Liar, Liar
I really want to cheer for Ridley Scott. I really want to defend him, to call myself a forever fan. He directed one of my all-time favorite movies, Blade Runner, and he’s a Hollywood rarity: a bigshot, big-budget director with genuine artistic talent and ambition. Too bad he keeps putting out trite, confused mediocrities with pretensions to social and political commentary. His latest, Body of Lies, is, alas, no exception. My only hope, at this point, is that losing a box-office war to a talking chihuahua might knock some sense into him.
Oh come on, “Body of Lies” is way better than “GI Jane” or “Kingdom of Heaven.” I bumped it up from 2.5 to 3 stars after our discussion at the preview screening. I stand by my call.
— Sonny Bunch · Oct 10, 05:38 PM · #
I think that Blade Runner pretty much marked the end of Scott’s golden age. That and Alien are probably the best science fiction movies ever made (certainly finalists in any argument on the topic), but aside from Gladiator there’s little to admire after Blade Runner. And Gladiator has its virtues, but compared to Blade Runner it’s a minor work at best.
Also, if you want to talk about movies with pretensions to social commentary, I think you left out the biggest Ridley Scott example of all: Thelma and Louise.
— Lev · Oct 10, 05:44 PM · #
He’s 70 years old. Directing movies is extremely hard work. It’s hard to keep directing big budget action movies past, maybe, 55. He’s directed two quite good ones since he turned 60. That’s quite impressive.
— Steve Sailer · Oct 10, 10:50 PM · #