Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre (2023)
March 9, 2023 10:04 PM - Subscribe

Special agent Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) and his team of operatives recruit one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars (Josh Hartnett) to help them on an undercover mission when the sale of a deadly new weapons technology threatens to disrupt the world order.

Lacking the exhausting overcompensating posturing of The Gentlemen and the sheer nastiness of Wrath of Man, this is the Guy Ritchie movie that goes down easiest in some time. But, Lord, that does not mean that it's good. Or even all that much fun. Just that it's more or less inoffensive. (In a literal sense, even; no moldy "witty" "racially charged" or misogynistic antihero banter left over from the 90s.) If Ritchie wanted to make this kind of lazy action movie, I wish he'd made a sequel to UNCLE, which at least had some charm to it.
posted by praemunire (12 comments total)
 
This was ok. It almost feels like it was written with the actors in mind, rather than writing interesting characters and then casting actors to bring them to life.
posted by porpoise at 8:02 PM on March 10, 2023 [1 favorite]


This review is very positive.
I really liked his movie The Man from UNCLE. So I'm going to watch this movie for sure. If nothing else it's sure to feature nice british suits and jackets.
posted by jouke at 2:51 AM on March 11, 2023


For a big bruiser, Jason Statham does wear clothes quite well.
posted by praemunire at 8:01 PM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]


It's probably the English footie. Good cardio.
posted by porpoise at 10:30 PM on March 11, 2023


Just watching this. Some decent bits so far. Really odd cut of a scene from the trailer, where Audrey Plaza says 'Sexually', cut right off on Amazon prime (basically the only way to have watched this in the UK). Then very rapid segue into next scene. I was convinced the cat had stood on fast forward.
posted by biffa at 2:10 PM on April 7, 2023


No, while it did appear in the trailer, it was cut off in the (U.S.) theater, too!
posted by praemunire at 2:34 PM on April 7, 2023


How odd! Such a poor quality cut too, you get the S of 'sexually' left in.
posted by biffa at 10:08 AM on April 12, 2023


I suspect you're meant to infer the "sexually," but the cut means it's Too Naughty to Show! Weird stuff for an R movie.
posted by praemunire at 10:16 AM on April 12, 2023


I have a high tolerance for action comedies with scenery porn and actors I like, so I liked this just fine (I also liked Red Notice and The Gray Man). I forgot this as I was watching it.

Nowhere close to the swagger of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch.

There was something weird about Audrey Plaza's performance, like her face didn't move that much or something.

For a big bruiser, Jason Statham does wear clothes quite well.

He's 5'10", so not that big.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:04 PM on May 25, 2023


I thought it was less fun than The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, which was unfortunately what came to mind with the repeat of the undercover movie star trope. But still fun! Apparently I just like Aubrey Plaza in everything. And Character Actor Hugh Grant, too -- he's keeping very busy these days playing that same one sleazy character. My main criticism is that the Cary Elwes role is so by-the-numbers that I was expecting a villain reveal just to add some spice. It was also way too obvious that the tech guys were the villains employing the rival agency. I don't know if they should've obscured some of those early hints or just amped up the suspense of seeing the team pursue all the wrong leads, but it doesn't work as-is.
posted by grandiloquiet at 1:22 PM on May 28, 2023


I really enjoyed this! I didn't realize until the end credits that it's a Guy Ritchie movie. Setting my baseline at "Jason Statham movie" probably helped a lot of the polish and style come as a pleasant surprise.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 10:05 AM on September 1, 2023


The one thing that I still remember from this film several months later is that Hugh Grant gives a good chummy/creepy little monologue near the end.
posted by praemunire at 11:09 AM on September 1, 2023


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