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MOVIE REVIEW

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

also known as “Министерство неджентльменских дел,” “非紳士戰爭部,” “非紳士特攻隊”
MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for strong violence throughout and some language.

Reviewed by: Pamela Karpelenia
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults Young-Adults
Genre: Spy War Action Black-Comedy
Length: 2 hr. 0 min.
Year of Release: 2024
USA Release: April 19, 2024
DVD: June 25, 2024
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Relevant Issues

This film is a fictionalized story based loosely on the 2014 book Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII by British author Damien Lewis, formerly a war correspondent.

World War Two

About SPIES in the Bible

Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond books

Commandos

What is the Biblical perspective on war? Answer

War in the Bible

Armies in the Bible

FILM VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer

Films that make light of death and destruction

Torture

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Featuring Alan Ritchson (Anders Lassen) … Anders Lassen
Henry Cavill (Gus March-Phillipps) … Gus March-Phillips
Eiza González (Eiza Gonzalez) … Marjorie Stewart
Babs OlusanmokunMr. Heron
Cary ElwesBrigadier Gubbins ‘M’
Hero Fiennes TiffinHenry Hayes
Freddie FoxIan Fleming
Alex PettyferGeoffrey Appleyard
Henry Golding Freddy Alvarez
Danny SapaniKambili Kalu
Til SchweigerHeinrich Luhr
Henrique ZagaCaptain Binea
Rory KinnearWinston Churchill
See all »
Director Guy Ritchie
Producer Black Bear
Jerry Bruckheimer Films
See all »
Distributor
Distributor: Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. Trademark logo.
Lionsgate
(Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.)

Hyperviolent

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is very loosely based film of a wartime mission called Operation Postcard. Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), who was commissioned by Winston Churchill to destroy ships used to supply the Nazi German boats.

Along with Phillips other real life members of the team include, Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer), Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), and Freddy Alvarez (Henry Golding), and Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin).

Unfortunately, odd liberties were taken, seemingly for the sake of inclusion, such as black super spy Mr. Heron (Babs Olusanmokun). As a black person myself, the character seemed misplaced and forced, and ultimately didn’t make sense.

Another liberty was in the female character Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González), a real person involved in the mission, but the film made her a weapons expert along with exaggerating her role in the actual mission, which was unnecessary given the cast real life heroes.

The source material of Operation Postcard already records such an incredible feat, so much so that it inspired the character James Bond. The source material actual events were sufficient to make a good film. The added idiosyncrasies are distracting, to say the least, and take away from an already fascinating story.

As an ensemble cast film, the actors do a mostly good job of establishing the pivotal characters and building rapport between them. The camaraderie is apparent, and I was rooting for them as a team throughout the entire film, which made it a fun watch.

However, there is a great deal of objectionable content. When dealing with WW2, the racism, the Nazi symbolism is offensive in and of itself. There is excessive violence with shootings, stabbing, guns, and blood. A man is shown with a torture device on his chest. Blood is visibly shown.

There is a scene where a fictional Nazi General has a truly disgusted look on his face when he believes a woman is a Jew, and that kind of hate resonates in different ways currently. However, biblically, we understand that there is only one “race” the human race, and we all have one blood in that we are descended from Adam and Eve and later Noah and his family. The very idea of race is a social construct. A person with a different skin tone or facial features is no less human than the next.

Q & A

Racism—What are the consequences of racial prejudice and false beliefs about the origin of different ethnicities? Answer

Origin of Ethnic People Groups—How could all ethnicities come from Noah, his three sons and their wives?

Racism, Ethnicity Issues and Christianity
Get biblical answers on racial hot-topics.

Regardless of skin color, we are all sinners in need of salvation that can only come through Christ Jesus.

Overall, the film is fairly interesting, but not great. And this movie is very violent and the language is objectionable. If you’re a fan of Guy Richie’s form of storytelling, this could be a fun watch. If you’re more interested in historically accurate views, you may find the creative liberties bothersome.

  • Violence: Extreme
  • Vulgar/Crude language: Heavy — include F-words (2) and B*gger
  • Profane language: Moderately Heavy — J*sus Chr*st
  • Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate
  • Wokeism: Moderate
  • Nudity: nude body of torture victim seen mostly from the rear; cleavage and upper thigh baring dress on woman; crop top
  • Sex: Mild to Moderate — innuendos; seductive dancing; homosexual innuendo
  • Occult: None

Slang definition: Bugger

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Learn about DISCERNMENT—wisdom in making personal entertainment decisions

cinema tickets. ©  Alexey SmirnovEvery time you buy a movie ticket or buy or rent a video you are in effect casting a vote telling Hollywood, “I’ll pay for that. That’s what I want.” Read our article

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Secular Movie Critics
…relentless hyperviolence… a B movie relish for extreme violence… Points, too, to the sound design team that brings to flinching life the many sounds a body may make when it is shot through, sliced open, and axed to bits. … [2½/5]
Kimberley Jones, The Austin Chronicle
…makes sport of commando combat… a “Kelly’s Heroes” with a character who likes to carve the hearts out of his Nazi prey. …[2½/4]
Roger Moore, Movie Nation
……turns these men into impossibly proficient, virtually invincible killing machines who dispose of nazis with such casual ease that they might as well be superheroes… a mishmash of tones that transforms what should have been a gripping, white-knuckle thriller into a slight, forgettable action-comedy that never quite settles on what type of film it wants to be… [2/4]
Derek Smith, Slant
…slapdash tale… the movie is diverting but remains awkwardly stuck between a larkish caper and a more gripping combat action thriller.
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
…It’s looking like another commercial miss for Ritchie… propelled by an abundance of energy, infectious enough to temporarily lead you away from major quibbles but… the zingers don’t quite zing enough, and…there are…attempts to try to ape Tarantino with some rather awkwardly overwritten banter. [3/5]
Benjamin Lee, The Guardian [UK]
…Ritchie fails to muster the expected tension. Instead of suspense, audiences feel a sense of delight in watching them succeed, no matter the setback. …
Peter Debruge, Variety

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