by Lisa Nystrom
Worth: $14.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Henry Cavill, Henry Golding, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Rory Kinnear, Cary Elwes
Intro:
… a stylish throwback to a bygone era of cinema, with not a lot of plot to speak of, but a charismatic ensemble nonetheless, providing a peek at both the more glamorous side of the spy world and the more gritty, blood-soaked underbelly of it all.
A true connoisseur of cons and capers, Guy Ritchie is back with another entry into the heist genre, packed to the brim with suave charm, engaging action sequences, and one-liners.
Intertwining espionage with a World War II setting, Ritchie’s most recent band of mismatched outcasts is based on a real-life group of soldiers from 1942, tasked with an unsanctioned, unofficial, and unauthorised mission by none other than Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming (yes, THAT Ian Fleming), to sink and seize German ships while they’re in port. This ragtag force of commandos is hand-picked by rogue Special Operations agent, Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill), the man widely believed to have served as the inspiration for Fleming’s James Bond, echoes of whom are apparent in March-Phillips’ own particular flair for flashy violence and well-timed humour.
It’s not Cavill’s first foray into secret agent territory, but his portrayal of March-Phillips rivals any of the Napoleon Solos or Argylles who have come before, balancing a charming dry wit with perfectly choreographed physicality; an ideal pairing with Ritchie’s slick directing style. The chemistry of the cast has something of a Dirty Dozen feel with an added layer of camp, their banter injecting familiarity and humour at unexpected moments and reinforcing the notion that Guy Ritchie is one of the best when it comes to endearing audiences to a mixed bag of personalities in a tight timeframe.
While the film’s opening titles advertise the story as being based on fact, it is predictably more embellishment and exaggeration than pure historic documentation—Rory Kinnear as Churchill, for example, is not exactly the Oscar-bait of Gary Oldman’s performance. Still, despite the unfortunate prosthetics, Kinnear does disappear into the character marvellously, right down to the iconic speaking style.
It’s reminiscent of spy thrillers of the classic era, right down to the iconic map transition whenever long-distance travel is required. The action sequences, while bombastic, are not overly CGI-laden, instead choreographed with a sense of realism and urgency that keeps the adrenaline pumping. Alan Ritchson as Danish war hero Anders Lassen letting loose on the enemy with anything from a bow and arrow to an axe is a particularly inspired bit of bloodlust.
Overall, this spy caper action comedy is a stylish throwback to a bygone era of cinema, with not a lot of plot to speak of, but a charismatic ensemble nonetheless, providing a peek at both the more glamorous side of the spy world and the more gritty, blood-soaked underbelly of it all.
