Ridley Scott's 8 Best Movies, Ranked

Ridley Scott directs like he's racing the clock, and half the time he wins. Here's his top eight by movie.guru score.

Number one is the oldest movie here, and he's been chasing it since.

1. 8
   Prometheus (2012)5.9

   Michael Fassbender's android is the only smart one aboard.

   Gorgeous to look at, and the script teases a lot more than it delivers in 124 minutes. $403.4 million worldwide, and a B from opening crowds.
2. 7
   Kingdom of Heaven (2005)6.2

   Watch the director's cut or don't bother.

   The 144 minute release still felt chopped. Critics rank it above 43% of notable movies, audiences 83%. Edward Norton, behind a mask, gives the best performance in it.
3. 6
   American Gangster (2007)7.5

   Denzel Washington as a calm, terrifying businessman. That's the movie.

   157 minutes of Denzel's Frank Lucas running his empire like a quiet CEO, with Russell Crowe's honest cop closing in. A 76 on Metacritic, $269.8 million worldwide.
4. 5
   Black Hawk Down (2001)7.7

   Barely a plot, just one long battle, and that's the point.

   It drops you into a real battle and never lets up for 144 minutes. Audiences rank it above 82% of notable movies. The weakness: you barely know who anyone is.
5. 4
   Blade Runner (1982)8.2

   Everybody stole its look. Nobody stole its patience.

   $41.8 million worldwide on a reported $30 million budget. Critics rank it above 91% of notable movies, audiences only 67%, which tracks: it's slow, moody and soaking wet.
6. 3
   Gladiator (2000)8.0

   Russell Crowe yelling in a dusty arena never gets old.

   Audiences rank it above 95% of notable movies, critics just 66%. 1.89 million IMDb votes, 155 minutes, and Joaquin Phoenix playing the sulkiest emperor in Rome.
7. 2
   The Martian (2015)8.9

   The most optimistic movie Ridley Scott ever made, by miles.

   Matt Damon's Mark Watney solves one problem at a time for 144 minutes, and NASA finally looks cool. $630.6 million worldwide and an A CinemaScore.
8. 1
   Alien (1979)9.5

   Scott's best movie is also his quietest.

   A reported $8.4 to $14 million budget and 117 minutes of slow dread. Critics rank it above 96% of notable movies, and the cat gets the best reaction shots.

$434 says your cat gets a very suspicious look from you tonight.

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Current mood: ready to fight about it