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Lead Critic for the site, as well as serving as an editor when needed.
At its core, the cinema serves to entertain. Guy Ritchie tends to succeed in that vein. The English filmmaker continues his wild run of action comedies with a tale based on the first special forces mission in history.
This film tells the story of the first unit to launch an unofficial operation along with its leader Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill). Modern special forces, as they are known today, first emerged during World War Two thanks to men like March-Phillips. Henry Cavill is having a blast in front of the camera as March-Phillips, continuing to display his great leading man skills, with a supporting cast having just as much fun. This is not Ritchie’s best film, but he never fails to give the audience something fun and chaotic.
Minor spoilers to follow.
An Officer and a Gentleman
While not just the title of a cult favorite Richard Gere film, the saying comes from the fact that officers in the military are also gentlemen in all aspects of life. The saying has grown to encompass the military as a whole and warfare as well. While deadly and nasty, warfare is supposed to be gentlemanly. For example, you don’t kill civilians and destroy unnecessary items such as food. However, that went out the door for the Axis Powers during World War Two. Winston Churchill knew the Allies needed something more, something tougher and meaner. Thus, as the film’s title goes, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare was born. Lackluster writing aside, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a fun time at the theatre. The film could have been slightly better if told through the real-time method of narration.
Henry Cavill is electric in his role. His turn in Ritchie’s spy film is much looser than his role in Argylle from earlier this year, and the entire cast is just having fun. The film’s story is brilliant but the plot is a bit one-sided. The slight idea of what it is to be a “gentleman” is ever present throughout the film. Ultimately, however, it relies on action and good editing to keep things moving. In an action film with a huge ensemble like this, everyone needs to be used. Frankly, Ritchie could have used them a bit better. The film also features Sir Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox), the creator of James Bond. Fleming actually was a part of the special forces community during World War Two, and March-Phillips is said to have been the original inspiration for Bond. This element was perhaps the coolest in the film.
Action and Reaction
Ritchie’s film works best during its action sequences when the cast can really let loose. The film works best during these, but Ritchie feels like he’s trying to emulate other great action sequences that have come before, rather than a homage. Alan Ritchson is in one sequence in particular that feels like it could have been put in an 80s action film. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it makes the plot rely on these shots almost entirely and these moving pieces to keep the film going. Thankfully, James Herbert’s editing holds the film together to help keep these things moving. Herbert’s editing and Christopher Benstead’s score really hold the film up during the lackluster moments. If nothing else, audiences will leave the theatre entertained.
The writing team of Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Arash Amel, and Guy Ritchie knew their story almost too well. Yet, their execution didn’t achieve the intended goal. In particular, when you have a woman character in a film like this, she cannot serve the decades-old trope of the femme fatale seducing the enemy general while the boys on the team go and actually do the work. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens to Eiza Gonzalez. She even has a badass sequence where she shows up as a contact of the team in a shooting contest and it serves literally no purpose because she never fires a gun again. This subplot, as usual, is also easily forgotten because of the action around the rest of the team. We are reminded about her part of the mission only when the film requires the general to make another appearance.
Final Thoughts on Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
While nowhere near the highs of Sherlock Holmes or The Gentlemen (2019)—not to be confused with Ritchie’s Netflix series, which was released last month—, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare serves to keep the audience coming back to their seats. The film isn’t perfect, but it is a very fun time. Sir Ian Fleming being a part of the character roster was also welcoming. The entire cast just lights up the screen and is having the most fun during the action sequences.
In many ways, the film serves as a reminder that these badass warriors are oftentimes, in the beginning, just regular people like the rest of us. Special forces were created to do meaner things, often more necessary things, to win wars. Coming from a military family, this was a great reminder. Without them, the Axis might have won, and things would be very different today. The film has a great interaction at the end between two characters that should keep it fresh as the credits roll.
3.5/5 stars.
Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is now playing in theatres everywhere!
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Lead Critic for the site, as well as serving as an editor when needed.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.