In Ridley Scott's "Gladiator," Russell Crowe's Maximus asks the question: "Are you not entertained?" When it comes to Scott's filmography, the answer is very much so.
The Oscar-nominated director has delivered influential sci-fi works, swords-and-sandals epics, and everything in between. Scott has dabbled in historical fare as well as modern tales, and for a filmmaker whose movies lean dude-heavy, he's also known for his strongly written female characters. (Ellen Ripley, anyone?) The 88-year-old British iconoclast's latest effort tends toward the post-apocalyptic: "The Dog Stars" (in theaters Aug. 28) features Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce as survivors trying to get by nine years after a pandemic wiped out most of
humanity.
How does it stack up against Scott's best, such as "Alien," "Blade Runner" and "The Martian"? Here's every one of the director's movies, definitively ranked.
30. '1492: Conquest of Paradise' (1992)
Gérard Depardieu as Christopher Columbus in an epic that lasts more than two-and-a-half hours? This is not the New World anyone asked for or wanted, honestly. Still, props for the Vangelis score with flamenco synthesizers.
29. 'White Squall' (1996)
In this disaster film on multiple levels, Jeff Bridges leads a bunch of young sailors on a trip and they run into quite a nasty storm. Almost as treacherous as the film's box-office results.
28. 'A Good Year' (2006)
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe have collaborated several times, though this team-up was the weakest: Crowe plays an investment banker who inherits a French chateau and vineyard from his childhood and rediscovers how awesome it is.
27. 'The Counselor' (2013)
Cormac McCarthy, of all people, wrote this forgettable crime thriller, with Michael Fassbender (as the title lawyer mixed up in Mexican drug cartel business) leading an A-list cast that also includes Brad Pitt, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz.
26. 'Robin Hood' (2010)
OK, so it's not exactly a rip-roaring adventure. Actually, this take on the outlaw archer resembles the more recent "The Death of Robin Hood," with Russell Crowe headlining a grittier version of the familiar mythos.
25. 'Hannibal' (2001)
Sadly, it doesn't hold a candle to "The Silence of the Lambs." (A high bar, indeed.) However, the sequel does have Anthony Hopkins deliciously back as Hannibal Lecter, Julianne Moore as an interesting Clarice Starling pick (taking over for Jodie Foster), and Gary Oldman stealing scenes as a vengeful disfigured Lecter victim.
24. 'Kingdom of Heaven' (2005)
The director's cut is definitely the way to go if you partake in this historical epic set during the Crusades. Orlando Bloom stars as a village blacksmith who ventures to Jerusalem with his dad (Liam Neeson) to defend the holy city.
23. 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' (2014)
Ridley Scott so digs his history that he went all the way back to biblical times for this sweeping drama. In fact, the Book of Exodus is his jam here, focusing on Moses (Christian Bale), his close connection to Egyptian pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton) and Moses' effort to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to freedom.
22. 'Someone to Watch Over Me' (1987)
Scott crafted a nifty neo-noir romantic thriller early in his career with some interesting leads. Tom Berenger is a married cop tasked to protect a wealthy Manhattan socialite (Mimi Rogers) so she can be a witness in a murder trial. The detective falls for his attractive assignment, while his wife as well as a ticked-off mobster complicate matters.
21. 'Black Rain' (1989)
Scott apparently liked neo-noir so much, he doubled down with another stylish thriller. This time, Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia star in the action drama as a pair of NYPD detectives who nab a member of the Yakuza, take him back to Japan (where he escapes, which is not a great look) and get immersed in the underworld.
20. 'G.I. Jane' (1997)
For this fictional military flick, Demi Moore got ripped and shaved her head to play the first woman chosen to go through Navy SEAL training. As she gets put through the physical and psychological wringer, outside forces – including her fellow soldiers – do their darnedest to make sure she fails.
19. 'Alien: Covenant' (2017)
This sixth franchise installment smashes together the headiness of "Prometheus" with the chaotic terror of the earlier "Alien" movies. A ship carrying the future of the human race makes an ill-fated stop on a paradise planet and all hell breaks loose when a couple of guys get infected with the alien parasite.
18. 'The Duellists' (1977)
Scott had an auspicious debut with his first film, a drama set during the Napoleonic Wars. Harvey Keitel and David Carradine play rival French soldiers who hold a decades-long grudge with each other over a political order, and their mutual hatred society sparks many a violent duel (and some great swordplay scenes).
17. 'Napoleon' (2023)
Full of satirical comedy, personal tragedy and battlefield brutality, the epic biopic chronicles the political and military victories of Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) as well as his volatile relationship with wife Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Pro tip: Go with the director's cut on this one, too.
16. 'Body of Lies' (2008)
Leonardo DiCaprio is put in quite the pickle as a stressed spy in the solid political thriller. A CIA agent (DiCaprio) stationed in the Middle East works to nab an international terrorist, but his plan turns problematic when he's caught between his power-hungry boss (Russell Crowe) and a Jordanian intelligence officer (Mark Strong).
