Ever since the debut of his 20-minute short film The Hard Case, Guy Ritchie has 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
CloseHot off the back of two monumental successes to launch his career, Guy Ritchie put forth what is undoubtedly his worst picture thus far in Swept 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 for Madonna to 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 Away is Ritchie’s worst film and is an easy candidate as his least rewatchable movie.
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 of Swept Away than it is celebratory of the 2005 action-crime flick, Revolver. Seeing Ritchie pair with Jason Statham for 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, Revolver struggles as an overly convoluted thriller defined, sadly, by its incoherent rambling. Admittedly, it does see Ritchie make use of Jason Statham’s physical and combative assets while still offering a heavily stylized and even occasionally comedic foray into organized crime, but Revolver ultimately falls flat.
Revolver
RRelease Date September 11, 2005 Cast Jason Statham , Ray Liotta , Vincent Pastore , Andre Benjamin , Terence Maynard , Andrew Howard Runtime 115 Main Genre Crime13 '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 classic Excalibur to the exploration of the myth in 2004’s King Arthur. However, few have been as unique or as stylistically bold as Guy Ritchie’s King 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 Sword is far from the best take on the Arthurian legend, but as an extravagant blockbuster with plenty of fantasy and action, it offers harmless fun on at least one viewing.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
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Release Date May 10, 2017 Cast Charlie Hunnam , Annabelle Wallis , Aidan Gillen , Eric Bana , Jude Law , Djimon Hounsou Runtime 126 minutes12 'Aladdin' (2019)
Cast: Mena Massoud, Will Smith, Naomi Scott
CloseA Disney live-action remake that split audiences and critics, Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin was 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, Aladdin is certainly rewatchable in its own right, but it is difficult to deny it still falls short of its animated predecessor.
11 'Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre' (2023)
Cast: Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett
Of all of Ritchie's collaborators, his relationship with Jason Statham may 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 thriller Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. Although the old-fashioned espionage caper features some memorable turns from both Aubrey Plaza and Carey Elwes, it's the effortless charisma of Statham and Ritchie's sly commentary on Hollywood cynicism that makes Operation Fortune so rewatchable.
Although there are more than enough comic hijinks involving side characters played by Josh Hartnett and Hugh Grant to keep the viewer entertained, the ending of Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre suggests 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 (2023)
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Release Date March 17, 2022 Cast Jason Statham , Aubrey Plaza , Josh Hartnett , Cary Elwes , Hugh Grant , Kaan Urgancioglu Runtime 114 Minutes10 'RocknRolla' (2008)
Cast: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Idris Elba
The critical and financial disappointments of Swept Away and Revolver suggested 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 thriller RocknRolla, solidifying his mastery of intricately told crime stories.
A brooding performance by Gerard Butler and memorable side performances from Idris Elba and the late great Tom Wilkinson gave 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, RocknRolla is a slightly darker film for Ritchie that reflects the realities of the criminal lifestyle.
RocknRolla (2008)
RActionCrimeThrillerRelease Date September 4, 2008 Cast Gerard Butler , Tom Wilkinson , Thandiwe Newton , Mark Strong , Idris Elba , Tom Hardy Runtime 1149 '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 Man proved there is still a place for intimate and subversive action pieces from reliable directors as the film became an unexpected box office triumph. It also shows Ritchie's willingness to step outside his comfort zone; Wrath of Man is a more oblique revenge thriller that felt directly influenced by classics like Death Wish and Point Blank.
One of the most interesting films in Ritchie's catalog, Wrath of Man is uncompromisingly bleak and contains some truly shocking moments of violence. Anchoring it all is Statham in one of his best performances as a heartbroken security guard who goes on a dark path of vengeance after his son is killed by gangsters. The surprisingly emotional storyline certainly elevates Wrath of Man, proving Ritchie to be much more than just a superfluous stylist.
Wrath of Man
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Release Date May 7, 2021 Cast Jason Statham , Josh Hartnett , Scott Eastwood , Jeffrey Donovan , Holt McCallany , Laz Alonso Runtime 119 Minutes 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 Covenant is unlike anything 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 Covenant is 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 (2006)
RCrimeThrillerRelease Date April 21, 2023 Cast Jake Gyllenhaal , Antony Starr , Alexander Ludwig , Jonny Lee Miller Runtime 123 Minutes7 'Sherlock Holmes' (2009)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
Given that the characters belong to the public domain, there have been countless cinematic versions of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthuro Conan Doyle's classic detective. However, Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes film 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 made Sherlock Holmes an immensely enjoyable viewing experience. There are allusions to many of Doyle's classic stories, but Sherlock Holmes is really a buddy adventure set in the late 19th century. Despite the historical setting, the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr.'s Holmes and Jude Law's Dr. John Watson has the sensibilities of a modern action comedy. Fast-paced, funny, and elevated by one of Hans Zimmer's best scores, Sherlock Holmes is an endlessly rewatchable adventure that seems as fresh today as it was in 2009.
Sherlock Holmes
PG-13ActionAdventureCrimeMysteryThrillerRelease Date January 1, 2009 Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jude Law , Rachel McAdams , Mark Strong , Eddie Marsan , Robert Maillet Runtime 1286 '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 book Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperados of WWII by Damien 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 Warfare proves that 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.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
RComedyWarHistoryAdventureRelease Date April 19, 2024 Cast Henry Cavill , Cary Elwes , Alan Ritchson , Eiza Gonzalez Runtime 120 minutes5 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' (2011)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace
Downey Jr. gives one of his best performances in the first Sherlock Holmes. However, he's in equally high spirits in the sequel, which manages to go to even darker and more absurd places than its predecessor. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows contains more of what worked about the first film: more sleuthing, additional elaborate setpieces, and great banter between Downey Jr. and Law.
