The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

2024 Movies, Action, Movie Review, War

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Another worthy ass kicking addition to the filmography of Guy Ritchie

April 20, 2024

6 minutes

Action, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Babs Olusanmokun, Cary Elwes, Eliza González, Guy Ritchie, Henry Cavill, henry golding, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Lionsgate, Movie Review, New Releases, Reel Interpretations, Rotten Tomatoes, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, War

The last time a film features an abundance of Nazis on the receiving end of violent justice was in 2022’s Finnish film Sisu, where the dialogue-less protagonist slaughters Nazi’s on a grand scale – each death more satisfying than the previous. Any film that makes a major commitment to kill Nazis by the platoon is something worthwhile and yet the trope never gets tiresome or played out. Satisfaction guaranteed especially when the substance doesn’t quite fill the appetite, the style is there satiate the cravings. Director Guy Ritchie known for his stylish approach in constructing an action film finds a new, former classified account of an actual special forces team during WWII to put his fingerprints all over.

What more needs to be said? The premise alone on paper is enough to make a compelling argument to see Ritchie’s take on a WWII Nazi slaughter fest. Ritchie along with co-writers Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson and Arash Amel take the real life account of Operation Postmaster, heavily dramatize the events, and make a spectacle out of a top secret mission that probably didn’t have as much heat on it as its made out to be. But who is actually complaining about that – Ritchie has enough clout attached to his name at this point in his career to see whatever he directs next.

Whatever has Ritchie’s name attached to it, I’m on board but what made my ears perk up about The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare mouthful of a name aside more than anything is the inclusion of Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox). Fleming as you may be aware is the author of the James Bond novels and when the credits begin to roll, we’re informed that Fleming got his inspiration for the famed international spy from the off the books Operation Postmaster that he took part in. It’s little inclusions like Fleming and his commanding officer Sir Colin McVean Gubbins (Cary Elwes) who was most likely the inspiration of M that makes any fan of the James Bond character absolutely giddy.

To take it a step further, leading the film is former Superman actor Henry Cavill who was runner up in playing James Bond to Daniel Craig in 2006. If Cavill doesn’t get to be the next James Bond, at least fans of the character who would petition for Cavill got some closure seeing him be the real life person Fleming looked toward in creating Bond if the studio went in another direction.

The James Bond of it all aside, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare not based on the book of the same name by Giles Milton as you would expect, is instead based on Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII by Damien Lewis and follows renegade commando Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill) leading a squadron consisting of Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), Freddy Alverez (Henry Golding), Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer), Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), Marjorie Stewart (Eliza González) and Mr. Heron (Babs Olusanmokun) to sink the Italian U boat supply ship Duchessa d’Aosta off the island of Fernando Po.

Ritchie and company begin their crusade on a small fishing vessel that is boarded by Nazi’s. As several soldiers ransack and investigate the boat, Tarentino’s Inglorious Basterds opening scene with Christoph Waltz interrogating the French farmer harboring Jewish neighbors comes into focus. The difference between the two similarly constructed introductions is the tone. Tarentino fills the scene with tension, dread and claustrophobia as Waltz’s Hans Landa outsmarts everyone else, knowing exactly where the Jewish family is hiding. You can feel the tension creeping up your spine from this scene whereas Ritchie sets the tone with a more comedic flair. Cavill and Ritchson (sporting a Swedish accent) are the predators waiting for the needle drop which begins a chain reaction of some spectacular kills ending with the small crew admiring Golding’s explosive handywork on the German warship in the distance.

Any of the logic behind the time management is forgiven as once the bullets start flying with pinpoint accuracy, Ritchie has you in the palm of his hands. I already bought into the wild ride once Ritchson spoke his first words of dialogue with his oversized muscles filling out his white shirt. If these Nazi’s couldn’t tell that these two hulking figures could easily take them out without breaking a sweat, they must be more naïve than we thought. Than Ritchson’s weapon of choice came into the picture – the bow and arrow. I could easily watch hours upon hours of Ritchson firing arrows at deserving villains while Cavill shoots them up. And yet somehow he’s bigger in stature and height than Cavill as if that was possible?

Both men electrify the screen with their energy and charisma and that’s alongside the handsome Henry Golding and stunning Eliza González also taking up screentime. But when the time calls for it, all of the intensity and grit pours out into their characters. All know when to put their game face on as believable killing machines who don’t seem to miss a target. For the comparison to Inglorious Basterds, the buck stops at the opening, Ritchie treads lighter on his usual convoluted plot structure and focuses his effort on action and heroic spectacle.

With a premise easier to follow along with, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare features a full caloric intake of entertaining intrigue, action packed ass kicking, with a combinational touch of Sean Connery’s stoic Bond and Roger Moore comedic Bond. Overall, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a worthy addition to the Guy Ritchie filmography featuring enough pulpy style, consumable amusement to keep you on the edge of your seat and heavily invested on the renegade team that stopped the expansion of the Nazi party in Europe so the Americans can join the fight. If there was ever a franchise opportunity Ritchie explored after The Gentleman, it’s this world.