The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Movie Review

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Rent The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson and Arash Amel and Guy Ritchie (screenplay by), Damien Lewis (book)
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza González, Cary Elwes, Rory Kinnear
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
The British military recruits a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.

Verdict
It's a mindless action movie that's production and big set pieces over story. The characters aren't developed, they are just props that mow down dozens of Germans. No one has a motive in the movie deeper than stop the other side which makes for a hollow movie. There's never any tension as this detachment never faces any legitimate danger whatsoever. They walk through the entire movie mowing down their enemies easily. It's not bad, it's just flat. The fact this is based on a true story certainly helps add interest.
It depends.

Review
Guy Ritchie movies have a certain style that's more music video than movie.

The first scene is a 'fun' opening where Gus (Henry Cavill) and Anders (Alan Ritchson) pretend to be Swedish when their boat is detained by Germans. We soon discover they are military operatives when they dispatch the Germans.

Henry Cavill, Henry Golding , Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Alan Ritchson play Gus March-Phillipps, Freddy Alvarez, Henry Hayes, Anders Lassen

This jumps back in time. Gus was chosen to lead this group of misfits that were recruited to run a black ops mission and turn the tides of the war for England. The fact this is based on a true story makes it a more fun. They're tasked with a daring plan to disrupt a German supply line, but if they're caught it will cost everyone.

This is style over substance. It's one of those movies where stuff happens and it checks off boxes. We get pretty cool set pieces, but I'm not invested. It's a nebulous mission to stop the German but there aren't any real stakes. Gus is doing this because the plot demands it. His friends help him just because he asked. This needs a deeper motive and some characterization. This is shallow, relaying almost entirely on big set pieces and great production values. Most scenes are a lot of gunfire as the heroes walk through scenes mowing down Germans without fear. There is no sense of danger or suspense.

This relies on the audience knowing Germans are bad to be all the elaboration needed for why we should root for the heroes. That's not bad by itself, but it's another factor as to why the movie feels hollow. We have no one to root against. All of the characters are just props. There's no characterization, and this needs more time to develop and distinguish characters. Everyone has the same goal. Stop the Germans. This needs some personal stakes for the heroes, or some sense of danger and fear to create tension.