Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writers: Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Arash Amel
Heavily fictionalized, stylized, synchronized, and harmonized, Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is what we call a “mass masala” movie in India, minus the melodrama and choreographed dance numbers. Although there is a sequence that could qualify as the West’s interpretation of an ‘item number’. So if you’re looking for a serious history lesson on an intriguing World War II chapter, go watch a BBC documentary.
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Set right after the Dunkirk evacuation, Henry Cavill plays primary protagonist Gus March-Phillips, a British Army Major, a rogue-human version of Superman, who leads a group of men and one woman, “Justice League” style, in a secret mission to disrupt the Nazis’ U-boat resupply operation on the island of Fernando Po, to help turn the tide of war in the UK’s favor. This top-secret combat unit is formed on the orders of UK PM Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear) and a select group of military officials. Babs Olusanmokun and Eiza González play businessman Heron and female agent Marjorie Stewart, who do groundwork for Gus’ team on Fernando Po.Before reaching Fernando Po, Gus makes a pit-stop at a prison island to rescue their comrade Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer) from the Gestapo. This scene evokes a strong ‘Suicide Squad’ vibe, with just four men—Gus, the brawny Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), expert sailor and navigator Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), and demolitions expert Freddy (Henry Golding)—taking on an entire island run by Nazis.
Before reaching Fernando Po, Gus makes a pit-stop at a prison island to rescue their comrade Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer) from the Gestapo. This scene evokes a strong ‘Suicide Squad’ vibe, with just four men—Gus, the brawny Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), expert sailor and navigator Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), and demolitions expert Freddy (Henry Golding)—taking on an entire island run by Nazis.
Gus and his team swat the Nazis like flies through the 2-hour runtime of “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” There’s guns, bullets, explosions, and bodies everywhere. It almost feels like a video game, courtesy of the countless brutal deaths, but surprisingly, there’s not a lot of gore on display. Some parts reminded me of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds” (2009), which I’d rate higher in terms of entertainment value. Guy Ritchie’s film, despite an interesting ensemble cast, doesn’t give us memorable characters; they keep you engaged while the movie is running, but will be out of your mind soon enough. For instance, Til Schweiger, who plays one of the principal antagonists, a ruthless Nazi called Heinrich Luhr, looks the part but rarely makes you anxious over his next move.
Anyway, if you want to watch a vainglorious action movie about a bunch of good-looking British men massacring loads of Nazis, this is the right pick. The climactic half-hour throws some logistical twists, and the men must make last-minute improvisations to ensure their daring mission is a success. The cinematography, combined with an excellent background score, makes “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” a good one-time watch.
Stream the film on Prime Video.
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