Tag Archives: Guy Ritchie

Film reviews

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review

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Directed by Guy Ritchie, audiences know there is a structured treat from his filmmaking. A film by Ritchie tends to be cheesy. That is the way that it works. In The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, the title is “cheesy.” The structure of it is also. The “cheesy” moments create a pattern of hilarity with inventive outcomes. The “inventive outcomes” are the depths of genius punchlines. The film consists of characters that appear to be amateur 007 soldiers. The lead soldier is Henry Cavill. Cavill is the king of witty gems throughout The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

I would define this film as a lighter version of Inglorious Basterds. It still has tons of mayhem and vulgar humor. It just is toned to the right amount. The setting is 1939, in the World War II era. Cavill plays Gus March-Phillips. His task is to assemble a team. Their mission is to take down the enemy lines coming from Germany. The men on his team are Anders Lassen (played by Alan Ritchson), Geoffrey Appleyard (played by Alex Pettyfer), Henry Fayes (played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin), and Freddy Alvarez (played by Henry Golding). The two spies on the outside are Marjorie Stewart (played by Eiza Gonzalez) and Heron (played by Babs Olusanmokun). The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a true story. It is a film with the steps towards what created the modern black operations. The reason why March-Phillips is the one assembled is because he does not follow orders. The risk-taking soldiers are what is needed to take on the unexpected mayhem. Ritchie knows when to be explosive.

Is the film serious? It is with the mission. With the humor, it is spot-on and fun to laugh and vibe with. It is a spy operation foundation that has the galore of explosive dissipation. Infiltration is key. It is with classifications of egos. With Cavill as the captain, he has got that attitude that he is undefeated while also keeping that sarcastic mindset. 

To return to the elaborations, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare surrounds the objective of U-boats and warships. Boats and places are the targets in the World War II era. The founder of the operation is Churchill (played by Rory Kinnear). The other commander-in-chief is Brigadier Gubbins ‘M’ (played by Cary Elwes). The superior characters are ones of knowledge and risk. The attitudes and the dynamics have a chemistry of knowing the risks of the mission and creating moments of sanity that are to die for. 

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare had me in thoughts of history. Was there accuracy to the film? Was there inaccuracy? Regardless, it kills with mind-blowing misdirection. The writing of the Allies keeps its flow. It stays focused. With a team of a force that goes by no rules, giving it their all is what the audience will find joy in with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Each team member has a mind-boggling quality. Richie gives his characters something to be remembered by before the action happens.

Will the mission go according to plan? What are the risks? Who is more skilled? The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a firework ride of history with killer personalities. Three out of four stars.

Film reviews

Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre Review

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A heist involving a team of characters with egos results in a film that is a Guy Ritchie joyride. Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre stays in tune with its mission, and with an intriguing cast comes an adventure of grave danger and expected turmoil. Jason Statham is Orson Fortune, Aubrey Plaza is Sarah Fidel, Josh Hartnett is Danny Francesco, Cary Elwes is Nathan Jasmine, Bugzy Malone is JJ Davies, Hugh Grant is Greg Simmonds, and Eddie Marsan is Norman. This elite cast displays many “personalities”—each character with their own unique set of pros and cons.

The introduction of Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre begins by showing authority and critical decisions to be made. The chief in charge of the spy operations is Norman who tells Nathan Jasmine to begin recruiting a team to investigate and put a stop to a new weapons technology that is harmful to the world. The first person recruited is Orson Fortune, a spy at the top of his game who is high maintenance, but gets his jobs done. The second one recruited is Sarah Fidel, and she has a strange sense of humor, but a charming personality. Finally, there is JJ Davies, and he is the quietest, but most tech-savvy of the team. The mission to retrieve information about what deadly threats lie ahead is crucial. With the pieces the team puts together, they realize that a billionaire arms broker named Greg Simmonds is the key to much harm. With the level of protection Simmonds has around him, the team gets Hollywood’s biggest movie star Danny Francesco to be their asset to gain access to the discreet business of Simmonds. Orson refers to himself as Danny’s manager, and due to that lie, their discreet operation poses a risk.

From the setup alone, Ritchie knows how to add class to his characters. Each person has attributes that benefit the mission. Orson is good at engaging in dangerous fun. Sarah is good at maintaining a misleading sense of humor. JJ and Nathan both excel with the technical sides of their duties. Finally, Danny uses his high-profile name and fame to gain closer access to what the team is looking for. Ritchie’s direction of each character with their many accomplishments adds personality that is a pleasure for his audience to tango with.

The seriousness, however, continues with some giggles here and there as the film stays on point with its mission. Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre is 007 with five people because it involves Statham playing the lead agent with lots of extra assistance. He is kind of like a Bond character, but with an extra number of Moneypenny assistants. Spy classiness at its finest in the eyes of Ritchie.

The film thrives in sporadic joyful moments while remaining serious. The film incorporates its various elements through intriguing characterizations. When the audience hears a song like Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head by B.J. Thomas in a film by Ritchie, they know it is a moment for humor, sarcasm, or surprising action. Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre brings its sarcastic characterizations to the fullest, while remaining a clever adventure. It is wild, twisted, and satirical.

With the film being full of all kinds of unexpected surprises which stay in tune with the different countries which are visited throughout the mission. From the United Kingdom to Turkey to Qatar, each of these locations provides interesting backdrops. However, each location could also be where the undercover operation might find itself “tainted” or on an unpleasant plateau. Despite the quirkiness in the characterizations, the cast is an A-list. The mission being pursued in the film has weak moments, but there are new realizations when that happens in Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre. Ritchie pans out his suspense, while humor and sarcasm fuel the suspicion, and the film never stops until its mission comes to an end. Three and a half stars.