"Whether deadly serious (Wrath of Man), entirely unserious (Operation Fortune) or somewhere between the two (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), there's been a real snap to them, one that's usually missing from other recent films of that ilk. Ritchie is more deeply invested in the thought through craft of making a b-movie than many of his peers and there's a smooth sensuousness to how he moves, each of them looking, feeling and sounding like films he genuinely cares about."
"While Wrath of Man, a more marketable Jason Statham revenge thriller yet containing more grit than one would expect, managed to make enough money overseas, he's otherwise struggled to justify his unusually high budgets. Operation Fortune was renamed, resold and pushed around the schedule before misfiring at the box office (it went straight-to-streaming in many countries) while The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare couldn't even make half of its budget back after another botched release."
"The trend may well continue with his latest In the Grey, another slick action thriller that was made back in 2023, bought and then sold by Lionsgate before being similarly redated three times, the film now heading for an underwhelming opening weekend (In the Red would be perhaps more appropriate). What's strangest here is that even critics were kept away this time with no press screenings (I paid for a ticket), suggesting that even those reliable three stars might be out of reach for this one."
"But, against all considerable odds, In the Grey might well be Ritchie's most purely entertaining film for years. Sure, it's messy in moments (one can feel the long nights in the editing suite especially near the end) and nonsensically plotted at others, but it's"
Guy Ritchie’s recent action films deliver a distinctive snap and smooth sensuousness that makes them feel crafted with genuine care. The films range from deadly serious to unserious, yet they share a focus on the thought-through craft of making B-movie style action. Wrath of Man performed well overseas despite its high budget and Statham-led revenge premise. Operation Fortune was renamed, resold, and delayed, then underperformed and shifted to streaming in many countries. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare also failed to recoup much of its budget after a troubled release. In the Grey, produced in 2023 and repeatedly rescheduled after Lionsgate acquired it, faces an underwhelming opening and lacked press screenings, yet may still be Ritchie’s most entertaining film in years despite editing messiness and confusing plotting.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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