Of all the sci-fi movies helmed by Ridley Scott in the 21st Century, The Martian is the only one that’s 10/10. There are some bona fide masterpieces on Ridley Scott’s movie CV, from Alien to Gladiator and beyond. His hit-to-miss ratio can be a little spotty, but he has way more great films than bad.
Despite launching the franchise, Scott was left out of later entries in the Alien movie franchise by producers. There was much joy in the fanbase when he returned for 2012 prequel Prometheus, which was intended as a bold, ambitious relaunch of the entire saga.
While both Prometheus and its follow-up Alien: Covenant were hits, they were still considered disappointments by the studio. What’s interesting about Prometheus is that it also marked Scott’s first real sci-fi movie since Blade Runner, and he then went on a H๏τ streak in the genre, including helming 2015’s The Martian.
The Martian Is The Best Ridley Scott Movie Of The 21st Century
The Martian cast Matt Damon as an engineer left stranded on Mars, who is forced to eke out an existence on the inhospitable planet while waiting years for rescue. The movie was based on the bestselling Andy Weir novel, and Scott’s adaptation was both critically acclaimed and a huge hit.
It currently sits at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, and grossed over $630 million (or $845 million, when adjusted for inflation) at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). It’s also Scott’s best work in sci-fi since Blade Runner, thanks to Matt Damon’s funny and touching central performance and its all-star cast.
Scott does a great job balancing the humor with the drama, while (naturally) making it look beautiful. At its core is a terrific screenplay by Drew Goddard, which for all the scientific babble, never once loses track of the human story at its core. It’s also one of the most rewatchable films in Scott’s filmography.
Both Of Ridley Scott’s Alien Prequels Were Divisive
Prometheus and Covenant were Scott’s attempt to evolve the Alien saga beyond slimy monsters chasing people down corridors. This prequel examined themes like created vs creator and mankind’s place in the universe, in addition to trying to push the Xenomorph out of the series and replacing it with Michael Fᴀssbender’s murderous A.I., David.
Both movies look amazing, feature some incredible scenes and performances, and open up the world of Alien even further. They are also divisive outings, thanks to patchy stories and illogical character decisions. This is underlined by the baffling moment in Prometheus when Rafe Spall’s scientist decides to pet a clearly dangerous alien snake.
The unmade third prequel was reportedly called Alien: Awakening.
Despite planning a third (and potential fourth) prequel that would tie back into the original Alien, Covenant’s reception killed those plans. There’s a lot to enjoy in Scott’s prequel duology and the philosophical questions it leaves behind, but compared to The Martian, the movies feel jagged and tonally confused.
Ridley Scott Changed Sci-Fi Movies Forever
Even if Scott had quit filmmaking after Alien, his legacy would be ᴀssured. This 1979 creature feature is as dread-inducing as it ever was, and its lived-in approach to sci-fi was groundbreaking. The look, tone and mood of Alien made a gigantic impact moving ahead – as did Scott’s follow-up, Blade Runner.
Despite being a famously troubled production, with Scott clashing with producers and his star Harrison Ford, few “failures” have been reclaimed as thoroughly as Blade Runner. It’s a dystopian view of the future, incredible production design and exploration of what it even means to be human make it a cornerstone sci-fi masterpiece.
In the aftermath of Scott’s one-two punch of Alien and Blade Runner, sci-fi movies, shows, video games and so on were never the same again. They are considered totemic, game-changing works for a reason, and while The Martian may not have the same cultural footprint, it’s still an incredible film.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo
