‘Ungentlemanly Warfare’ finds civil way to deal with war

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is either the most incorrectly named film of the past decade or the most apt. The ungentlemanly part makes sense as the film from director Guy Ritchie is based on recently declassified files of the British War Department that show how the British needed to go against the accepted rules of warfare to deal with a major Nazi threat.

At the same time, the way the ‘40s version of a “Mission Impossible” team acts toward each other and even at times with the enemy shows a lot of reserve and breeding. The members of the team will politely put a bullet in a person’s head if necessary. That means the carnage often is carried out in a generally gentlemanly fashion.

Either way, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is to war movies what James Bond is to the spy genre. Both exist in dangerous worlds where the reality is harsh but there’s always time for tea. Just because the situations are uncivilized doesn’t mean the way people act can’t be civil.

The film spotlights the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear). The script – loosely based on Damien Lewis’ book Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII – shows it is a desperate time as German U-boats are keeping the Americans from joining forces with the British to fight the Nazis.

The plan is to send a motley crew of rogues and mavericks on an unsanctioned mission to a small island off the coast of Western Africa where there is a facility that is the primary source for keeping the U-boats operating. The destruction of the facility will open the doors for American soldiers.

Leading the team is Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), an imprisoned soldier who has never seen an order he couldn’t ignore. His impossible mission team includes a skilled diver, explosives expert and joyful killer. He will also get assistance from two spies – played by Babs Olusanmokun and Eiza Gonzalez – who have infiltrated the Nazi stronghold.

Ritchie’s directing style has evolved over the passing years going from the gritty “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” to this stylized approach to the war movie genre. “Ministry” shows more his white-collar approach to films that started with “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and “Sherlock Holmes” where the violence is more like a ballet.

The heroes of this film kill with the ease and accuracy of a John Wick as they are deadly accurate without needing to aim. There is a flow to the action scenes that is best seen in the sequence of a very brutal raid that is edited together with a sensual singing performance by Gonzalaz.

The conductor of both the major action scenes and the dry humor is Cavill. If this film doesn’t move Cavill high on the list of actors to play James Bond in future offerings in the franchise, then no one is paying attention. He can be both rugged and suave in the same scene, a skill needed to play 007.

Part of that association comes from how Ian Fleming, the author of the Bond books, was a member of the British military. There is speculation that the character played by Cavill was the inspiration for the super spy.

Just like the group hero “Mission: Impossible” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, “Ministry” is primed to be the start of an action franchise. Some of the supporting players will have to be fleshed out more but the elements are there for a series of films that are equal in fun and action.

Despite its civilized approach and dry humor, make no mistake as “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is filled with bloody action sequences. Those moments come across a little less violent because of the class shown by the secret military team. Ritchie allows the film to drag in a couple of spots but there is enough blending of action and comedy to have a jolly good time watching the film.

Movie review

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Grade: B+

Cast: Henry Cavill, Henry Golding, Eiza Gonzalez, Cary Elwes, Alan Ritchson

Director: Guy Ritchie

Rated: R for language, violence, smoking

Running time: 120 minutes.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.