There are plenty of talented directors rising in Hollywood, but in the case of the old guard, Sir Ridley Scott remains one of the most influential filmmakers. His mastery of war epics in particular is impressive even now, as his ability to depict jaw-dropping scale in combat thanks to an uncommon intuition when it comes to lighting and art direction is something that simply can’t be taught. As essential as his many sci-fi works are, some of his most memorable and well-crafted movies are based on wars across history.

​