by Charles Kirkland, Jr.
Straight from the files of Winston Churchill and the direction of Guy Ritchie comes a tale too good to be true called The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
Deep in the throes of the Second World War, England is on the brink of falling to the Nazi Empire. Desperate for assistance from the United States, a crazy plan is hatched to cripple the Nazi U-boat fleet which would allow the Americans to cross the Atlantic unhindered and join the resistance. The question is who is capable of executing such a ridiculous and reckless plan in neutral waters with both sides of the war against them? Sounds like a job for a ministry of ungentlemanly warfare.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is written by Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, and Arash Amel. The film stars Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza Gonzalez, Babs Olusanmokun, Henry Golding, Cary Elwes, and Til Schweiger. The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced movie is directed by Guy Ritchie.
Normally, when a film has this many writers (three or more), the film tends to suffer from a lack of either cohesion or plot focus. This film does not suffer from any of these problems. The story of the film is laid out in a nearly seamless three-point arc that builds upon itself well. The story is cheeky and just short of insane in its plot. The mission feels like a cross between Mission Impossible and Inglorious Basterds.
The most outrageous part of the story is the fact that is based on a true story. While it is unclear what parts of the story are not completely true, the story is a part of the actual history of World War II. At the very beginning of the movie, viewers are informed that the story comes from the declassified files of Winston Churchill which were released to the public in 2016.
All that said, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is just plain fun. Aside from the good, soul-cleansing fun of taking out Nazis, the banter between characters is smart, humorous and quick-witted. Henry Cavill is an animated cartoon character with a handlebar mustache and light fingers. Alan Ritchson, from Jack Reacher fame, is physically foreboding and at the same time verbally disarming except for when he is engaged with the enemy.
The standout performance comes from Eiza Gonzalez who plays the English spy and actor Marjorie Stewart. She is sultry, seductive, and exceedingly smart in her thrust and parry with the sadistic Nazi Captain Heinrich Luhr played by Schweiger Her version of “Mack the Knife” is sexy and engaging yet also provides a severe turn of events for the movie.
Rated R for strong violence throughout and some language, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is fun but easily forgettable. While the actors and the scenes pack punch, the film, as a whole, does not. The biggest punch comes at the end of the film before the roll of credits where the audience gets to see how history has treated all the members of the ministry. Not Guy Ritchie’s best but certainly not his worst.
Grade: B