Cinemark has brought back its Secret Movie Series, and having never been to such an event before, I found myself intrigued and, for the low price of $5, I simply couldn't resist buying a ticket. I was one of six people in the theatre - clearly, a secret movie experience is a hard sell. However, I was excited at the prospect of watching something without knowing exactly what it would be. And after the trailers concluded, the lights dimmed and the film began to roll - to my delight, the secret movie was "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare."
As a Guy Ritchie fan, after having seen the trailer for this movie, I knew I wanted to see it - although, admittedly, I didn't think the trailer was especially striking. However, I like Ritchie, and I love Cavill, so I was pleasantly surprised at the reveal of this film being the secret movie. And you know what? This is actually a pretty fun flick.
Yes, there is nothing too innovative at play here - this is standard Ritchie fare, except more nuanced and less extreme in its directing and editing choices than, say, Ritchie's King Arthur film. "Ministry" plays out more like a typical action adventure movie with flares of Ritchie's signature style coming out here and there; and this more subdued approach actually works to the movie's advantage to highlight some of the more dramatic and intense moments. But if you're going to see this film, you're most likely going to see it due to the action that the trailer promised you. And how is the action? In a word: Great.
My only complaint about the violence in this film - not to sound too bloodthirsty - is that it is surprisingly bloodless for an R-rated movie. I was really expecting something akin to Quentin Tarantino, with huge spurts of blood and gory deaths, but Ritchie, once again, takes a more subdued approach, choosing not to showcase a lot of blood or grisly images. That said, the action in this movie is still FANtastic, playing out an intensity that is simply missing from most modern action movies. There are plenty of shootouts - both with guns and with arrows; there are knife fights and axe battles; there are hand to hand combat sequences; basically, all of the WW2 action you can imagine is in this movie, and it's filmed wonderfully, without shaky camera or quick cuts. Sure, I would've preferred a bit more blood when Nazi's were punched or shot or sliced, but I can't knock Ritchie for choosing not to include that for the sole reason that the action is filmed so freaking well. It's nice to watch an action movie that has two things: 1) a lot of action and 2) clearly filmed action. Luckily, "Ministry" has both of those things, and because of that, will be sure to satisfy even the most jaded action junkie.
In Ritchie films, both the plot and the actors are always standouts, and it's no different here in "Ministry." Cavill and his band of ungentlemanly warriors are all super entertaining to watch, their chemistry leading to many laugh out loud moments. Additionally, the plot - as IMDB puts it, "a small group of highly skilled soldiers strik(ing) against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II," offers a lot more meat to chew on than you might expect. There are a lot of things happening concurrently, which leads to storylines converging in a pretty satisfying way. There are also a few unexpected moments that force the plot to go in directions I didn't expect, but certainly enjoyed watching. The plot isn't anything phenomenal, but it kept me engaged and was a great vehicle for its characters and action.
"The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is a good time at the theatre. This doesn't necessarily offer something that you haven't seen before, but in a genre as tired as WW2 action is, "Ministry" shakes things up just enough in terms of its colourful characters and explosive action that you can't help but have fun watching this. And if you're a fan of Guy Ritchie? Then going to see this is really a no brainer.
As a Guy Ritchie fan, after having seen the trailer for this movie, I knew I wanted to see it - although, admittedly, I didn't think the trailer was especially striking. However, I like Ritchie, and I love Cavill, so I was pleasantly surprised at the reveal of this film being the secret movie. And you know what? This is actually a pretty fun flick.
Yes, there is nothing too innovative at play here - this is standard Ritchie fare, except more nuanced and less extreme in its directing and editing choices than, say, Ritchie's King Arthur film. "Ministry" plays out more like a typical action adventure movie with flares of Ritchie's signature style coming out here and there; and this more subdued approach actually works to the movie's advantage to highlight some of the more dramatic and intense moments. But if you're going to see this film, you're most likely going to see it due to the action that the trailer promised you. And how is the action? In a word: Great.
My only complaint about the violence in this film - not to sound too bloodthirsty - is that it is surprisingly bloodless for an R-rated movie. I was really expecting something akin to Quentin Tarantino, with huge spurts of blood and gory deaths, but Ritchie, once again, takes a more subdued approach, choosing not to showcase a lot of blood or grisly images. That said, the action in this movie is still FANtastic, playing out an intensity that is simply missing from most modern action movies. There are plenty of shootouts - both with guns and with arrows; there are knife fights and axe battles; there are hand to hand combat sequences; basically, all of the WW2 action you can imagine is in this movie, and it's filmed wonderfully, without shaky camera or quick cuts. Sure, I would've preferred a bit more blood when Nazi's were punched or shot or sliced, but I can't knock Ritchie for choosing not to include that for the sole reason that the action is filmed so freaking well. It's nice to watch an action movie that has two things: 1) a lot of action and 2) clearly filmed action. Luckily, "Ministry" has both of those things, and because of that, will be sure to satisfy even the most jaded action junkie.
In Ritchie films, both the plot and the actors are always standouts, and it's no different here in "Ministry." Cavill and his band of ungentlemanly warriors are all super entertaining to watch, their chemistry leading to many laugh out loud moments. Additionally, the plot - as IMDB puts it, "a small group of highly skilled soldiers strik(ing) against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II," offers a lot more meat to chew on than you might expect. There are a lot of things happening concurrently, which leads to storylines converging in a pretty satisfying way. There are also a few unexpected moments that force the plot to go in directions I didn't expect, but certainly enjoyed watching. The plot isn't anything phenomenal, but it kept me engaged and was a great vehicle for its characters and action.
"The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is a good time at the theatre. This doesn't necessarily offer something that you haven't seen before, but in a genre as tired as WW2 action is, "Ministry" shakes things up just enough in terms of its colourful characters and explosive action that you can't help but have fun watching this. And if you're a fan of Guy Ritchie? Then going to see this is really a no brainer.