‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’: Nazi Killing Fun

A Nazi-killing joy-fest doubling as a two-pronged origin story about how James Bond and military spec ops teams like the British SAS and Navy SEALS came to be.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’: Nazi Killing Fun
Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson) machine-guns some Nazis, in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate
Mark Jackson
Updated:
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R | 2h | Comedy, Thriller, Espionage | April 19, 2024

“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” is director Guy Ritchie raising a glass to Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” with an unapologetic, unabashed, Nazi-bashing fun-fest of his own.

“Ungentlemanly” more or less hits two birds with one stone as a double-barreled origin story for how James Bond came to be, and how military special operations commando teams—such as the British SAS and the U.S. Navy SEALS—came to be.

(L–R) Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), and Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson) observe the work of their demolition-expert teammate in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
(L–R) Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), and Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson) observe the work of their demolition-expert teammate in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate
And while all of the above is in based on true stories, when it comes to Mr. Ritchie, who tends to choose fun over facts, that’s just a jumping-off point for outrageous dramatic license where barely anything one is about to see actually happened. True or false, with “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” there is quite a bit of fun to be had.

Operation Postmaster

The story told here is the 82-year-old military underground mission code-named “Operation Postmaster,” secretly organized by Winston Churchill (played here by Rory Kinnear). This was a British World War II effort in which an intrepid group of piratical, deadly rogues, each one as cool as a cucumber, and tongue-in-cheek-hilarious, were secretly sent to the coast of Africa to destroy a Nazi supply ship.

What for? The Brits needed to halt these German supply boats that were keeping the Nazi submarines in business, torpedoing American Navy ships, and preventing America from transporting troops across the Atlantic to join England in the war effort.

Brig. Gubbins "M" (Cary Elwes) is the man who inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond's boss, "M," in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
Brig. Gubbins "M" (Cary Elwes) is the man who inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond's boss, "M," in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate

“M” (Cary Elwes)—yes, the famous “M” of the James Bond books and movies—calls Churchill’s risky plan “an unsanctioned, unauthorized, and unofficial mission.” This is pretty much what every SEAL team, Green Beret, and Army ranger mission is nowadays.

Also involved in the plot is M’s underling, a young Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox). Most of Fleming’s inspiration for 007’s spy adventures stemmed from his time working for British Naval Intelligence.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin (L) and Henry Cavill in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
Hero Fiennes Tiffin (L) and Henry Cavill in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate

The Team

One Gus March-Phillipps is recruited to discreetly sail to the Spanish-controlled neutral colony Fernando Po, and blow the big German supply boat sky-high. March-Phillipps was apparently Fleming’s main inspiration for James Bond, and is played by Henry Cavill, fresh off playing another spy in “Argylle“ and sporting a mustache that should have its own agent.
Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill) as a James Bond prototype in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill) as a James Bond prototype in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate
Along with March-Phillipps are Anders “The Danish Hammer” Lassen, played by Alan Ritchson, looking even more monstrous than his normal Jack Reacher self. Mr. Ritchson appears to be emulating the flamboyant character that that other current cinematic physical behemoth, Jason Momoa, debuted in “Fast X.“ Unfortunately, it’s not nearly as funny a performance as Momoa’s.

Then, there’s the thoroughly unfazed Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer), who’s able to conduct a normal conversation while being Nazi-tortured via electric cables clipped to his nips. Rounding out the crew are diving and underwater demolition expert Freddy Alvarez (Henry Golding, so far from “Crazy Rich Asians” that he’s unrecognizable), and the young Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), sailor and navigator extraordinaire.

(L–R) Alex Pettyfer, Alan Ritchson, Henry Cavill, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Henry Golding in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
(L–R) Alex Pettyfer, Alan Ritchson, Henry Cavill, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Henry Golding in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate

On Target

Once they arrive on target, the team joins forces with spies Heron (Babs Olusanmokun) and Marjorie (Eiza González); the latter is a Jewish agent who’s deeply invested in getting revenge on the Nazis. She also demonstrates more tangibly than any other iteration of the genre I can think of, why a military and espionage-weaponized femme fatale is an unstoppable force, even against a Nazi officer with ice water in his veins. Watch for the scene (one that’s guaranteed never to have happened) where she grabs the mic and seductively wows the crowd with a rendition of Kurt Weill’s “Mack the Knife” at an after-hours Nazi banquet.
The stunningly gorgeous, deadly, and Jewish Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González)  is a Nazi's worst nightmare, in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
The stunningly gorgeous, deadly, and Jewish Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González)  is a Nazi's worst nightmare, in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate
Suffice it to say, there’s an 11th hour revelation that the supply ship is thoroughly armored up, and therefore can’t be blown up. What to do? Maybe steal it instead?
Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson) skewers some Nazis, in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson) skewers some Nazis, in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate

Overall, as mentioned, there’s not much of an attempt to be realistic with this band of proto paramilitary merry pranksters, cracking wise and shooting Nazis like they were playing at target practice—especially the gay version of Jack Reacher going bow-hunting for Storm troopers.

Sometimes we just want to see evildoers meet grizzly ends because they deserve it. This movie, like “Inglourious Basterds,” will definitely scratch that itch.

Promotional poster for "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." (Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate)
Promotional poster for "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Jerry Bruckheimer Films/Lionsgate
‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ Director: Guy Ritchie Starring: Henry Cavill, Henry Golding, Cary Elwes, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza González, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 2 hours Release Date: April 19, 2024 Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
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Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson
Film Critic
Mark Jackson is the chief film critic for The Epoch Times. In addition to the world’s number-one storytelling vehicle—film, he enjoys martial arts, weightlifting, motorcycles, vision questing, rock-climbing, qigong, oil painting, and human rights activism. Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Williams College, followed by a classical theater training, and has 20 years’ experience as a New York professional actor, working in theater, commercials, and television daytime dramas. He narrated The Epoch Times audiobook “How the Specter of Communism is Ruling Our World,” which is available on iTunes and Audible. Jackson is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic.