Guy Ritchie probably has the most quotable movies of modern times. Legendary features like Snatch have some of the most memorable lines and performances, and Ritchie masterfully blends genres. He's also skilled in putting together a great cast and creating chemistry between them with his scripts.
Despite his numerous successes with viewers, critics may not be so inclined to agree; Rotten Tomatoes ratings compared to the ones by audiences have big gaps between them. But, this shouldn't mean Ritchie's movies are bad. They're just proof that critics don't always fully grasp the appeal a movie has with an audience.
10 'Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre' (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%
Guy Ritchie's newest feature is the freshest thing this week, but not according to RT. Their critics deemed Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre slightly above average; despite that, audiences have rated the movie with a whopping 100% so far.
Jason Statham returns to working with Ritchie for the fifth time in Operation Fortune. He plays an international agent and spy, Orson Fortune, who recruits a Hollywood actor Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) for a secret operation. Ritchie's been dominating the action genre lately, so this 007-like movie is bound to make bigger waves the longer it stays in cinemas.
9 'Aladdin' (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%
The wave of live-action Disney remakes started in the 2010s, and waking up the nostalgia has proven to be a mixed bag. For critics at Rotten Tomatoes, Ritchie hasn't done the best he could to make this live-action version of the beloved animated film Aladdin shine.
Audiences disagreed and gave Aladdin a fabulous 94% rating, likely due to nostalgia. This movie was an unusual feat for a director of Ritchie's caliber, but it strangely worked. Will Smith was Genie, and the rest of the cast were meticulously chosen to reflect the story's location and origin.
8 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' (2011)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 59%
The sequel to the well-acclaimed Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law didn't get a similar score from critics, but it wasn't the worst Ritchie could offer. Audiences loved A Game of Shadows as much as they loved the original, because their rating for both is 77% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In this sequel, Sherlock Holmes faces off against his most skilled and clever nemesis - James Moriarty, played masterfully by Jared Harris. The feature also introduced Paul Anderson to wider audiences, who rose to stardom by playing Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders.
7 'RocknRolla' (2008)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 60%
RocknRolla is one of Ritchie's most classic feature films; it has it all - a large ensemble cast, plots and subplots that culminate in violence, and jokes and references to pop culture that could go over one's head if not spotted on time.
It's also one of Ritchie's better-rated movies; the discrepancy between the 60% from RT critics and 71% by audiences isn't that significant. RocknRolla may be rated lower than other Ritchie's ensemble films ultimately because it tries to be so much at once, with subplots that sometimes feel rushed. RocknRolla isn't perfect, but it's awesome nonetheless.
6 'Wrath of Man' (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%
When Wrath of Man came out, it was the first movie (or perhaps the second, after Aladdin) that didn't have the signature Ritchie style. There weren't fast cuts or voice-over narration, but there was a gripping action thriller that gave Jason Statham power to be fully himself. Not all Ritchie fans loved the movie because of that, but it still has a whopping 90% audience approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes.
Statham plays H, a mysterious and highly-skilled man working for a security company that drives cash trucks. This movie's a remake of the French action feature Cash Truck which starred the acclaimed actor Jean Dujardin.
5 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%
The sleek and stylish The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is typical for Ritchie's style, although perhaps the first venture in which he displayed the ability to direct an international spy thriller. Because of this, the movie's a bit more serious than his regular action comedies, although there are fantastic quick-witted jabs here and there.
Henry Cavill plays a CIA agent Napoleon Solo, while Armie Hammer portrays a KGB spy Illya Kuryakin. The movie's set in the 1960s and was mainly shot in Rome, which makes it a visually stunning piece more than just action-wise. Audiences on RT gave The Man from U.N.C.L.E. a similar rating of 73%.
4 'Sherlock Holmes' (2009)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%
The first Sherlock Holmes was surprising for several reasons - it was unlike any other Guy Ritchie movie that came before, it was an action comedy set in the 19th century, and it featured Robert Downey Jr.'s rugged portrayal of an otherwise gently perceived Sherlock Holmes.
Still, this combination worked. Sherlock's uniqueness was slightly less immortalized and given another dimension, showing that wits can often be followed by brawn and agility. Jude Law portrays John Watson, Sherlock's trusted right-hand man; Law and Downey Jr. have an excellent on-screen chemistry.
3 'Snatch' (2000)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%
Snatch is among Ritchie's best critically rated films, but it's a lot more than just what critics think. The movie's brilliance is found in numerous details and subtle gags. From "d'ya like dags?" to Mickey's friends saying "his ma" in unison, some blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments define Snatch as a strong comedy thriller.
This is another collaboration of Ritchie and Statham, and one of Brad Pitt's most iconic supporting roles. Some trivia notes Pitt was meant to play a different character, but due to difficulties in mastering a proper English accent, Ritchie cast him as Mickey instead. Snatch is fast-paced, quick-witted, and a blend of genres - from a heist movie to a revenge plot, it has everything necessary for a 93% audience rating.
2 'The Gentlemen' (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%
Eagerly awaiting another Guy Ritchie and Charlie Hunnam collaboration after the poorly received King Arthur: Legend of the Sword paid off when The Gentleman came out. Its RT score reflects the audience's impressions, which gave the movie a decent 84% rating. The critics and fans finally agreed on a Ritchie feature.
Though this is another large ensemble-cast movie, the leading role belongs to Hunnam, who portrays a millionaire's right-hand man. Hugh Grant delivers one of his best roles to date, and Colin Farrell steals every scene he's in. The Gentlemen might just be Ritchie's most star-studded film, although each has a pretty stellar cast.
1 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' (1998)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%
Incredibly so, Ritchie's directorial debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, also has the highest critic rating. This is rare enough with debut features, but Ritchie unlocked a brand-new genre-blending type of movie people wanted to see. Lock, Stock came out in '98 and truly encapsulates the spirit of Ritchie's movies that audiences fell in love with.
This is the first collaboration between Ritchie and Statham, but it also features several actors that went on to become big - Dexter Fletcher, Jason Flemyng, and Nick Moran. The four actors portray a group of friends that get into a debt with the local gangster, and the story follows them looking for ways to pay him back. There are subplots, like in many of Ritchie's features, and memorable one-liners, like "It's a deal, it's a steal, it's sale of the f***ing century!"