London, England – In a shift from his recent serious dramatic film, director Guy Ritchie returns to his signature style with “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.” Based on a true story from declassified British War Department documents, the movie follows a covert World War II mission led by a group of renegades.
Written by Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Arash Amel, and Guy Ritchie, the script brings to life a daring operation approved by Winston Churchill during his time in office. The film depicts a special forces mission aimed at neutralizing German U-boats in the North Atlantic, known as “Operation Postmaster.”
Led by Major Gus March-Phillipps, played by Henry Cavill, the team includes a diverse group of specialists like “The Danish Hammer” Anders Lassen and demolitions expert Freddy Alvarez. With high stakes and wartime valor at its core, the film navigates through the challenges and dangers faced by the team.
Despite the potential for tension and excitement, Ritchie’s handling of the material falls short in building suspense. The encounters with bumbling Nazis and lack of real threats undermine the intensity of the mission. While the cast delivers solid performances, the film struggles to capture the high-stakes nature of the story.
As the team sets out on their mission to infiltrate a Spanish port and destroy enemy vessels, they encounter obstacles that fail to pose significant challenges. The action-packed sequences and explosions lack the intensity needed to engage the audience fully.
Shot in Turkey, the film boasts a decent production but lacks the immersive period detail needed to transport viewers to the 1940s setting effectively. While entertaining, the execution of the story leaves room for improvement, as Ritchie’s stylistic choices sometimes overshadow the impactful true story at its core.
Overall, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” offers a glimpse into a fascinating historical footnote, but falls short in maximizing its full potential. Despite the charismatic performances and intriguing premise, the execution leaves something to be desired, leaving audiences entertained but longing for a deeper exploration of the characters and events portrayed.