I have missed Guy Ritchie's work since 2021 and having him back this year just made my movie experience for this year an unforgettable one. His long break from filming hasn't been in vain because Ritchie brought more adventures for his viewers and I can't wait to watch all his unfinished projects. I am anxiously waiting for them. Guy Ritchie will always be one of my favorite directors in Hollywood.
"Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)" is a spy action comedy that was directed by Guy Ritchie and written by him with Ivan Atkinson, and Marn Davies. It was distributed by Lionsgate, TX international and Amazon Prime Video. It starred Jason Statham (also part of the producers' team), Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone, and Hugh Grant. This movie revolves around Orson Fortune (Jason Statham), a spy who was sent on a mission to retrieve a stolen technology device before it is sold to the highest bidder on the dark web.
The movie starts with a raid scene in a research facility where a gang of Ukraine mobsters raided and stole a high-tech device called "The Handle" which is worth billions of dollars. After stealing the device they set the facility on fire to cover their tracks and destroy potential evidence.
The device was handed over to Greg Simmons, an arms dealer to help them sell it to the highest bidder. Knowing full well that the device could cause chaos in the economic system of the world was in the wrong hands. So the British government summons Nathan to help retrieve the device.
With the British government backing up Nathan, he hires a spy, Orson Fortune, and a team of special people with talent to help with the retrieval of the device. Sarah Fidel and JJ Davies who are part of the team traveled to Madrid with Fortune looking for the professor (courier) that was paid to transport a hard drive containing the data of "The handle" device. Things didn't go well because another team that was also hired to retrieve the device Intercepted Fortune's team. At the end of the tussle, Fortune's team got access to the hard drive first.
So later on, Fortune's team discovered that the information on the hard drive will lead them to Greg Simmons, the arms dealer, who plans to host a Charity Gala event in Cannes. So they decide to attend the event in identity disguise with the help of Simmonds' favorite movie star, Danny Francesco. Will Fortune's team succeed with its mission? Will the high-tech device be retrieved? You have to watch the movie to know.
My Favorite Characters.
Statham as Orson Fortune
Jason Statham handled his role like a champion, the way he always does. I enjoyed his performance and also I got to see a little bit of his serious side since there wasn't much humor in the movie. He acted as a highly trained professional spy with an eccentric and serious personality which is23 unlike Jason. He is also referred to as an expensive spy who loves vintage wines and requires a specialized team to work with and flies only in private jets during missions but in the end, he comes through in an efficient way.
Aubrey As Sarah Fidel
Sarah stole my heart with her performance. I was so impressed with her and I say she was the queen star of the movie. She acted as an efficient spy who is good with computers and also good as an undercover agent. She was much more fun than Fortune, she was the comic relief and she also was able to bring dark humor into serious scenes which made the movie entertaining.
Bugzy as J.J. Davies
I think I have developed a crush on Bugzy Hahah. Don't blame me! He acted as a New recruit to Fortune's team but still, he was very efficient and capable of the tasks given to him. He was a cool, low key yet dangerous kind of guy, conservative and intelligent. He stole a little spotlight with his performance for me even though his role was meant to be minor and overlooked.
My Review And Rating.
This movie is everything you are looking for in a spy movie. It is like the intense version of "The Man from U. N. C. L. E". It also absolutely delivers a fun and clever storyline as it has a few similar features to "The Gentleman". If you enjoyed those two movies by Ritchie mentioned above, you would enjoy this one.
The plot was perfectly written and it has a narrative that is easy to follow. The storyline is showcased amazingly so that you never get lost in the flow and the end was resolved in a less tense manner but with promises of a tale that brings more adventures. It is also filled with plenty of witty dialogue that reminds me of the James Bond franchise.
The characters were built well with enough backstories to help the viewers connect well with them. Also, let's not forget the amazing screenplay which I commend Ritchie for his good work. The scene arrangements were fantastic, the setting is excellently done, and exotic shooting locations, stylish cars, and costumes.
The action scenes were tightly paced, well-arranged, and fun to watch. Action scenes were also shot well in a quick and energizing way that keeps the viewer anxious and glued to the screen in anticipation of what happens next. Also, the CGI effects are done excellently and believably because I think most of the scenes were shot in actual real locations.
One thing that I didn't like about this movie is the fact, the soundtracks were too loud, did match some scenes and it made some of the action look rowdy and scattered. Apart from this flaw, I have not any other complaints. I feel this movie hasn't yet reached its targeted audience due to the fact that the movie is buried under negative reviews and critics. Ignore it all and watch this movie. You won't be disappointed or regret watching it, that I can promise.
All images above are from the movie screenshots
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