Billed as a true story about a secret British World War II organization; the Special Operations Executive. Founded by Winston Churchill, their irregular warfare against the Germans helped to change the course of the war, and gave birth to modern black operations.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, Henry Golding, Cary Elwes
Release Date: April 13, 2024
Genre: Action, Drama, War
Rated R for strong violence throughout and some language.
Runtime: 2h 0m
Review:
Guy Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a pulpy WW2 throwback that uses real events as a launching off point for an exaggerated, stylized retelling of events that's more concerned with entertainment value than historical accuracy. Ritchie makes that fairly clear right from the onset as he set up the story with a self-assured confidence that bleeds through the screen from the opening sequence. It’s clear that he has a strong affection for the story and its gleeful band of rogues resulting in a sleek looking film that’s easy to enjoy even if it doesn't break any new ground in the genre. There's a breezy pace to the whole thing, however those looking for an all out orgy of action might be a little disappointed as the film only has two, albeit large, action set pieces. The majority of the film is split between Henry Cavill's photogenetic strike force's journey and the undercover duo of Babs Olusanmokun and Eiza González. Cavill is clearly having a ball letting loose as the leader of the unsanctioned group, sporting a rather impressive mustache, beard combo. He and Alan Ritchson make for an imposing duo with each giving their characters a wide eyed, manic energy makes them far more watchable if they'd played it straight. Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Henry Golding make up the rest of their group but don't leave as much of an impression with far more even handed characters. Babs Olusanmokun and Eiza González's deep cover crew have solid chemistry together as they lay the groundwork for the group's arrival. Olusanmokun carries a paternal sort of energy that fits well for his casino owner and González can play the intelligent vixen role in her sleep. They're both fairly interesting characters but the script doesn't bother to flesh them out, which would have made them all the more fascinating. Til Schweiger is saddled with the generic Nazi villain role as the SS commander in charge of the island compound. The film stumbles a bit in its final act as the central operation unfolds at a methodically pace but lacking the kind of tension you'd expect. Some judicious editing would have brought the sort of immediacy and tension that would have made the finale all the more thrilling. Even with its flaws, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare proves to be a fun WW2 adventure which might peak enough interest to have people explore the true story behind this glamourized account.
B+
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