MOVIE REVIEW | Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre

LifeIsXbox’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Review | In what will undoubtedly tie you over until the next James Bond film, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, is the latest action-comedy film from Guy Ritchie, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime. As far as spy movies go, we instantly think of James Bond, Mission Impossible, and… not many others. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre looks to fill that void by introducing a new spy, one who just wants to enjoy his time off from saving the world, but unfortunately, due to a current economic crisis, England has requested help from “Fortune”, a spy for hire who is tasked to recover documents pertaining information on a new potential threat. Along with his crack team of wise-cracking misfits, Fortune sets off only to discover that his own government has seemingly hired multiple people to try and get the information they desire.

Directed by Guy Ritchie and Distributed by Lionsgate, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre stars Jason Statham, Josh Hartnett, Aubrey Plaza, Hugh Grant, and Bugzy Malone.

What We Liked!

• The Plot | As detailed in the intro, the plot is actually pretty straightforward, but with the added twist of having your own government almost going up against you as a sort of precautionary measure in case you fail. Not only does this mean that Fortune has to contend with the actual villains, but also with the money-hungry competition. This creates a rather funny dynamic in the movie where essentially the main first act is a cat-and-mouse chase game between the two competing parties. No sooner does Fortune get the data that is required, it is quickly taken from him, resulting in him trying to then take it back. Aside from this, we have a good mixture of villains in the movie, the main one played by Hugh Grant. This isn’t the first time that Hugh Grant has worked as a sort of villain in a film by Guy Ritchie. In 2019, Hugh played a similar role in “The Gentlemen“, a British Gangster Movie that also is very good, and demands a watch. What quickly spirals into a much more serious role involving AI bots, the film starts to introduce more villains with similar motives that also show good character development with twists on plays and motives.

• The Cinematography | I was really impressed with the cinematography in this movie. It has some really unique ideas that you don’t see often. One example was where a camera has been attached to the end of a gun, and it shows the shot facing the actor. It creates this weird parallax between steady movement, yet appears to be fixed. Huge sweeping vistas in some of the many locations the film has to offer. London, Turkey, Madrid, and France all have some great shots taken of them. The car chase sequence in the Ford Mustang is one of the highlights of the film and it goes without saying that the aerial shots and the gunfight from the car are some of the best scenes in the movie.

• Actually funny | There is a level of comedy that Guy Ritchie always brings to his movies. It’s a deadpan humor that you rarely find in US movies. The US tends to be more slapstick comedy, whereas the UK movies tend to incorporate a level of seriousness to them. In one scene where they are chasing someone via a tracker they have on his phone, they find a dead body laying face down and are arguing about whether it is him or not. Within that same moment, another person falls to their death right at the exact same spot, and without flinching they just say “THAT’S the guy”.

• The Villains | As per all superhero movies, Shazam: Fury of the Gods is no different. After the movie has ended we are presented with two after-credit scenes that help set up the movie for either its next installment or a glimpse of what is coming in the next movie or series from DC, that fits within that universe. While I won’t go into details as you do need to witness these for yourself, just know that as far as after-credit scenes go, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, has some of the best after-credit scenes that give people who are familiar with the backstory and lore of Shazam, enough to hang onto. Especially if you are a fan of Peacemaker.

• The Action | It just wouldn’t be a spy movie without some action right? Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre has some great action scenes with car chases, fighting, gunfighting, chases on foot, and lots of explosions. People wanting a decent action flick will be impressed with what is packed into this movie given its rather modest 1-hour 42-minute runtime, and the pacing never feels off. There is always time for characters to catch their breath, discuss their next move, and then get straight back into the action. Coupled with the great cinematography mentioned above, these action scenes are clearly the highlights of the movie.

Mixed Feelings

• The Ending | With most films, they usually don’t know how to end. It’s almost as though the creators get tired of everything they have done so far and just want it to be over. While I am not saying that this is how it is, the ending does feel a little lackluster compared to the rest of the movie. The twist with the villains never gets fully realised, and the final scene involving the competition from the British Government also sadly ended far too quickly. It’s a shame since the setup is so good, but just executed in an average way. Some people won’t mind it, and some people might be expecting a more explosive finish. Either way, it serves its purpose in storytelling, but just fails to make an impact.

What we Disliked

• Nothing | There was nothing I disliked about Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre. It was well-paced, funny, and generally well-acted.

You’ll love this if you liked: Layer Cake, The Gentlemen, Wrath of Man, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E

Please consider supporting us!

We’re on Patreon, just click here for the link. Every help in covering our expenses and rewarding our writers is welcome. Thank you so much