10 Guy Ritchie Movies That Keep Us on Our Toes
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Writer-director Guy Ritchie's new movie Wrath of Man recently hit theaters (May 7), starring Jason Statham. Ritchie brings his A game once again, with the flick packed with riveting action. The story revolves around a security guard (Statham) of an armored truck, who startles his colleagues when breaking out some serious combat skills.
Ritchie has a go-to genre, leaning toward crime, but he does make some surprise pivots here and there.
Let's take a peek at his CV of work:
1. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Ritchie made his feature film debut with 1998's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The story revolves around a young guy named Eddy (Nick Moran), who enters into a high-stakes poker game. Unbeknownst to him, the game is rigged, with no chance of winning. He leaves owing a group of mobsters £500,000. This twisty turvy flick follows Eddy and friends (Jason Statham) getting in and out of trouble.
2. Snatch
In 2000, Ritchie released the crime comedy Snatch, following two plot lines. We see a mobster named Franky "Four Fingers" (Benicio Del Toro) steal an 86-carat diamond. While Franky figures out how to turn his gem into cash, we see a boxing promoter (Jason Statham) work out a way to fix a match, also for cash. The storylines may differ, but we're seeing a common theme = money.
3. Revolver
Ritchie's 2005 Revolver follows a gambler, who finds himself in a dicey situation. And, who plays the gambler? Oh, Jason Statham, who is a regular on Ritchie's roster of actors to work with. Statham takes on the role of a card player named Jake Green. Green is forced into a high stakes card game, which ends in a gun fight. Green finds himself in prison for seven years. When he gets out... it's payback.
4. RocknRolla
Ritchie kept at it, sticking to what he knows with 2008's RocknRolla. The story revolves around old school London mafia, who are losing their hold when the new school steps up. To make matters even more trying, there's a Russian mobster (Karel Roden) in town, who plans a million-dollar scheme and everyone wants a piece, including The Wild Bunch, portrayed by Gerard Butler, Idris Elba and Tom Hardy.
5. Sherlock Holmes
In 2009, Ritchie switched gears, adapting the classic story of Sherlock Holmes. We know this story well enough, but Ritchie put his unique stamp on the movie. His version of the famous sleuth (Robert Downey Jr.) is a bit messier and rambunctious than what we're used to. But, sticking to the original, we can count on the stodgy Dr. Watson (Jude Law) to keep his head on straight in stressful situations.
6. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
In 2015, Ritchie turned his attention to spying, with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. An adaptation of the 1960s TV series by the same name, we see Henry Cavill as American CIA agent Napoleon Solo. Set during the Cold War, Solo is a former criminal, turned intelligence, who is tasked with extracting a young woman (Alicia Vikander) from Berlin. The two work to dodge a KGB operative, trying to run interference.
7. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
And from there, Ritchie did a bit of time travel, going back to the Middle Ages for 2017's King Arthur. In his version, we see Arthur (Charlie Hunnam) grow up poor and struggling. But when he is able to pull the mythical sword Excalibur from a stone, everyone knows he is the rightful heir to the crown. While a period drama, we see Ritchie's affinity for action throughout the film.
8. Aladdin
It seemed Ritchie was on a mission to change things up, going a step further and adapting the Disney story Aladdin in 2019. We saw Will Smith take on the role of Genie in the live-action movie. When a young man named Aladdin (Mena Massoud) stumbles upon a lamp, where Genie is being held captive, he releases the supernatural being. From there, Genie is in his debt, granting Aladdin three wishes.
9. The Gentlemen
In 2020, Ritchie went back to where he started, with The Gentlemen revolving around crime and greed. The story follows an American expat (Matthew McConaughey) living in London. He's built an empire selling marijuana, but he's ready to retire. With his business up for grabs, the people around him (Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, Colin Farrell) start plotting and scheming to steal it from under him.
10. Wrath of Man
The Gentlemen premiered sans Jason Statham, but not to worry, Ritchie called on him for his most recent project, Wrath of Man. And Statham is front and center. He stars as a security guard of an armored truck and when a delivery is under attack, he goes into full action. His coworkers are baffled, with one saying, "Who is this guy!?" That is a good question, as there's more to this man than what we're seeing.
Who's up for a Guy Ritchie marathon?