Director Guy Ritchie is known for energetic ensemble pieces overflowing with audacious repartee. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is another frivolous spy caper full of convoluted developments. However, it’s still an engaging escapade that offers hijinks and fun. Sometimes that’s all you need.
This amusing adventure delivers the goods. A mission coordinator (Cary Elwes) for MI6 hires Special agent Orson Fortune (Jason Statham). His mission: Retrieve a stolen doomsday device before billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant), can sell it to the highest bidder. Orson’s operatives include Sarah Fidel (Aubrey Plaza) and J.J. Davies (Bugzy Malone). Simmonds plans to host a charity event in Cannes. The team recruits Simmonds’ favorite movie star, Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett), to infiltrate the event.
Guy Ritchie has a facility for these mid-budget thrillers that mix comedy and action. He knows how to craft pure but undemanding entertainment. Recent examples include the Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Gentlemen, and Wrath of Man. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a worthy addition to his filmography. This sprightly romp is immensely watchable.
Despite all this, the movie was a flop at the box office. Initially scheduled for theatrical release in the U.S. on January 21, 2022, the picture was delayed several times until March 3, 2023. Producers were allegedly worried that the baddies were of Ukrainian nationality. Regardless, the lack of marketing for the film didn’t help. I’ll concede this thriller isn’t particularly innovative, and that unwieldy title is terrible. However, the flick coasts along on wit and charm in under two hours. It’s well worth checking out.
Currently available to rent on digital platforms like Amazon Prime, iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, and more.
03-09-23
6 Responses
Saw this twice but the second time I had to take a restroom break and missed my favorite part sadly – when a character is seemingly thrown off a building and another character says that’s not them only for the actual person to be thrown and land moments later and the same character to correctly identify them just as I’d been thinking should occur. The second time I didn’t laugh as much and the setup takes so long and moves so slow – felt that even on first view – that I ultimately wasn’t too impressed
My favorite parts were every scene with Aubrey Plaza.
This looks like fun. I like Guy Ritchie films at 1 AM after a few cocktails. Then they are a blast.
That’s the spirit! I’ll have a Grey Goose martini, two olives, dirty.
I know, what an awkward title. I don’t know why I haven’t seen this, I really enjoy Guy Ritchie’s piece-wise storytelling even when they’re not top-shelf stories. The Gentlemen has become one of my favorites of his. And this having Aubrey Plaza in it, I have no excuse!
I wanted to see this because of Aubrey Plaza. I didn’t realize it would be this good. The acting,the action, the fun. This deserved to be a hit! 3 1/2 ⭐️