I never know why a movie might get recommended on YouTube, but when something like this pops up (allowed or not, even if the algorithm is pushing it forward), I’m checking it out. Simply because this didn’t make it to our big screen, and I’ve been eager to watch it.
So why not?
If it wasn’t allowed, pretty sure Lionsgate would have sent a ‘letter’ and YouTube would block it. Probably within the few hours after I’ve watched it. In the meantime – and it wasn’t really easy to do – I searched for it over YouTube on the desktop just so I could get a screen-shot to share that I did watch this over YT.
Who knows how much longer it’ll be available after I post this review…
So, on with it.
This is supposedly based on true accounts that are the beginning of Special Forces during World War II where the UK was concerned: an elite team of outliers given a specific mission with no real guidelines on how they might accomplish said mission. The rules of conduct that might apply to a proper soldier would be mostly, if not wholly, ignored. Hence, “Ungentlemanly Warfare”.
Yet, despite the ruthlessness and efficiency of their actions, these warriors are somewhat steadfastly gentlemanly in their manners, which adds to the humour of the movie. All of it seems very in line with a typical Guy Ritchie movie, quite prevalent in his previous flicks. At least, the British ones. (Yeh… don’t think it was evident in something like The Covenant, and never bothered with the Aladdin remake.)
That being said, the cast do very well for the most part with Henry Cavill pointing the way as half a mad man and half-gentleman. He’s clearly relishing the role as a proto James Bond; his character Major Phillips is reportedly (at the film’s conclusion) the foundation for Ian Fleming’s super spy. Fleming himself is part of this story and portrayed by Freddie Fox (whose father played ‘M’ in Never Say Never Again).
Cavill is very ably supported by his cast-mates who make up the rest of the core unit. We have the likes of Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin there while Eiza González and Babs Olusanmokun are the spies providing support at the main target.
The only gripe I have is that much of the third act happens at night and it is super dark, making it difficult to see what’s going on until the inevitable explosions provide more illumination. It’s not quite to the murkiness of that infamous Games of Thrones episode. Still, it’s almost as if this whole movie was commissioned by Netflix.
I get why the reviews have been quite split over this movie with a kind of love-it or hate-it thing going on.It seems to happen with many of Ritchie’s movies of late, so maybe count me biased. This was quite a fun movie even with its serious side of being a WW2 mission that would turn the tide. Of course, it’s also inevitable how things would turn out, given its place in history.
Ultimately, it’s Ritchie bringing his unique style to the proceedings, ably supported by his solid cast and crew. The score by Chris Benstead also stands out (although I first thought it was Daniel Pemberton again). All together, this would have been quite a treat if it had been on the big screens here.
Rating: 💥💥💥1/2 /5
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Written by Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson, Arash Amel, Guy Ritche
Based on the book by Damien Lewis
Stars Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza González, Babs Olusanmokun, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Henry Golding, Til, Scweiger, with Freddie Fox, Rory Kinnear, and Cary Elwes
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