This week, Guy Ritchie’s new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Affairs, was released worldwide.
Unfortunately, The Russian Ministry of Culture did not issue a rental certificate for the film Due to a violation of the issuance rules: the documents provided were not verified by the established requirements. This is due to the rental mode for films of a similar genre or for the same device.
On April 25, when Guy Ritchie’s film was supposed to be released, the Russian military action film “Dugout” was already planned. It’s sad, but according to rumors, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Affairs” may appear on the Kinopoisk streaming service after May 10.
We managed to watch the film in the original dubbing and share our impressions. And at the same time we compare it with Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”, which has a similar plot.
Here is a familiar plot about a group of rogue saboteurs
What is the movie aboutThe film’s script was based on Damien Lees’ book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly War: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe on Fire and Gave Modern Shadow Operations.
The story revolves around a group of British spies tasked by Winston Churchill himself to organize sabotage and terrorist attacks. The covert operation, codenamed “Postmaster”, aims to sprint naval submarines into the Atlantic Ocean, which seriously threaten the supply of Allied forces.
The film can be seen as a British response to Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Observations, which also reimagines historical events through the lens of film. However, despite the greatest prevalence in the topic, the approaches of directors vary greatly.
Both “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Affairs” and “Inglourious Observations” use World War II as a backdrop to tell a story about a group of little soldiers carrying out difficult missions. For Tarantino fans, the new film showcases the spirit of madness and American freedom in its depiction of historical events, but Ritchie opts for a lighter, more entertaining tone as opposed to Tarantino’s darker, grittier style.
Henry Cavill plays the main role, demonstrating charisma and leadership qualities. Unlike Brad Pitt in Inglourious Observations, who is remembered for his Southern accent and unwavering determination to fight the Nazis with experimental methods, Cavill approaches his role with more presence, a smile and British charm.
The same can be said about all the other characters in the story. They are of course bright and memorablebut not as cruel and uncompromising as in “Basterds”.
Not to mention that the film clearly lacks his lieutenant colonel Hans Land, played by the brilliant Christopher Waltz. Here the Germans exist practically only to be shot, and in very large numbers.
The film is much simpler than Quentin’s story.
Tarantino’s dialogue always achieves depth and metaphor, thanks to lines filled with subtext and historical references. In Inglourious Observations, dialogue contributes not only to the development of the plot, but also to the revelation of the characters’ philosophies.
In contrast, Ritchie in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Affairs uses dialogue as a means of maintaining momentum and adding humor, making it less complex but more accessible to the environment.
Unfortunately, the explosive tension that Quentin creates through dialogue is not explored here. In other words, don’t expect a moment comparable to the opening scene on the farm or the pivotal scene in the bar.
This is a typical director’s film
Guy Ritchie remains true to his style, combining hard-hitting action with comedic elements, giving the film its signature entertaining tone.
Those who enjoy quality realistic WWII films and/or spy thrillers will be disappointed. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Affairs” entertains rather in style ov. Stylish, brutal with an 18+ rating, but still comics.
Essentially, this is one of those films where all the main characters have some degree of invulnerability. Everything is fun, but shallow and simplistic. No one sweats, no one screams, no one hides from bullets, the heroes don’t even run out of ammo. Performs this lightness of musical accompaniment that reminds soundtracks for simple westerns.
Guy Ritchie has his finger on the pulse and keeps the focus on the action. This film clearly sets the director’s personal record for the number of people killed in his films.
Tarantino’s action scenes are often brutal and gory, adding to the drama of the action. Each scene carries an emotional charge and symbolic meaning. Ritchie, on the other hand, is all about visual spectacle and signature stylization. His action is fast and flashy, often escalating to an almost comical form, which is the subtle film character of a spring/summer blockbuster costume.
Good movie to just relax
Interestingly, this description is mandatory for the individual people who inspired the story. An interesting move, considering that the story itself has practically nothing in common with real events.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Affairs is not for those looking for historical accuracy or psychological information. This film is for lovers of dynamic action and light humor.
Of course, Tarantino’s film does not reach the genius of the film. It’s simply an enjoyable film that can be aptly summed up by Aldo Raine’s character in Inglorious Basterds’ line: “We’ll only do one thing… kill Nazis.” Fast, fun, impressive and with smiles on the faces of the characters.
If you love Guy Ritchie movies and don’t want to spend a couple of hours watching cute anti-heroes take down Nazis with ungentlemanly methods, this is the movie for you.
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
