Movie Movie Podcast

Hey Mr. Ritchie,

I still remember watching the MTV Movie Awards in 1999 as you were awarded Best New Filmmaker. I had no idea who you were and had never heard of ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.’ They showed a quick preview and I needed to see it.

I loved everything about it. You had a style that hit with me at that age so perfectly. ‘Snatch’ did the same. Everyone who said they liked it was immediately pressed to borrow my VHS copy of Lock/Stock.

Then it happened. Madonna and ‘Swept Away.’ It is considered one of the worst films of the past 20 years. You attempted to return to what worked for you with ‘Revolver’ but it was a mess. Seemed rushed and not as well thought out as the others.

I worried you were done but then ‘RocknRolla’ delivered on your previous promise. You were back and were handed the gift of Robert Downey Jr’s follow up to ‘Iron Man’s in the form of ‘Sherlock Holmes.’ You had a hit. You had a franchise. You tweaked your style into a beloved character and time period and it worked.

Now you want to do it again with ‘Treasure Island.’ This is a huge mistake. People want Johnny Depp, not pirates. People already pigeon holed you as crime dude, don’t get stuck as stylized update man.

Also doing a film about an island after two successful films doesn’t sound familiar to you at all?

You are better than this. This sounds like a paycheck picture. This should be the movie you make after the personal movie you make with your Sherlock money.