Explosive
Summary
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare deserved to be a bigger hit than it was and I would have enjoyed seeing it on the big screen. Cavill and the rest of the cast seem to be having a ball and the energy is infectious too. It does drag a little in the middle but the finale has plenty of explosions and a huge bodycount making this a fun men on a mission caper.
Plot: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a group of military officials hatch a daring plan to neutralize Hitler’s fleet of German U-boats during World War II. Made up of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, the top-secret combat unit uses unconventional techniques to battle the Nazis and change the course of the war.
Review: This never got a theatrical release here in darkest Canada and it also was a box office flop which is a shame as The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a lot of fun. It got little in the way of hype and I guess the studio wants it to be a bigger success on streaming.
Based on a true story Guy Ritchie directs an all-star cast including Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Cary Elwes, Eiza González and Henry Golding. Ministry is an old-fashioned men on a mission tale with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek with Cavill and co. gleefully killing Nazis on behalf of Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear). Speaking of Churchill, that was the weakest aspect of the casting as he didn’t look or sound anything like him. It didn’t really matter though as he doesn’t have a huge role and it didn’t detract too much from the entertainment value.
The first half is a little slow in parts, but the second half is packed with shoot-outs and explosions with a bodycount surely nearing triple digits. There are some good kills with Alan Ritchson showing no mercy towards his enemies. He definitely has “action star” written all over him; he probably didn’t need the accent but it wasn’t terrible.
This doesn’t happen often, but I found the score a little annoying at times with the jazzy drums feeling repetitive.
Overall, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a fun men on a mission movie with a little pacing issue in the middle, but it has plenty of action in the second half and Cavill and Co. seem to be having a ball. It’s at times hilarious and the tone is generally light, making for an easy watch.