--- title: "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare" critics_score: 54 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 54 from 12 reviews: 3 positive, 5 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews divide widely, and the mean of 54 hides a spread that runs from warm to hostile. The kinder notices, mostly from the American trades, take it as a breezy men-on-a-mission lark and praise Henry Cavill, the ensemble’s easy chemistry and Guy Ritchie’s handling of the violent set pieces; a few also single out the swinging score and the costumes. The reservations cluster around tone and pace. Many critics find the film unsure whether it wants to be a caper or a combat thriller, slack between the action, thin on character and short of real danger or verbal wit, and several object to how freely it rewrites history. Vulture notes how much it owes to Inglourious Basterds. The sharpest dissent comes from the British broadsheets on the later UK release, with The Times calling the script workmanlike and the sets cheap, and The Telegraph judging it a misfire that swaps jokes for kill-shots. ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2024. Praises the spirited WWII coup led by Henry Cavill and the ensemble's chemistry in this men-on-a-mission tale, noting Ritchie's fun take on history despite some formulaic elements. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-1235972253/) ## Evening Standard — Vicky Jessop Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 25 July 2024. The critic finds it a slick, fun Boys' Own adventure war film that dodges many of Ritchie's usual tropes in favour of stylish action. She singles out the jauntily executed, entertaining action sequences for praise while noting the flimsy characters and lack of depth. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-prime-video-henry-cavill-guy-ritchie-b1172660.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. Finds the film an entertaining homage to real-life war heroes with verve, dry English humor, and stylish pulp myth-making, though a bit languidly paced. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-04-18/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-guy-ritchie-henry-cavill) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 25 July 2024. The critic calls it a silly, ahistorical action-comedy that is energetic and breezy but flawed in tone, structure and character depth. He singles out the director's handling of the ultraviolent action sequences for praise while noting miscasting and lack of real stakes. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare/) ## RogerEbert.com — Glenn Kenny Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 17 April 2024. The critic notes the film's entertaining anti-Nazi action sequences with Ritchie bravura but criticizes its languid pacing between set pieces, lack of verbal crackle, and grating historical inaccuracies. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-movie-review-2024) ## The Guardian Rating 3/5. 17 April 2024. The critic finds it an adequate, workmanlike three-star Guy Ritchie effort that works as a mid-budget crowd-pleaser with energy and violent action sequences but lacks memorable zingers or lasting impact. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/apr/17/ministry-ungentlemanly-warfare-movie-review-henry-cavill) ## Time Out — Elizabeth Weitzman Rating 3/5. 17 April 2024. The critic finds it a cheerfully amusing, sturdy piece of entertainment with charismatic lads blowing stuff up, but notes it's tough to get too involved and favors style over substance. Praises the swinging score and costumes. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-2024) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. It is not very good but hard to dislike for its genial day-drunk romp tone; the film leans too far into upper-crust British attitudes, cribs shamelessly from Inglourious Basterds, and lacks real danger or suspense. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-brutally-posh.html) ## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2024. Ritchie’s action-comedy never quite settles on what type of film it wants to be; it is a cheeky but undercooked WWII yarn that is breezy yet weightless, cartoonish, and lacking in dramatic impact or nuance despite some thrilling sequences. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-henry-cavill/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 3 August 2024. The critic describes it as a flat, uninspired misfire and botched mission, criticizing the workmanlike script, cheap sets, and sloppy action despite the subject fitting the director’s style. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-another-botched-mission-from-guy-ritchie-6dgk9vcdd) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 24 July 2024. The critic calls it a terrible misfire that feels like an attempt to make Carry On Churchill but replaces jokes with kill-shots, with most of the runtime devoted to carnage rather than plot or wit. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-henry-cavill/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney 16 April 2024. The film is diverting but awkwardly stuck between a larkish caper and a gripping combat thriller, with lots of explosions but little explosiveness and an execution that fails to maximize the story’s potential. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-henry-cavill-alan-ritchson-guy-ritchie-1235874556/) ## /Film — Jeremy Mathai Rating 5/10. 16 April 2024. The critic finds it a fun but forgettable mixed bag with strong performances and enjoyable action sequences, but criticizes tonal inconsistency, uneven pacing, and a script that struggles to balance its comedic and dramatic elements. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1558496/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond 16 April 2024. The critic praises the lively, fun WWII adventure led by Henry Cavill under Guy Ritchie, noting the team's repartee and action as highlights despite some excessive dialogue. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2024/04/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-henry-cavill-guy-ritchies-ww2-adventure-1235887584/) ## The Wrap 16 April 2024. The critic finds it a slick, satisfying men-on-a-mission thriller where Guy Ritchie balances Nazi threat with fun violence and hunky heroes, with Cavill delightful and music a standout. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare-review-henry-cavill/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare.md