
Held
together
by
a
charming
and
committed
performance
by
Damon,
who
ably
manages
to
hold
the
audience’s
attention
despite
being
the
only
character
on
the
screen
for
much
of
the
movie’s
runtime,
The
Martian
is
a
tense
and
thrilling
watch
that
features
some
of
the
best
visuals
of
Scott’s
career.
Stream
on
Fubo
5
The
Last
Duel
(2021)
Partly
due
to
it
being
released
during
the
COVID-19
pandemic,
and
partly
as
a
result
of
competition
for
other
films,
such
as
No
Time
To
Die,
2021’s
The
Last
Duel
went
down
as
a
box
office
failure.
However,
this
shouldn’t
serve
as
a
reflection
on
the
quality
of
the
film,
which
is
arguably
Scott’s
best
in
years.
Based
on
the
book
of
the
same
name
by
Eric
Jager,
and
set
in
medieval
France,
it
sees
Matt
Damon
playing
a
Knight
named
Jean
de
Carrouges
whose
wife,
Marguerite
(Jodie
Comer)
accuses
her
husband’s
friend
and
squire,
Jacques
Le
Gris
(Adam
Driver)
of
raping
her.
The
two
men
settle
the
dispute
with
a
duel
to
the
death.
What
Makes
It
Great
With
an
excellent
screenplay
written
by
Damon,
along
with
Ben
Affleck
and
Nicole
Holofcener,
The
Last
Duel
is
told
using
a
clever
framing
device
that
allows
the
audience
to
see
the
story’s
events
from
the
perspective
of
each
of
the
main
players.
In
doing
so,
it
highlights
the
systemic
misogyny
built
into
society.
Additionally,
with
solid
performances
by
the
cast,
particularly
Comer,
who
is
enchanting
to
watch,
the
film
is
a
clever
and
gorgeously
shot
tale
of
different
accounts
of
the
same
event.
It
might
not
have
been
seen
by
many,
but
that
doesn’t
stop
The
Last
Duel
from
being
Scott’s
most
original
film
since
Gladiator.
Stream
on
Fubo
4
Thelma
&
Louise
(1991)
The
1991
road
movie,
Thelma
&
Louise,
repurposes
the
classic
Western
ethos
by
putting
a
progressive
spin
on
the “bandits
on
the
run”
trope,
while
also
being
set
against
the
sparse
backdrop
of
the
southwest
desert.
Geena
Davis
and
Susan
Sarandon
star
as
the
titular
characters,
two
best
friends
whose
road
trip
vacation
quickly
spirals
into
a
police
chase
when
an
incident
at
a
bar
leads
to
them
being
responsible
for
the
death
of
a
man.
As
well
as
the
two
leads,
the
film
also
stars
Harvey
Keitel,
Michael
Madsen,
and
a
young
Brad
Pitt
in
one
of
his
earliest
big-screen
appearances.
What
Makes
It
Great
A
groundbreaking
and
instantly
iconic
film
when
it
was
released,
Thelma
&
Louise
still
holds
up
almost
thirty
years
later
as
a
film
about
women
who
empower
and
liberate
themselves
from
the
grips
of
possessive
men,
while
also
realizing
the
love
they
have
for
one
another
is
all
they
need.
The
chemistry
between
Davis
and
Sarandon
is
palpable,
with
both
of
them
easily
selling
the
script’s
mix
of
dark
humor
and
heartbreaking
tragedy.
Meanwhile,
Scott’s
sleek
direction
helps
the
film
to
feel
cool,
energized,
and
full
of
suspense.
It’s
a
bitter-sweet
watch,
but
Thelma
&
Louise
is
the
ultimate
queer
allegory.
Stream
on
Paramount+
3
Gladiator
(2000)
Gladiator
is,
arguably,
the
film
most
people
think
of
when
they
hear
the
name “Ridley
Scott.”
The
historical
action
is
the
only
film
in
the
director’s
filmography
to
ever
land
an
Academy
Award
for
Best
Picture,
and
its
popularity
has
led
to
it
becoming
a
cultural
phenomenon.
Russell
Crowe
plays
Maximus
Decimus
Meridius,
a
Roman
general
who
sets
out
to
get
revenge
on
the
emperor
who
killed
his
wife
and
son.
Alongside
Crowe,
the
film
also
stars
Joaquin
Phoenix,
Oliver
Reed,
Richard
Harris,
and
Connie
Nielsen.
