Friday, June 1, 2012

Why I Hate Ridley Scott

(Image taken from: filmophilia.com)













A lot of people tell me I have terrible taste in films. That's obviously not true as some of my favorite movies are critical darlings--Pulp Fiction and Taxi Driver are two films that I can't live without. I'm also an immense fan of Stanley Kubrick, I've seen all of his films and love all of them, too (Well, except 2001. I feel like you really had to be there to fully appreciate it).

But one director I could never understand enthusiasm for is Ridley Scott, who makes some of the most boring and most overrated films I've ever seen in my entire life. I mean, he totally butchered Phillip K. Dick's, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? when he made Blade Runner, and that's considered a masterpiece, when really, it's just one long slog through mediocrity. I've fallen asleep every time I've tried watching it. I mean, even the trailer, though atmospheric and moody, bores the hell out of me. Watch it. And seriously, wake me up when it's over.



It's awful. In fact, so is Alien, which takes its sweet time getting to all the good parts. Aliens is such a better film. But then again, James Cameron is a better director than Ridley Scott. There, I said it.

I don't even like his films that aren't science fiction. Gladiator didn't deserve to win best picture, Robin Hood was an absolute mess, and Thelma and Louise feels dated beyond belief. Just about the only film I DO like by Scott is Matchstick Men, and that movie always gets forgotten in his resume. Even I forgot he made it. I had to look through his filmography just to remember. It's probably because it's the only of movie of his that actually has a quick plot.



Plus, it had Nic Cage in it, which is always good in my book.

But the fact is, Ridley Scott wastes too much time in his flicks. He's nowhere near as good as people say he is. So stop listening to everybody else and form your own opinion. American Gangster and Black Hawk Down are only half the films they really are when you put them side-by-side with similar pictures, like Goodfellas and Apocalypse Now. See? Didn't I tell you? If he's anything, it's only a good director, but not a great one when you stand him beside cinematic giants. He's mediocre at best! And nothing you can say will change that.





No comments: