Ever since thedebut of his 20-minute short filmThe Hard Case,Guy Ritchiehas proven to be an immensely stylistic filmmaker with an uncanny knack for developing pictures that become cultural phenomenons. From his crime-comedy movies that make use of arresting visual grit and exceptional characters and dialogue, to his many forays into other genres like fantasy, war, and even romantic-comedy, Ritchie’s career manages to be both easily identifiable and impressively eclectic.
At his best,Guy Ritchie presents films that are genre-mixing masterpieces capable of being revisited countless times, with the electrifying, entertaining experience never waning and something new being picked up on each viewing. However, he also has some cataclysmic misfires that are difficult to endure even once. With 14 feature films that stretch across that vast chasm, Guy Ritchie’s filmography includes many films that can be enjoyed multiple times.
15’Swept Away' (2002)
Cast: Madonna, Adriano Giannini, Bruce Greenwood
Hot off the back of two monumental successes to launch his career,Guy Ritchie put forth what is undoubtedly his worst picture thus far inSwept Away. A remake of a 1974 Italian film of the same name, it follows a wealthy and spoiled socialite as she and a deckhand on a private cruise find themselves stranded on a deserted island. As the power dynamic between the two hostile castaways begins to shift, a romance starts to blossom.
The romantic comedy was critically derided and became a significant box office flop, with fans and critics alike viewing it as a shallow vehicle forMadonnato transition to acting. Her lead performance was met with widespread disapproval, and the film itself was considered to be a complete and utter disaster. While it may gain some traction as a cult so-bad-it’s-good flick,Swept Awayis Ritchie’s worst filmand is an easy candidate as his least rewatchable movie.
Watch on Criterion
14’Revolver' (2005)
Cast: Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore
Guy Ritchie’s fourth film definitely far surpassed his third, but that is probably more damning ofSwept Awaythan it is celebratory of the 2005 action-crime flick,Revolver. Seeing Ritchie pair withJason Stathamfor a third time, it follows a recently released con who served seven years for a crime he didn’t commit and tries to get even with his boss, Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta). When he humiliates Macha in his own casino, a vicious manhunt ensues as the ex-con strives to settle the score.
While there are shades of the brilliance of Ritchie’s earliest successes throughout,Revolverstruggles as an overly convoluted thriller defined, sadly, by its incoherent rambling. Admittedly, it does see Ritchie make use ofJason Statham’s physical and combative assetswhile still offering a heavily stylized and even occasionally comedic foray into organized crime, butRevolverultimately falls flat.
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13’King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' (2017)
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Eric Bana
The legend of King Arthur has been adapted to the screen many times before, from 1982’s fantasy classicExcaliburto the exploration of the myth in 2004’sKing Arthur. However, few have been as unique or as stylistically bold as Guy Ritchie’sKing Arthur: Legend of the Sword, which sees Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) retrieve Excalibur and stand against the evil and powerful king who usurped his father’s throne.
The film is a medley of interesting mixes, some working better than others. The balance of fantasy and revenge drama was enthralling enough though, and the marriage of the great mythic characters with Ritchie’s grittier interests worked a treat. Admittedly,King Arthur: Legend of the Swordis far from the best take on the Arthurian legend, butas an extravagant blockbuster with plenty of fantasy and action, it offers harmless fun on at least one viewing.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
12’Aladdin' (2019)
Cast: Mena Massoud, Will Smith, Naomi Scott
A Disney live-action remake that split audiences and critics, Guy Ritchie’sAladdinwas revered by general fans as a refreshing and engaging re-imagining of the classic animated film from the early 1990s. It follows the titular street urchin and petty thief as he pursues a romance with Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) with the help of Genie (Will Smith). When it is revealed that the evil grand vizier, Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) is hatching a scheme to usurp the throne, Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and his friends fight to stop the plot from succeeding.
The film went on to become an enormous box office success, grossing $1.05 billion and coming to be viewed among the best of Disney’s live-action remakes in recent years.With its fantasy allure, musical moments, romantic intrigue, and its lovely sense of adventure that makes good use of comedy,Aladdinis certainly rewatchable in its own right, but it is difficult to deny it still falls short of its animated predecessor.
Watch on Disney+
11’Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre' (2023)
Cast: Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett
Of all of Ritchie’s collaborators, his relationship withJason Stathammay be his most important. With his snarky attitude and ability to perform elaborate stunts, Statham proved to be a perfect fit to lead Ritchie’s ambitious spy thrillerOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Although the old-fashioned espionage caper features some memorable turns from bothAubrey PlazaandCarey Elwes, it’sthe effortless charisma of Statham and Ritchie’s sly commentary on Hollywood cynicism that makesOperation Fortuneso rewatchable.
