The 10 worst Martin Scorsese movies
“I think all of us, under certain circumstances, could be capable of some very despicable acts.” So said Martin Scorsese on the prevalence of violent criminals and outright bastards in his movie. Perhaps one of the greatest living directors, his films have consistently shown us gritty, raw and no-holds-barred depictions of all sorts of people. The working class, the filthy rich, members of the clergy or mafia hitmen; Scorsese has presented all of them with equal objectivity and nuance, neither condemning nor advocating.
But even he, the great Scorsese, has been capable of despicable acts under certain circumstances. Well, maybe not despicable, but he’s certainly given us his fair share of stinkers. You may find it hard to believe, and you may consider this article outright heresy, but the fact remains: Scorsese’s filmography isn’t wholly without fault. 27 features in over 50 years? Not all of them can be exceptional.
Even the greatest of the great can sometimes miss the mark, and Scorsese has no exception. What’s important to remember, though, and surely no one understands this better than the director himself, is that the following films and their flaws are born out of experimentation. Not for lack of trying. From a 3D kid-friendly bonanza to an earnest yet painfully pretentious religious biopic, the director continues to challenge both himself and viewers with the material he touches.
So when we present the ten worst Scorsese films to you, it’s not that the man who gave us Taxi Driver has turned in ten terrible films. Far from it; the director has instead tripped over several times, stumbled or not entirely cleared the hurdle in his noble attempt to bring us cinematic excellence. The man’s aged 80 and looks set to bring us another corker with Killers of the Flower Moon. He inspires not just filmmakers but humans in general to never stop questioning, thinking and creating.
With that all said, let us explore ten of the lesser-quality films from Martin Scorsese.
Martin Scorsese’s worst movies:
10. The Age of Innocence (1993)
Drawing us into the stifling society of 1870s New York, Scorsese’s costume drama adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel lacked his usual vibrancy. Despite solid performances from Daniel Day-Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer, the film’s slow-paced narrative felt more exhausting than engrossing.
The meticulous attention to period detail and exquisite production design couldn’t compensate for its lack of emotional depth, resulting in a distant and detached film. No amount of lavish tracking shots through sumptuously furnished ballrooms and corridors could make up for the unengaging story, the melodramatic supporting performances and the fact that the characters were, ultimately, completely uninteresting.
9. New York, New York (1977)
While Scorsese’s love letter to the Big Apple and jazz music was ambitious, it could have struck a better chord with audiences. Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro’s stellar performances couldn’t salvage the film from its inconsistent tone and jarring editing.
The attempt to blend a love story with a musical extravaganza proved to be a misstep, leaving the film feeling disjointed and, in the end, completely struggling to find its narrative rhythm. It’s strange to think that this followed a year after Taxi Driver, which is by all accounts a perfect film. Hats off to Scorsese for attempting something drastically different, but New York, New York confirms that whilst the director is capable of tackling different periods and geographies, there is nevertheless a broad lane of filmmaking that he should stick to. Musicals are not his remit.
8. Hugo (2011)
A surprising venture into the realm of family-friendly 3D films, Hugo‘s whimsy felt uncharacteristic of Scorsese. The cinematic references to the history of cinema were delightful but failed to resonate with younger audiences, leading to a film that felt disjointed and ill-targeted. Despite its visual splendour and endearing performances, the film lacked the emotional resonance and thematic depth that Scorsese is known for, resulting in a forgettable experience.
Ultimately, he never knew if he was making a kid’s film or for adults; the result was a film neither could enjoy. The celebration of the art of filmmaking and its history, whilst a noble theme to cover, would have been far better suited for a serious, adult movie meditating on the topic. Instead, we got a bizarre mash-up film that was half for children, half for cineastes, and it’s certainly not one that will be remembered.
7. Gangs of New York (2002)
This sprawling epic about the seedy underbelly of 1860s New York boasted an all-star cast, but its overlong runtime and lack of substance were ultimately a letdown. Despite an exceptional performance from Day-Lewis, more was needed to elevate the film above mediocrity, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s character was utterly devoid of depth or complexity.
The ambitious scope of the narrative overwhelmed the storytelling, leading to a disjointed and unfocused film that failed to leave a lasting impact. It was the kind of filmmaking that Scorsese would return to again and fail with The Wolf of Wall Street. Just because a film is chock to the brim with spectacle doesn’t mean it’s going to deliver the emotional goods, and the final takeaway from Gangs of New York is that it is hollow through and through.