Once Ritchie established his version of Sherlock Holmes, he had ambitious ideas of where to take the franchise next. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows brought back an iconic Holmes antagonist with Jared Harris' Professor James Moriarty. The battle of wits between Holmes and his most ruthless nemesis made Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows one of the most rewatchable films ever made about the world's greatest detective. Downey Jr. and Harris are magnetic together, each trying to outdo the other and meeting halfway. It's a remarkable battle of wits that is further enhanced by Ritchie's distinctive flair.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
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Release Date November 22, 2011 Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jude Law , Noomi Rapace , Rachel McAdams , Jared Harris , Stephen Fry Runtime 1284 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' (2015)
Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander
Superman might be the character most people think of when discussing Henry Cavill. However, Cavill proved himself capable of leading a franchise with his performance in Ritchie's old-fashioned spy thriller The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Loosely inspired by the classic 1960s television series of the same name, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. teamed up Cavill's charismatic spy Napoleon Solo with the headstrong KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) and the American mechanic Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander) for a rollicking international adventure.
As one would expect from Ritchie, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a perfect balance of cheeky humor and extravagant action set pieces. Cavill is at his dashing best as Solo, supported by a stellar cast that includes a deliciously wicked Elizabeth Debicki. While it, unfortunately, did not perform well enough to generate interest in a sequel, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a refreshing homage to the spy genre that didn't take itself too seriously. It's stylish, funny, action-packed, and incredibly entertaining; in a fair world, this would've been Cavill's main franchise.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
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Release Date August 13, 2015 Cast Henry Cavill , Armie Hammer , Alicia Vikander , Elizabeth Debicki , Luca Calvani , Sylvester Groth Runtime 1163 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' (1998)
Cast: Jason Fleming, Dexter Fletcher, Jason Statham
A filmmaker cannot always be judged by their directorial debut, as a first film is often an exercise in style more than it is a completely polished work. However, Ritchie established the fundamental qualities of his style with his outrageous directorial debut Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, a film that has been imitated countless times since.
While many great yet underrated British crime films have attempted to capture the same anarchic style Ritchie perfected, they haven't captured the unique blend of spontaneity and irreverence that made Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels so influential. Relatively small-scale compared to his later work, Ritchie's films continue to draw inspiration from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The film established his interest in the gangster culture of underground London and the electrifying world of illegal gambling and drug deals gone awry. It's also incredibly fun, explosive, and irresistible, making it an ideal rewatch for fans of the crime genre.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
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Release Date August 28, 1998 Cast Dexter Fletcher , Jason Flemyng , Nick Moran , Jason Statham , Steven Mackintosh , Vinnie Jones Runtime 106 minutes2 'The Gentlemen' (2020)
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey
Although it briefly seemed like he would be shackled to massive blockbusters for the rest of his career, Ritchie returned to his roots with the delightfully absurd dark comedy thriller The Gentlemen. With stylistic allusions to films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, The Gentlemen's fourth-wall-breaking elements indicate a self-awareness on Ritchie's part. It wasn't just another gangster flick but a study by Ritchie on how he chooses to tell stories.
To top it all off, The Gentlemen may have the greatest cast of any Ritchie film. Between Charlie Hunnam as a hard-edged mob enforcer, Hugh Grant as an idiosyncratic journalist, Matthew McConaughey as a headstrong marijuana kingpin, Eddie Marsden as a self-obsessed publisher, and Colin Farrell as an eccentric hitman, The Gentlemen is packed with some of Ritchie's best characters. It's easy to see why this film is so ridiculously rewatchable; The Gentlemen is non-stop fun, an ever-entertaining film that asks little of its audience but gives so much in return.
The Gentlemen
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Release Date January 24, 2020 Cast Henry Golding , Jeremy Strong , Matthew McConaughey , Colin Farrell , Hugh Grant , Charlie Hunnam , Michelle Dockery Runtime 113 minutes1 'Snatch' (2000)
Cast: Jason Statham, Stephen Graham, Brad Pitt
Although it's unfair to say that he "peaked early" in his career, Ritchie has never made a film that's as purely entertaining as Snatch. The ensemble-led London crime thriller exposes the strange, violent, and occasionally hilarious experiences intrinsic to the criminal lifestyle. Perfecting Ritchie's penchant for nonlinear storytelling, Snatch is easily the most quotable of Ritchie's films, crackling with some of the best one-liners and insults.
Often accused of being a director who favors style over substance, Snatch is proof of Ritchie's ability to write great characters. Between letting Statham play a charismatic British gangster and casting Brad Pitt against type as a wild Irish boxer, Ritchie certainly proves that he can make the most of a great ensemble cast. Based purely on the film's influence on his career and its raw entertainment power, Snatch is easily the most rewatchable entry in Ritchie's canon thus far.
Snatch
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Release Date September 1, 2000 Cast Jason Statham , Benicio Del Toro , Brad Pitt , Alan Ford , Stephen Graham , Dennis Farina Runtime 103ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51ktLbFjKugrZuYnrJuuc6voJ6rXaeyuK3TnJ%2BampyaerOtzaScnWc%3D