Blending fact and fiction, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” isn’t the movie I expected, but it’s a movie I highly enjoyed. Fully embracing his signature slick visual style, action-packed storytelling, and sly wit, director Guy Ritchie has made a historical WWII film based on incredible true events that’s lively, refreshing, and feels like it’s operating on a different level of creativity and vision.
Based on recently declassified files from the British War Department, the film tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization that was formed during WWII by Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear) and a small group of military officials. Needing their top secret combat unit to be the best of the best yet also willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, the UK government recruited a motley crew of highly skilled, maverick outsiders to embark on the dangerous mission of sinking a German supply boat deep behind enemy lines. Their “ungentlemanly” approach and unconventional, outrageous fighting techniques actually changed the course of the war, laying the foundation for both the British SAS as well as modern Black Ops warfare.
It’s a lesser-known chapter of WWII history, and undoubtedly Ritchie plays fast and loose with the facts. This (mostly) true story lends itself well to interpretive fiction, and it makes one heck of an action movie. Ritchie’s characters, which have plenty of depth, are presented as larger than life with qualities that touch superhero status. Honoring the bravery of their real-life counterparts, the cast (which includes Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Eiza González, Cary Elwes, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, and Freddie Fox) have such a natural rapport that they can’t hide the fun they obviously had making this movie. These are all people you want to spend time around as well as root for (plus, it’s always easy to cheer for the good guys against an army of Nazis).
There’s humor and heart in the camaraderie, but also a decent amount of thrills in the form of espionage and bloody action (which showcase Ritchie’s strengths in the best possible way). This probably isn’t going to be the film that his fans were anticipating, but it’s one that will hopefully be embraced for what it is. The plot is straightforward and there isn’t much to the narrative, but it’s the historical setting, incredible true story, and colorful characters that make “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” so much fun.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 