15. 'The Last Duel' (2021)
Scott was back on his dueling kick with this drama set in 14th-century France. Jean (Matt Damon) is a knight who's a friend of squire Jacques (Adam Driver), yet when Jean's wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Jacques of raping her, they become bitter enemies in a saga told “Rashomon"-style through various perspectives.
14. 'The Dog Stars' (2026)
Set nine years after a global pandemic changed everything, the more thoughtful than you might expect sci-fi drama stars Jacob Elordi as a dog-loving pilot who navigates what's left of civilization. The film explores an intriguing question: At the end of the world, is it OK to simply survive or is it worth still trying to live?
13. 'American Gangster' (2007)
Scott gets a couple of greats together for a 1970s-set true-life crime drama. Denzel Washington is all dangerous charisma as Frank Lucas, a Harlem mobster who smuggles in heroin via coffins of dead GIs from Vietnam, while Russell Crowe is the New Jersey detective determined to shut down his corrupt operation.
12. 'Gladiator II' (2024)
No Russell Crowe, (mostly) no problem. The sequel trades in the gravitas of the OG best picture winner for pulpy soap opera and bonkers visuals. Not only do you get Denzel Washington making a meal out of every line reading, but also killer baboons, romping-stomping rhinos and a Roman Colosseum filled with hungry sharks.
11. 'Prometheus' (2012)
The surprise "Alien" prequel of sorts gradually reveals its ties to the franchise amid a story of human archaeologists trying to map out the connection between mankind and an ancient race of Engineers. "Prometheus" leans thought-provoking, though there's plenty of gore, including Noomi Rapace giving herself the gnarliest C-section of all time.
10. 'Black Hawk Down' (2001)
Based on the 1999 Mark Bowden book, the immersive war film brought together an impressive cast – including Tom Hardy, Josh Hartnett, Orlando Bloom and Ewan McGregor – for its white-knuckle narrative. When their helicopters are shot down by Somalian forces, U.S. special forces soldiers fight to stay alive in dire circumstances.
9. 'House of Gucci' (2021)
The extremely soapy, enjoyably satirical true-life drama chronicles love, rampant betrayal and a brazen murder plot through three decades of the iconic Gucci fashion house. Lady Gaga camps it up the most, playing Patrizia Reggiani to the hilt opposite Adam Driver's wolfish Maurizio Gucci in this fashionably modern “Macbeth.”
8. 'All the Money in the World' (2017)
This drama lives in Hollywood lore as the one where Kevin Spacey got axed amid sexual misconduct allegations, and Christopher Plummer spent 10 days redoing his scenes as crusty oil tycoon J. Paul Getty in the thriller based on the real-life kidnapping of Getty's grandson. Spoiler alert: Plummer's remarkable performance was worth every penny.
7. 'Matchstick Men' (2003)
Scott conjures a little con-artist magic with the dark comedy, which features Nicolas Cage as an OCD criminal. He gets a needed boost to his spirits reconnecting with his teen daughter (Alison Lohman), yet his personal life affects his professional one when she wants to get into the business, which causes friction with his partner (Sam Rockwell).
6. 'Legend' (1985)
The rare Tom Cruise movie where he's not the best thing in it. That superlative in this cult classic goes to Tim Curry, who's delightfully fiendish as the devilishly monstrous Darkness. As our hero Jack, Cruise has to stop this horned menace from immersing the world in eternal night and also save a princess (Mia Sara).
5. 'Thelma & Louise' (1991)
The quintessential feminist buddy dramedy stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as besties on a fishing vacation. They catch a whole lot of stuff other than seafood, however, when one shoots a man in a righteous rage, leading to them befriending a thief (Brad Pitt), getting chased by a dogged cop (Harvey Keitel), and embracing one heck of a cliffhanger.
4. 'The Martian' (2015)
Scott rocketed audiences to space for a rousing adventure that keys into our innate need for exploration, and Matt Damon has one of his best turns ever as a “super-botanist” stuck on Mars with a penchant for space potatoes (grown using crew poo, no less) and signature one-liners. “In your face, Neil Armstrong,” indeed.
3. 'Gladiator' (2000)
Big imperial thumb's up for this adventure that throws back to the heyday of "Ben-Hur" and "Spartacus." Russell Crowe leads the way as Maximus, who goes from Roman general to enslaved gladiator to Colosseum hero in an expertly crafted hero's journey, with Joaquin Phoenix's emperor Commodus as his despicable foil.
2. 'Blade Runner' (1982)
The cyberpunk classic melds timeless eye candy with themes of mortality and identity. Scott's sci-fi neo-noir tale casts Harrison Ford as an ex-cop in Los Angeles circa 2019 whose job is to hunt down bioengineered androids. Deckard is brought back into the fold to “retire” four replicants that have gone rogue, inevitably falling for one (Sean Young) who believes she's human.
1. 'Alien' (1979)
Why is it Scott’s greatest hit? Because it's one of the best and most innovative movies of two different genres. A team of space truckers hauling minerals back to Earth answers a distress call and has to fight for their lives while a Xenomorph hunts them down one by one. And it still holds up, from that atmosphere of non-stop dread to the absolutely cringe-inducing sight of an alien blasting out of John Hurt’s chest.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: All of Ridley Scott's movies, ranked (including 'The Dog Stars')