6. Cape Fear (1991)
While Robert De Niro gave a chilling performance as the vengeful convict, the film’s suspense was hampered by its overemphasis on stylistic flourishes. Scorsese’s remake of the 1962 thriller didn’t quite match up to the original, which boasted some seriously original narrative techniques, inventive cinematography and stellar performances – all of them slightly over the top, perhaps, but forgivable given the time period.
However, the excessive use of visual techniques in this remake completely overshadowed the psychological tension. This resulted in a film that felt more like an exercise in style rather than a compelling narrative. And to top it off, whilst De Niro’s version of Cady was delightfully wicked, neither he nor Nick Nolte could hold a candle to Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. After The Colour of Money, it felt like a lesson should have been learned: no sequels, no remakes.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
While the film was a hit at the box office, its glorification of excess and debauchery was heavily criticised. The satirical intent was lost amidst its overindulgent narrative, creating an uncomfortable viewing experience that left a bitter aftertaste. Rather than damning the coke-addled yuppies, it felt like the filmmakers were practically idolising them.
Despite DiCaprio’s charismatic performance as Jordan Belfort, the film’s relentless portrayal of debauched behaviour and lack of moral consequences overshadowed its sharp social commentary, making it one of Scorsese’s more divisive works. Perhaps if audiences squint hard enough, they might be able to find the thread of satire, but if it takes that much effort to ascertain a film’s tone and moral compass, it’s probably because the director didn’t quite get the job done.
4. Boxcar Bertha(1972)
Four years before the reign of Scorsese in cinema was heralded by Taxi Driver, the then-fledgling director found himself inside the ‘AIP’ machine. American International Pictures was an independent production company that ran from the 1950s into the 1980s, and with the iconic pulp director/film tutor Roger Corman in close association, it pumped out dozens of cheap, kitschy movies. Some of them were fantastic – others not so good.
The low quality of this film reflects more on AIP than it does Scorsese himself, but nevertheless, it is not a great film. Following the adventures of the titular Bertha, a depression-era gangster, the film plays out like a poor man’s version of the majestic and genre-defining Bonnie and Clyde that came five years prior. With little room to flex his own directorial flare, Scorsese ultimately ends up delivering what feels like a babysitting project; as if he simply ushered another lewd, violent AIP picture into theatre screens.
3. The Colour of Money (1986)
This sequel to The Hustler saw Paul Newman reprising his role as “Fast” Eddie Felson. But despite a strong performance, the film lacked the emotional depth of its predecessor, resulting in a more style-over-substance viewing experience that felt particularly disappointing after Scorsese kickstarted the decade with one of his best, Raging Bull.
Scorsese’s direction couldn’t capture the same raw intensity and character development that made The Hustler a classic, and even though Paul Newman won his only Oscar for this sequel, The Colour of Money just feels like a poor imitation. Once again, a pattern seems to emerge; Scorsese is at his best when he’s working on an original idea with a talented writer like Paul Schrader or Madik Martin. When tackling pre-existing stories, the finished film is always lacklustre.
2. Kundun (1997)
Scorsese’s biographical film about the 14th Dalai Lama was visually stunning but narratively, completely underwhelming. While a courageous endeavour, its esoteric subject matter and slow pacing failed to engage audiences, making it one of Scorsese’s more forgettable entries. One can’t help but admire the ambition and courage to tackle something so far removed from the director’s own experience, but it more or less proved that the further Scorsese travels from his own experiences, the less profound the cinematic experience is.
With a director as in his prime as Scorsese was by 1997, the beautiful cinematography and meticulous attention to detail just simply won’t compensate for a lack of narrative drive and emotional connection. Hampered further by the experimental episodic nature of the plot, his high-brow Buddhist biopic falls short of having any sort of impact whatsoever.
1. Shutter Island (2010)
To this day, it still seems bonkers that Shutter Island was an actual Scorsese/DiCaprio project. This shameless psychological thriller, complete with a hardboiled US agent and a suspicious psychiatrist, is about as surface-level as you can get. Based on the 2003 novel of the same name, which was in itself a homage to B-movies and pulp nonsense, Scorsese’s foray into the taut, suspenseful, twisty genre delivers some excellent visuals and decent performances – and that’s about it.
There is something strange about how basic Shutter Island is, and it makes you wonder whether Scorsese deliberately wanted to make a vacuous mystery in some sort of revisionist, deconstructive way that’s gone over our heads or if he genuinely just turned in a trashy film. Riddled with cliches, as well as problematic dramatisations of mental illness (that are thankfully waning in modern cinema), this film earns top place on Scorsese’s worst for the sheer waste of talent and resources. DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo and an asylum on a stormy island? It could have been incredible, but alas, it’s one of his worst.
