While the trailer might look like your regular shoot-em-up action movie, Guy Richie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is actually based on a true story. It tells the tale of a small band of highly skilled British recruits who are sent to stop the onslaught of German U-boat attacks against the British fleet during World War II. The film stars Henry Cavill (Man of Steel), Alan Ritchson (Fast X), Elza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Henry Golding (The Gentlemen), Babs Olusanmokun (Dune), Alex Pettyfer (In Time), Til Schweiger (Inglorious Bastards), Hero Fiennes Tiffin (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), and Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride).
It is 1941. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of officials bring in renegade commando Gus March-Phillips (Cavill) to offer him an opportunity to lead a top secret (deniable) mission: stop a ship full of supplies from reaching German U-boats. What do they mean by deniable? If Gus is caught by the British, they will arrest him. If he's caught by the Germans, they'll torture and murder him. Instead of going back to prison, he decides the prospect of shoving a knife in the side of the Nazis is worth the risk. He brings in Anders Lassen (Ritchson), Freddy Alvarez (Golding) Geoffrey Appleyard (Pettyfer), and Henry Hayes (Fiennes Tiffin). Working alongside British agents Heron (Olusanmokun) and Marjorie Stewart (Gonzalez), will they be able to complete Operation Postmaster? And even if they do, will they come out of it alive?
In real life, no shots were fired during their mission and while a true-to-reality movie would have sufficed, Richie's rendition can reach and appeal to a wider audience, which-in turn-brings the actual story to more people. One of the real-life members of the organization was Ian Flemming (portrayed in the movie by Freddie Fox), author of the 007 series, who based his James Bond character on the charismatic, smooth-talking Gus March-Phillips. This begs the question, is this the closest the public will get to seeing Henry Cavill as James Bond?
The diverse cast did a wonderful job. Til Schweiger is terrifying. Henry Cavill is charming. Alan Ritchson is an arrow-shooting, Nazi-slicing force to be reckoned with. But they're not necessarily the ones who stole the show. Elza Gonzalez is mesmerizing on the screen. She is radiant as the poised and determined Marjorie Stewart, the sole woman on the team who exudes both strength and vulnerability.
The script could have been just a little tighter; however it is still well-written and filled with a number of witty one-liners. It has a little bit of everything: action, drama, suspense, and comedy. Most of the scenes hit the mark perfectly, however a juxtaposition of pacing at the beginning of the movie nearly throws it off course. But that is only a minor set-back as it quickly picks up the pace. Suspense is weaved into each scene well. The stakes are high, with some of the most nerve-wracking segments involving Marjorie Steward as she tries to seduce and distract Heinrich Luhr (Schweiger).
The music choice for the scenes are spot-on which is characteristic of Guy Ritchie's directorial style. That being said, the oddest part of the entire ensemble and the production was the addition of the spaghetti western music in the opening and closing credits of a movie about British spies. The out-of-place however relevant shift in music style almost mimics Quentin Tarantino.
Guy Ritchie's distinguishing snappy dialogue, stylish title sequences, bold characters, and quick cuts can be enjoyed equally in theater as on a couch, but the cinema experience does add to the film. Being completely immersed in the adrenaline-pumping fight scenes and explosions is marvelous. The blood spatter is more visceral. The gleam in Schweiger's eye is exceptionally creepy. Not to mention, the crazed expression on Ritchson's face is equally as funny as it is disturbing. If moviegoers love a funny, slightly over-the-top action movie with beautiful and brilliant actors, this may be the ticket for them.