Although there are more than enough comic hijinks involving side characters played byJosh HartnettandHugh Grantto keep the viewer entertained,the ending ofOperation Fortune: Ruse de Guerresuggests that Ritchie might have another original franchise on his hands.While the film’s critical and commercial performance may have been a bit muted, it would certainly be interesting to see him reunite the cast for another installment that could get even wackier.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre
10’RocknRolla' (2008)
Cast: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Idris Elba
The critical and financial disappointments ofSwept AwayandRevolversuggested that audiences may have fallen out of favor with Ritchie, as his style no longer felt as exciting as it had been in the immediate aftermath of his debut. However, Ritchie secured a major comeback with his action-packed thrillerRocknRolla, solidifying his mastery of intricately told crime stories.
Abrooding performance byGerard Butlerand memorable side performances fromIdris Elbaand the late greatTom Wilkinsongave even more great actors the chance to deliver Ritchie’s snappy dialogue.It’s a particularly rewatchable film for both hardcore and casual Ritchie fans because of how significantly it diverges tonally from his other projects. Indeed, and while it certainly contains the dark humor that’s ever-present in all of his projects,RocknRollais a slightly darker film for Ritchie that reflects the realities of the criminal lifestyle.
RocknRolla
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9’Wrath of Man' (2021)
Cast: Jason Statham, Josh Hartnett, Holt McCallany
Many filmmakers struggled to launch new crowdpleasers in the post-COVID era. However,Wrath of Manproved there is still a place for intimate and subversive action pieces from reliable directorsas the film became an unexpected box office triumph. It also shows Ritchie’s willingness to step outside his comfort zone;Wrath of Manis a more oblique revenge thriller that felt directly influenced by classics likeDeath WishandPoint Blank.
One of the most interesting films in Ritchie’s catalog,Wrath of Manis uncompromisingly bleak and contains some truly shocking moments of violence.Anchoring it all isStatham in one of his best performancesas a heartbroken security guard who goes on a dark path of vengeance after his son is killed by gangsters.The surprisingly emotional storyline certainly elevatesWrath of Man, proving Ritchie to be much more than just a superfluous stylist.
Wrath of Man
8’The Covenant' (2023)
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Jonny Lee Miller
Although his endeavors in making large-scale blockbusters were certainly a notable shift from the low-budget neo-noirs he started his career with,The Covenantis unlikeanything else Ritchie has ever done. The director ditches any self-imposed sense of irony or sarcastic banter to tell a grounded, relevant story about the relationship between a veteran U.S. Marine (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his loyal translator (Dar Salim).
The film’s closing title cards indicate that Ritchie had political motivations for telling this story about the brave men who were left behind in the Afghanistan War. While the more serious tone may surprise some of Ritchie’s fans,The Covenantis an effective military thriller anchored by two great performances.The strong chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Salim allows the film to reach deeply emotional places that could have easily felt saccharine had the approach not been well-measured.
The Covenant
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7’Sherlock Holmes' (2009)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
Given that the characters belong to the public domain, there have beencountless cinematic versions of Sherlock Holmes,Sir Arthuro Conan Doyle’sclassic detective. However, Ritchie’sSherlock Holmesfilm radically reinvents the character by using his signature visual style to get into the famous sleuth’s worldview.
Getting to see how Holmes gathers clues and puts together his cases madeSherlock Holmesan immensely enjoyable viewing experience. There are allusions to many of Doyle’s classic stories, butSherlock Holmesis really a buddy adventure set in the late 19th century. Despite the historical setting, the chemistry betweenRobert Downey Jr.’s Holmes andJude Law’s Dr. John Watson has the sensibilities of a modern action comedy. Fast-paced, funny, and elevated by one ofHans Zimmer’s best scores,Sherlock Holmesis an endlessly rewatchable adventure that seems as fresh today as it was in 2009.
Sherlock Holmes
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6’The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' (2024)
Cast: Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson
While it is an early call, Guy Ritchie’s most recent movie marks a rousing and rollicking return to his best work in action cinema, with the real-life WWII basis being molded into a dazzling spectacle of all-out action with gleeful abandon. Based on the 2014 bookChurchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperados of WWIIbyDamien Lewis, it is a stylized and heavily fictionalized retelling of the efforts of a group of rogues who disrupt the Nazis' U-boat supply and change the course of the war.
While its educational properties may be limited at best,The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfareprovesthat the director has lost none of his flair for fun-fueled cinema. While it may become as rewatchable as some of Ritchie’s other major films,it still offers tons of fun as a bombastic action comedy with no qualms about putting style of substance.
