7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The British military recruits a small group of highly-skilled soldiers to strike against Nazi forces behind enemy lines during World War II.
Starring: Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza González, Babs OlusanmokunWar | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
History | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
For a certain demographic, the name Ian Fleming may in fact be more recognizable for having written Chitty Chitty Bang Bang than for having written the inimitable James Bond tales, but it's that Bond connection that most informs The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, not just with regard to a kind of quasi-espionage mission at the center of the film, but due to the fact that Fleming evidently based the character of James Bond on one of the real life men depicted in this adventure. Most readers at least passingly acquainted with the "history" of James Bond will know that Ian Fleming served with distinction himself during World War II in England's Naval Intelligence Division, but until relatively recently at least some of Fleming's activities during wartime were unknown, since they were, well, top secret, with the only documentation evidently being a cache of papers belonging to Winston Churchill that was declassified only in 2016. While there is therefore some level of the perceived imprimatur of "based on true events" underlying this enterprise, there is absolutely no doubt that The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is, as they say, highly "fictionalized", though that doesn't necessarily act as a detriment to a kind of goofy romp whose outcome is never seriously in doubt (hey, most will know the "good guys" won World War II). Fleming, portrayed by Freddie Fox in the film, is admittedly not a central character to the enterprise, which instead focuses on a "black ops" team headed by Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), a fascinating real life character who, as outlined above, provided inspiration for James Bond, but who in actuality was killed in action shortly after the events depicted in this film, which means any assumed sequels may have to engage in even more "fictionalizing" if they want to keep March-Phillipps at the center of the story, or alternately boot second banana Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson) or, heaven and/or testosterone forfend, Majorie Stewart (Eiza González) into the center spotlight.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists the Sony CineAlta capturing at a source resolution of 8K, with a 4K DI, as the relevant data points, and the result is an often really gorgeous looking presentation, one that takes full advantage of several lustrously beautiful outdoor locations while also offering secure detail levels across the board. The already excellent 1080 offering by Lionsgate features a really resplendently suffused palette, but HDR adds some subtle but noticeable new highlights that can be seen in everything from the water tones in some of the sailing sequences, to some of the almost orange-yellow grading that attends some interior sequences. The increased resolution of this version may arguably have one very slight detriment in terms of what look like CGI flames in a couple of the more bombastic moments.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare features a wonderfully immersive Dolby Atmos track. I just spend a lot of time wading my way through Severin's huge The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1, and for anyone familiar with that peculiar subgenre, the, um, borrowing of cues from other films is a regular occurrence. Now, you can't say that Christopher Benstead outright stole from Ennio Morricone's epic score for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in particular, but it's obvious that Benstead wants to evoke that sound, and some of the fun (and funny) "grunting" effects in the vocals are nicely splayed. One potential minus for some in terms of score or at least arranging choices, is a completely bizarre rendition of "Mack the Knife" that twists Weill into some unrecognizable shape. Everything from throats getting slit to rapid bursts of gunfire ricochet through the side and rear channels, and explosions (which are of course recurrent) get a nice lift from the Atmos speakers. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.
If you're a Guy Ritchie fan, this film will provide everything you've come to love in a lot of Ritchie's films, from a fairly relentless (if occasionally interrupted) pace, to some luscious visuals, to goofy humor to of course lots of things that go boom if not bump in the night (or day, or in between). Technical merits are first rate, and the included making of featurette very enjoyable. Recommended.
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