With the collapse of the DCU and the troubles with the MCU, pretty soon half of all movies will be Guy Ritchie flicks. Don’t know what they put in his tea, but four movies in three years is quite a feat…. even if I haven’t liked them all. But I did kind of love this one!
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is based on a recently declassified event during WW2 (allegedly as I’m suspicious of its accuracy, especially in the very stabby final act). A ragtag group of misfit soldiers working off-the-books must take out a German ship supplying their uboats. That’s it… it’s a spy thriller action heist flick featuring a dirty half-dozen (and one glitzed out dame).
I kind of loved this dadliest of movies. I think when Guy Ritchie goes off his blimey script, he delivers movies I enjoy. This flick has his usual cool guy, jazzy soundtrack, effortless bloody action… and I loved it. It’s not laden with backstory or deep characters, but what it does do as ritzy, glitzy, down-n-dirty spy flick is a lot of fun.
Sure, sure it has a solid cast headed up by Henry Cavill as key member of the Ministry of Silly Mustaches… but he’s shown up by one Ms. Eliza Gonzales as key member of the Ministry of Va-va-voom. First you give me the slinkiest Cleopatra costume and then you follow up with an even slinkier white number as she sings old standards? I don’t care if Superman isn’t the main star… she showed him up.
And, sure, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Babs Olusanmokun, Cary Elwes and others are in the movie too. Not knocking them at all… it’s a solid cast of guys asked to do some solid action scenes (including a stealth takedown of, like, every soldiers in the German army. And video games try to make stealth missions hard. Pshaw).
The movie is nothing more than a good time with spies and Nazi killing. My dad would love it. I was pretty cool with it too… I had a heck of a good time groovin’ to the swinging tunes and the cool guy swagger. It’s honestly – and perhaps scandalously – my favorite Guy Ritchie film. Sorry not sorry!
Score: 88