The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review: The Best & Worst Of Guy Ritchie In One Thrill-Ride

When you see the trailers for "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare," it's hard to avoid a certain sense of déjà vu. There's certainly no escaping the comparisons to "Inglourious Basterds," although "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is based on an actual World War II mission rather than one of Quentin Tarantino's revenge fantasies. As far as espionage films go, it's a somewhat clumsy one, crafted competently but without much flair. And as is perhaps par for the course with Guy Ritchie films, some of its cast members acquit themselves far better than others, and things only really start to heat up when Ritchie is allowed to get to the action.

It's the early years of World War II, and Great Britain is in dire straits. The United States hasn't yet joined the war, and England's efforts to fight Germany are severely hampered by the Nazi U-Boat technology that allows them to control large swathes of the Atlantic Ocean around Europe and Africa. Winston Churchill (played by Rory Kinnear in dough-faced makeup so thick he looks like he's wearing a Churchill mask from Spirit Halloween) is facing heavy pressure to both step down as prime minister and make an agreement with Hitler to prevent Britain's complete destruction. It's a bad scene, you guys. So he and a few select allies in his war rooms come up with a Hail Mary scheme to launch a huge blow against the Germans.

There's a ship called the Duchessa floating in the harbor of the Spanish-controlled island Fernando Po off the coast of Africa. It contains a huge quantity of supplies essential for the fueling of German submarines, so it stands to reason that if the ship sunk along with all those valuable war goods, it would destroy Germany's naval superiority in the Atlantic — at least long enough for the Americans to enter the war. To that end, they launch an unsanctioned mission called Operation Postmaster with a ragtag group of miscreants whose unique set of skills make them the perfect fit for the job.

"The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" has an ensemble cast, and most of the characters only get a brief introduction — they're sharing limited screen time, so it's really up to the actors to make the most of it. Some do, and some don't. Unfortunately, the script squanders some of its best opportunities for character-building. For example, they refer to Freddie (Henry Golding) as being miserable to be around unless he has something to blow up, but then they don't actually do anything with that tidbit of personality they've just established. He's just kind of a generic charming guy (Golding's specialty, we fear). Henry Cavill plays Gus March-Phillips, the leader of the group who absolutely cannot be ruffled. This is Cavill in his "auditioning for James Bond" mode — which makes sense, since March-Phillips was reportedly one of Ian Fleming's sources of inspiration when he wrote the character. We know this in part because Fleming himself makes an appearance in a supporting role (played by Freddie Fox of "Slow Horses") as one of the operatives back in London working with the team. And if you thought Guy Ritchie wouldn't include the character introducing himself as, "Fleming. Ian Fleming," well, you just don't know the director at all, do you?

Although some of the ensemble cast members fade into the background fairly easily, others make an immediate impression. Alan Ritchson, best known for his work as the hulking star of "Jack Reacher," is clearly having the time of his life as Anders Lassen, a Danish soldier particularly skilled with a bow and arrow. Most importantly, he fills the crucial role often occupied by Dave Bautista of the giant man in tiny glasses. Although he doesn't get more screen time than the other members of the ministry, he wrings a madcap sense of humor from Lassen's bloodthirsty antics, cheery and quick with a smile even as he effortlessly mows down German soldiers. Babs Olusanmokun as Mr. Heron and Eiza González as Marjorie Stewart are a tremendous double act as the two operatives based in Fernando Po. Together, they lay the groundwork for the mission while attempting to evade the suspicion of Nazi officials, especially the sadistic Heinrich Luhr (played by Til Schweiger, who many may recognize as the legendary Hugo Stiglitz in "Inglourious Basterds"). Although González, notably the only woman in the core cast, is trapped in the disappointingly regressive role of the seducer, she brings a spark, intelligence, and resiliency to Marjorie that makes her more than just a vixen whose primary purpose is to glitter on screen.

As is the case with many Guy Ritchie films, the director seems almost bored by the parts of the script where the characters are just talking. It's only when he gets to the action sequences that he becomes an energetic and engaged filmmaker, and his true talents shine through. Some of the best moments of "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" come during the set pieces when they're just allowed to get down to business and kill some Nazis — the raid scene on a German base along the way to Fernando Po is a particular highlight. And if the final climactic battle is a bit of a disappointment, with too many cuts in the darkness of the ocean to be able to tell quite what's going on, that doesn't take away from the delicious buildup of tension in the scenes leading up to it.

"The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is deep in its soul a Ritchie movie, with all the flaws and triumphs that implies. He hasn't lost any of his panache, especially when he's able to unleash the violence of his characters, but there's also an unsteadiness and inconsistency that routinely prevents his movies from reaching true greatness. Still, it's fun to watch — even if it can't quite find a way to cohere between its talky and its action bits, and it fails to give its characters the depth they deserve.

"The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" premieres in theaters on April 19.