The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare – Movie Reviews by Ry!

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare – A Mission of Misfits and Mayhem

To see what can be, becomes a question of the now.  Like many things, we hope that an experience (in whatever moment) becomes something amazing.  This thought travels across many mediums, including film.  From action to suspense, no matter how the foundation is built, the ultimate thought in the end is … were you entertained.  In this review, I look at the latest Guy Ritchie film.  Based on a true story, we head into a surreal adaptation of wartime events.  Even within a typical genre structure, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a rambling ruckus of misfits, mayhem, and fun. 

It is WWII, and Great Britain is on the edge of losing the war.  When all hope seems lost, a group of undesirable soldiers go undercover on a mission that will change the course of history.  When it comes to true story films, there is an expectation of ‘bending’ certain elements.  Take this detail and give it to a creative mind like Guy Ritchie (Snatch, The Gentleman, Aladdin), and you’ll get a surreal driven concept that pushes war-like mantras to an extreme level of context.  With this film, you come into the height of WWII, where Great Britain is on the verge of losing to Nazi Germany.  Through a mixture of narration, individual conversations and a mix of satirical moments, Winston Churchill instructs certain members of his cabinet to sanction an unfavorable mission: Send a group of individuals to an island off the coast of West Africa and destroy the supply ship for the German U-Boats.  With this mission being ‘off the books,’ they enlist some ‘unsavory’ individuals, led by Gus March-Philips (Henry Cavill).  After the crew is put together, they head on their mission to change the course of the war.  From the prologue onward, this film does away with any kind of suspenseful adoration of warlike elements.  Through the vision of Guy Ritchie, you have a film that pushes the limits of believability.  As the story moves along a typical point A to B linear directive, it is crafted within moments of colorful antics that show off the crazed individuals of March-Philips’ crew.  The distinct value of the journey is not in the ‘true event’ elements, but in how and why the Nazi’s are defeated.  This lack of character development might distract, but it ironically lifts each scene to a degree of humor and intrigue.  From the rescue mission of a comrade to taking over the supply ship, it becomes a manner of vibrant delight in Guy Ritchie’s vision and technique. 

As the crew make their way to the island, the journey becomes a movement of characters and position.  The enveloping story becomes a journey of enjoyable fun within the comradery between the misfit soldiers.  When the mission is finally set to go, we head into a third act that drives the action to the extreme.  Through bombastic explosions, raw/gritty action moments and a high body count, you head into a predictable climax but comic like send off fitting of a Guy Ritchie tale.  The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an adaptation that pushes real events for the sake of entertainment.  If you are a fan of Guy Ritchie, Henry Cavill, or a story about misfits, this is one for you.  There is a lot of fun to be had here, especially on the big screen.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)