The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review, written by Vinni Misa! Special thanks to Pioneer Films!
Guy Ritchie directs the film and stars Henry Cavill as Gus March-Phillipps, Eiza González as Marjorie Stewart, Alan Ritchson as Anders Lassen, Henry Golding as Freddy Alvarez, Alex Pettyfer as Geoffrey Appleyard, Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Henry Hayes, Babs Olusanmokun as Mr. Heron, Cary Elwes as Brigadier Gubbins ‘M’ and Freddie Fox as Ian Fleming.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is the latest directorial effort from Guy Ritchie, who has made a career from quirky British crime films such as Snatch and even the Sherlock Holmes films. But he has since left a mark in the spy genre with films such as The Man from UNCLE and Operation Fortune. “Ministry” feels like a passion project from Ritchie as he himself is a history buff. What makes his approach to this film feel natural is how he combines what he’s learned from past crime and spy films to portray this gang of misfits on a mission as a Churchill-sponsored heist.
Henry Cavill, playing into his and the internet’s frustration to see him as James Bond, delivers a cool but rugged portrayal of Gus March-Phillips, a real-life inspiration for Bond. Alan Ritchson disappears to play the Danish operative Anders Lassen. And Eiza Gonzalez delivers an eye-catching performance as the seductress spy Marjorie Stewart.
The film follows a breakneck pace for a 2-hour runtime, while also giving time for characters to bond and interact before the action picks up again. Perhaps another thing I liked about this film is the natural feel of the cinematography. It’s grainy, the colors don’t feel subdued by filters, and at times it even feels like watching a WWII Commando movie from the 60s like Dirty Dozen and The Guns of Navaronne.
“Ministry” is a must-watch in the cinemas. It makes you miss the times when even modern historical films would occasionally feel fun and exciting with romanticized stories of daring missions adapted to the screen. I had so much fun watching this film. It’s a must for history enthusiasts and action movie lovers.
VERDICT: 10/10
Special thanks to Pioneer Films and SM Cinema
