Guy Ritchie is back with another stylistic blast in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. While imperfect and questionable with its pacing, the film, based on Damien Lewis’ Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII, does its part in setting up an engaging story.
That’s ultimately where the problem lies. Starring Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Eiza González, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Cary Elwes, Babs Olusanmokun, Freddie Fox, and more, Ritchie’s film could’ve benefited as a limited series like the creator’s latest exertion, Netflix’s The Gentlemen. Lewis’ story is too rich in its account to reduce its depth into a two-hour film where the result is a compelling beginning, an unfortunately slow middle, and an explosive third act to close out the narrative. And that very middle is where most of the film fumbles.
One of the details that effortlessly makes Ritchie a riveting director is his ability to capture significant moments through quiet intervals. While the explosive junctures do their part greatly, it’s imperative to look at what the creator is saying before he builds upon the action. Much of that is present in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, but what we get in the middle is a bit much with the overexplaining. It starts to feel contrived when we go back and forth between the characters, making the film feel longer than it is.
Nevertheless, there’s still a lot to appreciate about the film. For instance, the rapport between Cavill’s Gus March-Phillips and Ritchson’s Anders Lassen is an absolute blast through and through. It’s such an oddly striking camaraderie that it’s making me want to get back on my The Man from U.N.C.L.E. sequel horse while I campaign that Ritchson replaces Hammer’s Illya Kuryakin. The same can be said about Henry Golding’s Freddy Alvarez and everything he brings to the table. Eiza González is also a standout performer as Marjorie Stewart, and Cary Elwes, ever the chameleon, is nearly unrecognizable at times. [Let’s get that sequel in the works and bring this entire cast into it somehow. Or, better yet, perhaps this is something that can result in a limited series of sorts. It’s too gripping to leave it as is. The story feels incomplete.]
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is glowing with a remarkable cast, so it’s almost unfair that interactions feel as though they’re cut short. It’s unfortunate that it feels like there’s something significantly missing from the story. And as enjoyable as it is, it’s hard not to come out of the film wanting so much more.
However, because of the exciting moments dispersed throughout the film, audience members are still bound to have a splendid time. You can’t walk into a Guy Ritchie film without coming out of it buzzing about something, and that alone is a feat that few creators have mastered. With an eclectic original score, high-octane beats, and genuinely hilarious instances of levity amid a heavily dark period, the film is an accomplishment.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is now playing exclusively in theaters.
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