The new film by Guy Ritchie is what one would expect from a story involving a ragtag team of rebellious men who are amoral and simply seeking out the thrills of warfare. If this is not your cup of tea, then I wouldn’t suggest watching this; otherwise, it is an entertaining and fun movie. I pretty much got what I expected from this film. It is injected with plenty of humor, violent action, and satisfying results.
In 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear) assembles a team of troublesome soldiers and warriors that he and his advisors deem skilled for undertaking a covert mission to disrupt the actions of Nazi Germany, to give them an advantage during World War II. Considering that the German U-boats have managed to weaken the British Navy, Churchill’s covert team has been tasked with sinking a formidable ship that provides supplies to the U-boats that have given Germany an advantage during the war.
Loosely based on the nonfiction book Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII by Damien Lewis, director Guy Ritchie and his screenwriters have developed a fun and thrilling movie that comes close to being Britain’s version of The Dirty Dozen. The film provides a mix of humor, action, and thrills to keep its audiences satiated and entertained.
The writing and direction are solid, but the performances by the cast cement the entertainment value of this film. The film features great performances by Henry Cavill, Eliza Gonzalez, Alan Ritchson, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokum, Cary Elwes, and Til Schweiger. Schweiger, who acted in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, stands out in this film as a formidable villain.
I know this movie has already been compared to Tarantino’s film, but it has a groove of its own. Is it as good as Inglorious Basterds? I would say no to that question. Still, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a solid action and humorous war movie that will provide a pleasing diversion for its movie audiences.