Guy Ritchie shot to worldwide fame thanks to his gritty and original gangster movies of the late 1990s and early 2000s. He burst onto the scene with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels in 1998, and then followed it up with the equally impressive Snatch in 2000.
In recent times, Ritchie has focused more on action movies. But with his crime offerings still having a lasting influence on the entertainment industry, it could be argued that the director should make a return to what he does best.
Slots Market Highlights Lasting Influence of Ritchie’s Gangster Films
Despite being released more than 20 years ago, Ritchie’s first pictures still have an influence on today’s popular culture. That’s highlighted by the slots market, where there are some games that are clearly inspired by those London gangster flicks. People who play slots online will have encountered The Stash, which has the same look and feel as an early offering from the director. This includes a thumbnail with similar writing to the font used in Snatch, along with a splattered red image of London in the background. There’s also Whacked, which also uses a mobster theme.
Ritchie has had a lasting influence on the film industry as well. There are plenty of hugely popular offerings that have used similar tropes to those found in Lock, Stock and Snatch. For instance, Steven Soderbergh was heavily inspired by those movies and used many of Ritchie’s directorial techniques in Ocean’s Eleven in 2001.
Ritchie Currently Focusing on Action Films
Four of Ritchie’s first five films were gangster offerings, cementing his status as a leading filmmaker in the genre. However, since RocknRolla in 2008, the 55-year-old has explored a more eclectic range of themes. Most recently, the Hatfield-born director has shown a passion for action.
Some of Ritchie’s recent offerings include Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, and Wrath of Man. All of these are action offerings, and they were reasonably well received. Ritchie also plans to make another two action movies soon, including The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and an an as-yet-untitled offering. It’s clear that Ritchie loves making action movies, but some would argue that they don’t stack up against his early gangster pictures.
Is Ritchie Better Suited to the Gangster Genre?
When Ritchie returned to the gangster genre in 2019 with The Gentlemen it was like an old sports veteran returning to play for their first team. It wasn’t quite as good as Ritchie’s debut offerings but it had a lot of the same panache and felt quite nostalgic. Indeed, it did well enough to leave some critics suggesting that he should focus more on the genre that made him.
The great thing about Ritchie is that he has shown he can work in several genres and still create great content. Many people love his action movies and want him to continue with those, while others would like to see more gangster flicks. The director still has a long career ahead of him, so hopefully his fans will be treated to a mixture of both.