‘Gladiator II’ Cinematographer Exposes Ridley Scott’s Lazy Directing Style

In a new podcast interview with DocFix, John Mathieson, the cinematographer for ‘Gladiator 2,’ expressed strong reservations about Ridley Scott’s recent approach to filmmaking.

Mathieson, who has previously worked with Scott on multiple projects including ‘Gladiator’ and ‘Kingdom of Heaven,’ shared that Scott’s method has significantly shifted, impacting the quality of his films.

According to Mathieson, Scott, at 87, has adopted a more hurried style, frequently using multiple cameras on set which, in his view, compromises the cinematic quality.

He described this technique as detrimental to meticulous cinematography since it restricts lighting options and reduces attention to detail.

Mathieson lamented the loss of depth in scenes, a quality he feels was a hallmark of Scott’s earlier works.

The cinematographer went on to criticize the over-reliance on computer graphics for fixing errors in post-production, like visible microphones and cameras, calling it a ‘lazy’ approach.

This new strategy, he argued, prioritizes speed over craftsmanship, leading to a ‘rush, rush, rush‘ atmosphere on set.

Despite these criticisms, Scott remains a prolific figure in Hollywood, having released four films in the last three years including ‘The Last Duel’ and ‘House of Gucci,’ with several more projects like ‘The Dog Stars’ and ‘Gladiator III’ in the pipeline.

Whether or not they collaborate again remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Mathieson’s disappointment is high, hinting at a possible end to their long-standing partnership.

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