I definitely feel Ridley Scott is vastly overrated. Not wishing to insult anyone, maybe it's just something I'm not getting. At best, he's skilled at undemanding middle-brow entertainment that throws in a few talking points so it's not completely mindless, but his skill is good management of resources. The result is impressive in the way a big statue of someone on a horse is impressive, but soulless and empty and just a bit dull. Maybe it's just that men shouting a lot and waving weapons really isn't my thing.
Even Blade Runner is (whisper it) overrated. There are great scenes, mainly those with Hauer, but the middle is a boring slog. Brilliant production design, a generally good cast, but the screenplay is half-arsed with very little to say about the difference between robots and humans, and it's no wonder Ridley's spent most of his life tinkering with it.
Thelma and Louise is fine; it came at the right time and had a great cast and a solid screenplay (despite the end), but beyond the image of two women getting in a fast car, what did it really say about feminism?
The Duellists is fucking boring. If I wanted to look at people doing nothing in pretty fields, there are other options.
Most of his later films are totally soulless and efficient.
You would have to be perverse to argue most of Tony Scott's films are good in any high-art sense, but he consistently made entertaining, fast-moving action films that catch up the viewer's most basic emotions in their excitement and flashing lights. He is terrible with female characters and seems to have no idea of how human beings behave, think or talk. But if you're in the mood for some fun, Tony's the go-to guy.
