Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 17, 2023

Guy Ritchie might seem like the perfect director to helm a James Bond feature, and in some ways, this film may be his "version" of just such an outing. That said, given some of the cheekier aspects of Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, one might come to the conclusion Ritchie arguably would have been best suited for the Roger Moore era of the venerable 007 franchise, a subset that arguably traded in Sean Connery's sly winking for a somewhat more overtly lewd, raucous glare. Ritchie is certainly no stranger to spy films, as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. proves, though in this particular instance Ritchie and his creative team weren't tasked with adapting one of the more fondly remembered series from the sixties, one which of course owed its very genesis not just to James Bond, but to Ian Fleming himself. Instead, as is kind of humorously mentioned in a supplement included on this disc, the "screenplay" for Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (co-written by Ritchie) was not seen as a finished product during the shoot, and in fact may not have been finished, and several of the actors are on hand in this supplement commenting about the resultant improvisatory aspect of the film, something that evidently was slightly terrifying for Hugh Grant in particular (though some might feel he walks off with this film one way or the other). Grant portrays suave arch villain Greg Simmonds, an arms dealer who is trying to obtain a top secret device (is there any other kind of device in a spy movie?) known only as The Handle. Nathan Jasmine (Cary Elwes) is ostensibly in charge of retrieving the item, but his chief operative is this film's titular character, the somewhat outlandishly named spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham).

If the entire substratum of Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is positively Bondian, somewhat hilariously the "McGuffin" of this film seems to have been lifted more or less directly from Kiss Me Deadly , at least insofar as the plot dynamics at least initially involve a mysterious briefcase whose contents are equally enigmatic. Now, there's admittedly ultimately a more mundane hard drive in place of a piercing apocalyptic light at the (nuclear?) core of the story, but this is just one of several aspects to this film that reminded me at least of other properties.

I was frankly never quite sure if these kind of cultural references were intentional or simply the result of Ritchie and his team cobbling together ideas that have been exploited before, but the mysterious briefcase bit was just the first of any number of tethers that occurred to me as I watched the film. Another television staple, the long running NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service in all of its many iterations seems to have provided inspiration for at least one member of the focal team of slightly perplexed heroes, computer whiz Sarah (Aubrey Plaza), who seems more than a little reminiscent of Abby Sciuto from that series.

And in fact the "grandaddy" of all shows featuring a top secret team essaying a top secret project, Mission: Impossible, may come to mind for some when Jasmine introduces his assortment of operatives to his handler, Knighton (Eddie Marsan). (The mere character name of Knighton might also strike some as a "close enough for jazz" equivalent to another recent and in some ways similar spy franchise, Kingsman.) And the film's supposedly globetrotting array of locations (mostly Turkey and London), each with superimposed titles announcing the locale, might again remind some of yet another sixties television spy effort, the famously internationally set I Spy.

If all of the above makes Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre sound like an overstuffed casserole, it probably is, but that doesn't mean it isn't tasty at times. There are a number of other at times patently ridiculous "ingredients" woven into the enterprise, including the addition of an actor named Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) enlisted more or less unwillingly to help the scheme, and the team's "and the rest" includes a jack of all trades named JJ (Bugzy Malone). There's also a competing "Impossible Missions Force" headed by Jasmine and Fortune's former nemesis, Mike (Peter Ferdinando).

Ritchie, for all his excesses, knows how to stage action, and there's an almost manically propulsive quality to the film that offers Statham ample opportunity for his almost patented brand of intensity. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre provides a number of luscious moments of scenery, and while maybe a little too self aware at times, the comedy is also mostly surprisingly facile, with at least a couple of completely politically (and/or sexually) incorrect lines that are sure to provoke guffaws in the less prim and proper.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Operation Forutne Ruse de Guerre is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. I haven't been able to find any technical information on the cameras utilized, and frustratingly all of the behind the scenes footage only disclosed the use of a Ronin gimbal in terms of legible brand names on equipment, but the IMDb at least lists a 4K DI as a datapoint. This is a really beautiful looking transfer for the most part, and some may actually prefer this 1080 version to the 4K UHD version in terms of its relatively more secure presentation of some of the VFX work. Palette and detail levels are both secure throughout this presentation, and the film's potent primaries, especially reds and blues, really pop with considerable authority throughout. Find detail on some of the busier patterns on clothes, like a herringbone jacket Fortune wears, is typically very precisely rendered. Shadow detail is also surprisingly developed, if arguably improved even a bit more in the 4K UHD presentation of the film.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre features a really enjoyable Dolby Atmos track that exploits some very smart sound design decisions. If the film itself isn't especially innovative, some of the choices in sound design are at least a little interesting, as in a brilliant opening sequence with echoing, clacking footsteps as Jasmine walks down an endless series of hallways, footsteps which are slowly then mixed with more and more drum sounds, all of which are intercut with scenes of carnage at an attack, scenes which have no soundtrack of their own, so to speak, with simply the footsteps and drumming serving as "underscore". It's a really arresting way to start the film, one with clear engagement of the surround channels, and that same attention to detail tends to pervade the film, and not necessarily just in the over the top action sequences. A glut of outdoor material and/or crowd scenes offer good opportunities for ambient environmental sounds. Dialogue and a fun score are offered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• On a Wild Ride: Making Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (HD; 18:55) is a fun piece which offers a number of enjoyable interviews, along with the chance to see Guy Ritchie showing off his barbecuing skills.


• Aubrey Plaza's Guide to Spying (HD; 3:52) offers some goofy commentary for Plaza, delivered while perhaps frighteningly she's driving a studio cart around.


• Anatomy of a Stunt (HD; 3:09) features some fun background looks at how an epic fall was staged. This features both production personnel and actors offering interviews, along with the candid behind the scenes footage.

I worked with the 4K UHD release for purposes of this review, but it looks like this 1080 package includes a DVD, digital copy, and slipcover.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

You've seen any number of elements in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre before in any number of other film and/or television properties, but if you can get past that unmistakable feeling of déjà vu, there's quite a bit to enjoy here, even if it's probably arguable that a bit more discipline all around might have delivered even more enjoyment. Technical merits are first rate and the few supplements appealing. Recommended.