THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE Keeps WWII Light

Cinema Scholars reviews Guy Ritchie’s latest movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, starring Henry Cavill, Alex Pettyfer, Alan Ritchson, and Eiza González. The film opens in theaters nationwide on April 19, 2024.

Introduction

Filmgoers have come to expect a lot from director Guy Ritchie, and his latest endeavor, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, does not disappoint. While the title feels a bit long, the movie itself moves swiftly, wasting no time and giving audiences a sense of the key players and the dangerous mission they find themselves undertaking. The film takes place in mostly Nazi-occupied Europe, with the U-boats presenting not only a huge obstacle for Allied forces but also a solid deterrent to American involvement in the war.

With Winston Churchill’s standing in the government under threat, he makes a risky decision. He takes the questionable step of enlisting a band of non-conformists to embark on a covert mission that could have massive implications for the war effort. If caught by the British, it means prison for the team. If caught by the Germans, torture and death.

Discussion

While so much goes into a film’s success, it’s the casting and well-written characters that contribute the most here. Everyone brings something to the table, but Henry Cavill as Gus March-Phillips garners the most laughs, with Alan Ritchson as Anders Lassen, coming in next.

The two seemingly underrated actors bring so much to the roles and genuinely elevate every scene they’re in. With a mischievous gleam in his eye, Henry Cavill makes certain actions particularly amusing, and Alan Ritchson proves so much more personable than his Jack Reacher persona, it would almost be hard to believe he’s the same person, were it not for his distinct size and appearance. The two prove to be the most delightful characters to grace the silver screen in quite a while.

Further Analysis

While WWII may be no laughing matter, the comedy in this movie splatters amidst the blood effortlessly while the wit flies like bullets throughout. Speaking of bullets, some may find it problematic that the protagonists always hit their targets despite a lack of aim. Although based on a true story, this and other elements keep the levity such that audiences may find it challenging to take much of it seriously.

Even the scenes involving confidence player Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González) and her target, the feared nazi Heinrich Luhr (Til Schweiger), feel light when they could be genuinely tense. Other characters mention Luhr’s sinister side, but he never comes across as particularly threatening. Even the hint of something he’s done, though it unsettles the characters, doesn’t have that effect on the audience.

The tension could have been dramatically heightened had more effort been taken to show just how brutal and evil Luhr is. Nothing about him reads as someone to not cross. While one can assume Guy Ritchie avoids going too dark to keep the tone of the movie consistently light and playful, it still feels like a missed opportunity to get the audience more invested in the scenes involving the two.

Conclusion

Despite these minor missteps, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare provides audiences with good humor, interesting and compelling characters, including several not mentioned here, and some entertaining action sequences. Overall, this movie proves to be a lot of fun.

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