What’s It About
Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming. The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a movie that follows various characters who use guerrilla warfare tactics and techniques in Occupied Europe during the Second World War. There’s Henry Cavill. After losing his role as Superman, he has been going through some identity issues. He was great in Mission: Impossible Fallout as a mustached partner alongside Tom Cruise. However, his career took a strange turn when he refused to shave his upper lip hair to continue as the Man of Steel. Hairstyles can make or break a movie’s message, and Henry has been sending some mixed signals lately. I can’t complain about The Witcher because his hair matches the scenery, but his high top in Argylle was questionable. Now, he has an outlandish “I don’t care” style, and it wouldn’t bother me if he weren’t the only character who looked off. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare offers a delightful blend of comedic aspects with gruesome kills and action scenes. However, the movie’s main problem is dry British humor – when it’s off, it’s really off. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a mediocre entry into Guy Richie’s filmography. Most of the movie is average, with a few aspects that excel. By far, the best part of the movie is the action. I applaud filmmakers who dare to score an R rating. This movie is violent, and not afraid to show it. Of course, that’s far from the only thing that makes good action. It’s also well-shot, clear, hard-hitting, and regularly brutal. The other part I liked was (most of) the cast. The standouts are Henry Cavill and Eiza González, with the fan favorite being Alan Ritchson (from Reacher). The rest of the cast is fine, but they are not given much to do regarding performance or character. Even with these positives, the movie overall couldn’t get me excited. It has a fun tone, but I just wasn’t that invested. I wasn’t annoyed watching it, but I also was barely enjoying myself. I doubt anyone will hate it, and some may like it. But for me, this is relatively forgettable, and rewatch chances are near zero. If you see this film, you will most likely see it due to the action the trailer promised. And how is the action? In a word: Great. My only complaint about the violence in this film is that it is surprisingly bloodless for an R-rated movie. I expected something akin to Quentin Tarantino, with substantial blood spurts and gory deaths. However, the action in this movie is a thrilling spectacle, delivering an intensity that is simply missing from most modern action movies. There are plenty of shootouts – both with guns and with arrows; there are knife fights and axe battles; there are hand-to-hand combat sequences; basically, all of the WW2 action you can imagine is in this movie, and it’s filmed wonderfully, without shaky camera or quick cuts. Cavill and his band of ungentlemanly warriors are all super entertaining, their chemistry leading to many laugh-out-loud moments. Additionally, the plot – “a small group of highly skilled soldiers strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II” – offers much more meat to chew on than you might expect. Many things are happening concurrently, leading to storylines converging pretty satisfyingly. A few unexpected moments also forced the plot to go in directions I didn’t expect, but I certainly enjoyed the ride.
OUR RATING – A NAZI KILLING 6.5