Film Number 3 of 2023
The Film: Operation Fortune - Ruse de Guerre
The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens
Stars: 3.5
Okay, it's a Guy Richie film. He wrote and directed this film. What can I say?
Operation Fortune - Ruse de Guerre has all the hallmarks of a Guy Richie film. These elements include:
- Complicated plot
- Lots of action
- Lots of things blowing up
- A heap of East End wide boys
- And some trademark humour.
And yes, this film has all of this in buckets. Yet it still left me a little flat. Compared to The Gentlemen which came out in 2019, or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, this didn't come out as strong. It's not that it didn't hold my attention - it's just been done before.
So, what's this about? According to rottentomatoes.com "Super spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) must track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology wielded by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Reluctantly teamed with some of the world's best operatives (Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone), Fortune and his crew recruit Hollywood's biggest movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to help them on their globe-trotting undercover mission to save the world."
Convoluted. A bit - but name a Guy Richie film which hasn't got a lot of twists and turns.
There's quite a bit to like about this if you're one for action movies. Things blow up, baddies get bullets, there's an epic car chase and a dopey Hollywood star who's along for the ride. It takes a bit to nut some things out (or maybe I fell asleep at a crucial moment and then had to catch up.)
On the good side of things, Jason Statham is fun to watch as Orson, who keeps everybody on track. Hugh Grant is doing his now signature performance as a skeezy Cockney, something which really suits him as he's deep into his middle age. If you haven't seen The Gentleman, hunt it out - it's worth it.
This doesn't quite reach the same level as The Gentlemen. It's not bad, but it's still more of the same. Richie is formulaic at the best of times. This doesn't have the wow factor of some of his earlier films.
Other good things about this film include the locations - Turkey has never looked better. Of course, we're dealing with the super-rich, so the sets are over the top luxe.
And the performances are fun. Jason Statham plays to type, again. You know you're never going to see him play Macbeth at the Old Vic, but he's good at what he does. Cary Elwes (who used to be Westley in The Princess Bride) and Hugh Grant have a ball with some great one liners. Aubrey Plaza does what she does best, handing over a heap of sass as she is prone to do. I love Eddie Marsan who plays the controller - he always adds a bit to any film he's in. And my small crush on Max Beesley is still firmly in place.
But I'm still not convinced. Yes, it's entertaining enough, but it feels a bit same-old-same-old. Guy Richie has his formula - he's not going to change.
Still, it's good fun. I can't complain about it. It's pretty to look at and fun to watch. Visual fairy floss. The boys will love it.
Still, I reckon The Gentlemen was a better film. Ah well. I'd go again and take a bloke with me to see what he makes of it. I reckon blokes will love it.
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