The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) Lionsgate/Action-Comedy RT: 120 minutes Rated R (strong violence throughout, some language) Director: Guy Ritchie Screenplay: Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Arash Amel and Guy Ritchie Music: Christopher Benstead Cinematography: Ed Wild Release date: April 19, 2024 (US) Cast: Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza Gonzalez, Babs Olusanmokun, Cary Elwes, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Henry Golding, Rory Kinnear, Til Schweiger, Freddie Fox, James Wilby, Henrique Zaga, Danny Sapani, Matthew Hawksley, Simon Paisley Day, Mark Oosterveen, Victor Oshin.
Rating: ***
It’s always hit or miss with Guy Ritchie. The British filmmaker either hits the mark (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and The Gentlemen) or misses it completely (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Aladdin and Operation Fortune). He has a particular niche and should stick with it. He kind of does with his latest caper, the WWII spy comedy The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. The result is a pretty good action flick in which the good guys kill scores of Nazis. Because that’s what we all want from a WWII-set actioner. Just ask Quentin Tarantino.
I’d like to point out that one of the intelligence officials in charge of the mission is named Ian Fleming. The answer to your question is yes, THAT Ian Fleming, the guy who created the character of James Bond. The events depicted in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare are loosely based on the real-life special op Operation Postmaster. It was led by Gus March-Phillips, depicted in the film by Henry Cavill (formerly Superman/Clark Kent in the now-aborted DCEU), a troublemaking sort sprung from a military prison to head the op because he’s crazy enough to pull it off. According to the closing titles before the end credits, he was the future author’s inspiration for 007.
The plot of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is basically Operation Postmaster or rather, a heavily fictionalized version of it. The object is to interrupt the Nazis’ supply chain by destroying the ship that brings weapons and ammo to the German U-boats hiding in the Atlantic Ocean. Gus agrees to accept the mission on the condition he selects his own team. And what a team it is! They’re a bunch of rebels and rule-breakers like him. They are the strong, barrel-chested Swede and master archer Anders (Ritchson, Ordinary Angels), explosives guy Freddy (Golding, Crazy Rich Asians), commando Henry (Tiffin, the After movies) and master saboteur Geoffrey (Pettyfer, Magic Mike) who they must rescue from a German prison before they can proceed.
While posing as Danish fishermen, two SOE agents on land pave the way for the mission. Heron (Olusanmokun, Wrath of Man) runs a casino bar not unlike the one in Casablanca while Marjorie (Gonzalez, Baby Driver) poses as a nightclub singer. Her objective is to seduce head SS baddie Heinrich Luhr (Schweiger, Inglorious Basterds) while Heron puts together a back-up team for Gus.
I went into The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare praying hard to the movie gods that it wouldn’t be another Argylle, February’s $200M spy comedy that just barely broke the $45M mark in the US (I knew it would flop!). Blessed be, they heard my prayers. It’s a good movie. There may be a few historical inaccuracies, but it’s not like Ritchie and his co-writers are teaching a history class at a university. It’s a popcorn movie, an action flick for people who dig the likes of The Dirty Dozen and Where Eagles Dare. It’s not always a smooth ride in terms of narrative, but it has plenty of action and a high Nazi body count starting with the team blowing up a huge German gunship with just a few well-placed explosives. The action set-pieces are well-orchestrated and exciting. The bad guys sneer and speak with heavy German accents. The “heroes” are a group of reprobates, each with a special set of skills. For example, a bow and arrow is the best way to quietly dispatch enemy soldiers. I love it!
The cast does a good job mainly because they understand The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is just a fun action movie with nothing serious on its mind. Cavill is a great leading man. Gonzalez is hot and sexy. Olusanmokun does a decent Bogart imitation. Schweiger is deliciously evil. Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) has some great scenes as the military intelligence official or the “M” character. The point is they’re all having fun and they work well together, both as actors and as characters.
I don’t really have any complaints about The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Like I said, it’s a good movie. Action junkies will enjoy it as will those who love a good Saturday matinee flick.
