Ridley Scott is a director best known for crafting films that definitely sell you on the big experience of cinema. All of his films seem grand, and it’s a specialty of the director that has just seemed to be getting better over the years. From carefully crafted dramas to historical epics to sci-fantasies that take you to another world, Scott has always had a peculiar way of immersing you into his films. Napoleon Movie Review: Joaquin Phoenix Impresses as the French Emperor in Ridley Scott’s Grandiose and Surprisingly Funny Historical Epic (LatestLY Exclusive).

One of the most common threads in Scott’s filmography is that many of his movies are actually based on true stories, or at the very least, inspired by real-life. With the release of Napoleon now, Scott has added another entry to that growing list. So, with that being said, let’s take a look at five of Ridley Scott’s best films that are based on a true story.

All the Money in the World

During its release, All the Money in the World was notorious for having reshot many of its scenes involving Kevin Spacey and replacing him with Christopher Plummer, and that just made the film all the better. Following the kidnapping of John Paul Gety III, the film can be a bit of a difficult watch at times, but more than makes up for it with the intriguing drama and strong performances.

Black Hawk Down

While Black Hawk Down’s story isn’t exactly true to the events that occurred in real-life, the film directly takes us into the Battle of Mogadishu that actually took place in 1993. Here we follow the crew of a Black Hawk that’s been shot down in enemy territory and chaos takes over soon from there. Following Scott’s swift direction and a huge emphasis on the horrors of war, this is well worth a watch.

Napoleon

Coming to the talk of the week, Ridley Scott knocked it out of the park with Napoleon. While the film can feel a bit overstuffed at times, the crux of it lies within the relationship of Napoleon and Josephine that is brilliantly explored by Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. The movie also packs in some large-scale battle that will be sure to take your breath away.

Gladiator

The thing with Gladiator is that its not a film that’s directly based on a true story, but is rather heavily inspired by actual events that did place in ancient Rome. The story of Maximus is a powerful one, and featuring real-life figures like Commodus with Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix bringing in immense talent here, Gladiator is one of Scott’s best.

The Last Duel

It’s honestly a shame that The Last Duel didn’t do so well on its release because its easily Scott’s best modern film yet. A thought-provoking look into systematic misogyny, The Last Duel recounts the historical events where a knight challenges his friend to a duel after he gets accused of raping her. Brilliantly directed by Scott that brings in a tangible moody environment led by a breathtaking cast, this is easily Scott’s best historical film. Napoleon: From The Social Network to Bohemian Rhapsody, 5 Films That Tweaked History for Creative Liberty Before Ridley Scott’s Epic.

With this, we finish off the list and patiently wait to see what Scott does next. Napoleon is playing in theatres right now.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 28, 2023 08:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).