Movies based upon historical events — especially historical events which were classified until a few years ago — hold a great deal of interest for me.  This World War II adventure was largely unknown because Winston Churchill wanted it kept that way, but it is so cinematic that it was bound to be filmed by someone.  I just wish it had been done by someone other than Guy Ritchie, because he has turned this very suspenseful and violent story into light comedy.

Guy Ritchie’s movie follows Churchill’s assignment of reckless but daring soldier Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill) to disrupt, if not destroy, the fleet of German U-boats active in the North Atlantic.  March-Phillips formulates a plan, recruits a handful of men like himself to make it work and sets off against the Nazis, and against the British ships roaming the same waters, who know nothing of his assignment and will arrest everyone if caught.  Naturally things go wrong and naturally a lot of people die.

This story, evidently quite real and quite daring, is a mix of The Guns of Navarone and The Dirty Dozen.  Throw in the presence of an actress, Marjorie Stewart (Eiza Gonzalez), in a pivotal role within the plot and the makings of a very grand adventure tale are all in place.  But instead of playing things at least relatively straight, emphasizing the elements of suspense and tactics and heroism in the manner of traditional high adventure movies, Ritchie’s film turns the tale into light comedy, deadpan humor and the casual massacring of hundreds, mainly by silenced weapons.  It’s odd, too, that only the German leader (played by Til Schweiger, who out-acts everybody with ease), is rewarded with regular closeups; everyone else is framed medium to full figure, or in groups.  At least that’s how it seemed to me.

I like some of Guy Ritchie’s work, but lately he seems bent on turning everything into bantering, genial playtime.  Absent are consequences for being caught, or even becoming suspicious.  The British heroes slaughter everyone in sight with guns, knives, grenades, axes, whatever falls to hand.  It’s a stylish ballet of death for the Nazis and the people who help them.  That’s fine, but it isn’t real and I don’t find it all that entertaining.  When they find Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer) being tortured, he makes a joke out of it.  Even the over-the-top James Bond films still managed to find some gravitas among the one-liners and rescues of beautiful women that Bond managed.  This story, despite being based on a true tale, never seems serious enough to invest one’s belief into it.  And that’s a shame because its characters, which include one Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox) long before he imagined James Bond, deserve better.  This serves as one lackluster epitaph for their heroic efforts.  ☆ ☆.  30 September 2024.