What
Makes
It
Great
Critically
acclaimed
upon
its
release,
Gladiator
is
widely
considered
to
be
one
of
the
best
films
of
the
21st
century.
A
Roman
epic
grounded
in
the
tragic
roots
of
the
hero’s
journey,
it
features
some
truly
magnificent
duel-to-the-death
battles
and
jaw-dropping
scenery.
However,
as
well
as
the
spectacle,
the
film
also
includes
a
stellar
performance
by
Crowe,
who
carries
the
show
with
brooding
intensity
and
tough-guy
charisma.
He’s
matched
by
an
equally
magnificent
turn
from
Phoenix,
who
stuns
as
the
power-hungry
emperor
void
of
a
conscience.
Violent,
macho,
and
tragic,
Gladiator
is
Scott
at
some
of
his
best.
It’s
no
wonder
a
sequel
is
currently
in
the
works.
Stream
on
Paramount+
2
Blade
Runner
(1982)
While
not
particularly
well-respected
when
it
was
first
released,
Blade
Runner
has
gone
on
to
be
reevaluated
as
one
of
the
best
sci-fi
films
of
all
time.
Based
on
the
novel,
Do
Androids
Dream
of
Electric
Sheep?
by
Philip
K.
Dick,
and
set
in
the
then
futuristic
world
of
Los
Angeles
in
2019,
it
stars
Harrison
Ford
as
Rick
Deckard,
a
detective
whose
job
it
is
to
hunt
down
replicants,
the
hostile
artificial
intelligence
products
that
are
seeking
autonomy
against
the
humans
who
designed
them.
What
Makes
It
Great
A
fusion
of
science
fiction
and
noir,
Blade
Runner
is
a
visual
and
narrative
masterpiece
that,
despite
being
over
40
years
old,
still
manages
to
inspire
awe
to
this
day.
It’s
a
stunning
film,
with
a
dystopian
cyberpunk-inspired
production
design
and
some
breathtaking
cinematography
that
makes
every
shot
easy
on
the
eye.
By
this
point
in
his
career,
Scott
had
honed
his
craft
and,
in
doing
so,
delivered
a
confident
and
bold
film
that
defied
anything
else
that
had
come
before
it.
Furthermore,
with
an
engaging
performance
by
Ford,
a
haunting
score
by
Vagelis,
and
an
ambiguous
ending
that
has
inspired
many
theories
over
the
years,
Blade
Runner
is
a
true
triumph
of
science
fiction.
There
are
only
two
films
that
can
compete
with
it;
one
is
its
2017
sequel
and
Scott’s
own
Alien.
Rent
on
Amazon
1
Alien
(1979)
In
only
his
second
film,
Ridley
Scott
proved
to
be
a
director
of
massive
talent
and
intellect.
Alien
centers
on
the
crew
of
a
spacecraft
called
Nostromo,
who
find
themselves
being
picked
off
one
by
one
when
they
encounter
a
deadly
lifeform
on
an
unknown
planet.
The
film’s
cast
consists
of
Sigourney
Weaver,
Tom
Skerrit,
John
Hurt,
and
Veronica
Cartwright.
What
Makes
It
The
Best
Few
films
have
had
as
much
of
an
influence
on
cinema
as
Alien.
From
the
famous
chest-bursting
scene,
to
the
creature’s
design,
or
the
character
of
Ellen
Ripley
(Weaver),
so
many
elements
of
the
film
have
become
iconic
within
popular
culture,
and
for
good
reason.
It’s
a
film
where
each
facet
of
its
design
works
perfectly
to
create
a
truly
terrifying
sci-fi
horror
whole.
The
special
effects
were
ahead
of
their
time,
and
still
hold
up
just
as
well
today,
while
the
cinematography
and
score
help
to
create
a
sense
of
dread
that
hangs
over
every
frame
of
the
film.
Shocking,
gruesome,
and
frighteningly
eerie,
Alien
is
sci-fi
horror
at
its
best.
Despite
a
string
of
sequels,
prequels,
and
spin-offs,
none
of
them
come
close
to
matching
the
sheer
brilliance
of
the
original,
which
is,
undoubtedly,
Scott’s
best
film
to
date.
Stream
on
Hulu
Can’t
get
enough
of
Ridley
Scott?
Watch
our
interview
with
the
great
director
below.
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