(Photo by Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection)
We’re ranking by Tomatometer all the movies of legendary director Ridley Scott, including sci-fi gamechangers Alien and Blade Runner, Best Picture-winner Gladiator, and blockbuster crowd-pleasers like The Martian, and his most recent releases (House of Gucci, The Last Duel, Napoleon). —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 114061%
Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.
#2
Adjusted Score: 110107%
Critics Consensus: Smart, thrilling, and surprisingly funny, The Martian offers a faithful adaptation of the bestselling book that brings out the best in leading man Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott.
#3
Adjusted Score: 101789%
Critics Consensus: Misunderstood when it first hit theaters, the influence of Ridley Scott’s mysterious, neo-noir Blade Runner has deepened with time. A visually remarkable, achingly human sci-fi masterpiece.
#4
Adjusted Score: 100102%
Critics Consensus: Driven by ride-or-die chemistry between Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon while director Ridley Scott provides scorching visuals fit for a postcard, Thelma & Louise is a feminist adventure that’s equal parts provocative and rollicking.
#5
Adjusted Score: 99543%
Critics Consensus: The Last Duel‘s critique of systemic misogyny isn’t as effective as it might have been, but it remains a well-acted and thought-provoking drama infused with epic grandeur.
#6
Adjusted Score: 89596%
Critics Consensus: American Gangster is a gritty and entertaining throwback to classic gangster films, with its lead performers firing on all cylinders.
#7
Adjusted Score: 90601%
Critics Consensus: While not everyone will be entertained by Gladiator‘s glum revenge story, Russell Crowe thunderously wins the crowd with a star-making turn that provides Ridley Scott’s opulent resurrection of Rome its bruised heart.
#8
Adjusted Score: 93195%
Critics Consensus: All the Money in the World offers an absorbing portrayal of a true story, brought compellingly to life by a powerful performance from Christopher Plummer.
#9
Adjusted Score: 83194%
Critics Consensus: Though it’s light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott’s superb technical skill.
#10
Adjusted Score: 88121%
Critics Consensus: Ridley Scott’s ambitious quasi-prequel to Alien may not answer all of its big questions, but it’s redeemed by its haunting visual grandeur and compelling performances — particularly Michael Fassbender as a fastidious android.
#11
Adjusted Score: 79214%
Critics Consensus: Rich, stylized visuals work with effective performances in Ridley Scott’s take on Joseph Conrad’s Napoleonic story, resulting in an impressive feature film debut for the director.
#12
Adjusted Score: 72657%
Critics Consensus: Ridley Scott is intent on proving the emperor has no clothes in Napoleon, a slyly funny epic with bravura set pieces and a divided runtime that keeps it from outright conquering.
#13
Adjusted Score: 87720%
Critics Consensus: Alien: Covenant delivers another satisfying round of close-quarters deep-space terror, even if it doesn’t take the saga in any new directions.
#14
Adjusted Score: 67256%
Critics Consensus: Its plot is sometimes hard to swallow, but some fine acting and director Ridley Scott’s stylish visual flair make Someone to Watch Over Me an engaging police thriller.
#15
Adjusted Score: 79702%
Critics Consensus: House of Gucci vacillates between inspired camp and dour drama too often to pull off a confident runway strut, but Lady Gaga’s note-perfect performance has a timeless style all its own.
#16
Adjusted Score: 58924%
Critics Consensus: Though it gets occasionally bogged down by touchy-feely sentiment, White Squall benefits greatly from Jeff Bridges’ assured lead performance and Ridley Scott’s visceral, exciting direction.
#17
Adjusted Score: 63639%
Critics Consensus: Body of Lies relies on the performances of Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio to elevate it beyond the conventional espionage thriller.
#18
Adjusted Score: 55471%
Critics Consensus: Black Rain has its fair share of Ridley Scott’s directorial flair, but its paint-by-numbers story never rises above genre conventions.
#19
Adjusted Score: 54926%
Critics Consensus: Demi Moore admirably does her duty, but G.I. Jane‘s well-intentioned message is obscured by stylistic bombast and an overload of jingoism.
#20
Adjusted Score: 54282%
Critics Consensus: Ridley Scott’s revisionist take on this oft-told tale offers some fine acting and a few gripping action sequences, but it’s missing the thrill of adventure that made Robin Hood a legend in the first place.
#21
Adjusted Score: 45833%
Critics Consensus: Not even Ridley Scott’s gorgeously realized set pieces can save Legend from its own tawdry tale — though it may be serviceable for those simply looking for fantasy eye candy.
#22
Adjusted Score: 46863%
Critics Consensus: Although it’s an objective and handsomely presented take on the Crusades, Kingdom of Heaven lacks depth.
#23
Adjusted Score: 45071%
Critics Consensus: While superbly acted and stylishly filmed, Hannibal lacks the character interaction between the two leads which made the first movie so engrossing.
#24
Adjusted Score: 43976%
Critics Consensus: The Counselor raises expectations with its talented cast and creative crew — then subverts them with a wordy and clumsy suspense thriller that’s mercilessly short on suspense or thrills.
#25
Adjusted Score: 33248%
Critics Consensus: Historically inaccurate and dramatically inert, Ridley Scott’s retelling of Christopher Columbus’ exploits is an epic without grandeur or insight.
#26
Adjusted Score: 39736%
Critics Consensus: While sporadically stirring, and suitably epic in its ambitions, Exodus: Gods and Kings can’t quite live up to its classic source material.
#27
Adjusted Score: 31066%
Critics Consensus: A Good Year is a fine example of a top-notch director and actor out of their elements, in a sappy romantic comedy lacking in charm and humor.