2/5 stars

When I heard that Alex Garland was making a film about a new American civil war to be released in the middle of an extremely contentious election year, I was hyped. The idea seemed more daring and provocative than we have seen in quite some time. Sadly, Civil War lacks any real courage and Garland remains frustratingly “apolitical” with a story that should be inherently political. The result is a thrilling but shallow action movie with little to say with its fascinating premise beyond the tired old cliche that “war is hell.”

Set in a near future in which the United States has devolved into warring factions, we follow photojournalist Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) who is traveling with several other journalists to interview the nebulously tyrannical president (Nick Offerman) before the “Western Forces,” a combined alliance between Texas and California, attack Washington D.C.

The film remains steadfast in its refusal to explain any of the factors involved in this conflict. Who are the Western Forces and what do they want? What has the president done to bring about a full-on civil war? Garland doesn’t even bother to ask these questions, failing to give audiences a sense of urgency. There is also some striking imagery reminiscent of footage from Vietnam and Bosnia. Seeing these images played out on American soil feels like they should be ripe for analysis, but there is no message behind them. The film says nothing about modern warfare or even photojournalism and only leaves us with sheer spectacle. The timid approach to politics gives us a film that feels like it wants to be The Battle of Algiers but becomes White House Down.

Written and directed by Alex Garland // Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jefferson White, Nelson Lee, Evan Lai, Vince Pisani, Justin James Boykin, Jess Matney, Greg Hill, Edmund Donovan, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Offerman, and Jesse Plemons // 109 minutes // A24 // Rated R

NEW YORK (OSV News) – “We’re in the Nazi killing business, and cousin, business is a-boomin’” blithely declares Brad Pitt’s character, U.S. Army officer Lt. Aldo Raine, in the 2009 film “Inglourious Basterds.” The same might be said by the core cast of the fact-based World War II action comedy “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” (Lionsgate).

Director and co-writer Guy Ritchie’s adaptation of Damien Lewis’ 2014 history “Churchill’s Secret Warriors” showcases some clever ruses and innovative, spur-of-the-moment thinking on the part of the U.K.’s Special Operations Executive (SOE). But the mission on which the main characters embark also involves the enthusiastic slaughter of extras by the dozen.

Thus, while the educational nature of the story might otherwise make it valuable fare for older teens, the morally dubious gusto with which Hitler’s minions are dispatched renders this dramatization safest for grown-ups. Even many of them may not care for scenes in which throats are slashed and, in one case at least, a human heart extracted from its owner’s chest.

With Britain facing defeat in the Battle of the Atlantic in 1942, the SOE’s Brigadier Colin Gubbins (Cary Elwes) turns to a seemingly unlikely ally, Maj. Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill), for help. Just how unusual their partnership is can be gauged from the fact that, when we first see March-Phillipps, he’s a prisoner in handcuffs, presumably fresh from the clink.

At Gubbins’ behest, March-Phillipps assembles a team of special operatives to strike a decisive blow at German naval power. Their goal is to sink an Italian warship, presently anchored in a neutral African port, whose cargo is vital to the continued success of the Nazi regime’s rampaging U-boats.

Among those March-Phillipps enlists for this mission are hulking Dane Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), wily Irishman Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and expert saboteur Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer). As the action kicks off, Appleyard is in German captivity. But this, of course, proves no stumbling block for the resourceful March-Phillipps.

The crew’s on shore agents include saloon owner Mr. Heron (Babs Olusanmokun) and fetching Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González) who’s been posing as a New York-based gold merchant to grab the attention of black marketeering local Nazi commander Heinrich Luhr (Til Schweiger). As Stewart distracts Luhr, March-Phillipps and his cohorts prepare to attack by sea.

There’s a smug tone to the narrative suggesting that the picture is a little too pleased with itself. And some of the details are off, as when Luhr plays a song from Bertolt Brecht’s “The Threepenny Opera” on the gramophone. Both leftist Brecht and his “Threepenny” musical collaborator, Jewish composer Kurt Weil, were anathema to the Nazis.

But the main hurdle to any enjoyment of “Ministry” remains its vivid mayhem, which seems to exact about as many German casualties in two hours as the Soviets did in six months at Stalingrad. While, within the context of the period in which the picture is set, the only good Nazi may have been a dead one, the relish with which they’re wiped out remains unsettling.

The film contains frequent stylized but often brutal violence, some images of gore, a glimpse of rear nudity, at least one use of profanity and a couple of rough terms. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke

Director: David Leitch

Since the inception of movies (especially of the action genre), audiences have showered praises on hardcore action films, which have given them an adrenaline rush with mind-boggling action stunts and breathtaking sequences. And the reason behind that are the unsung heroes – the stunt doubles, who take risks of their lives to give us that experience. Ryan Gosling & Emily Blunt starrer The Fall Guy is a tribute to all those stuntmen.

The movie starts with Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) stunt double of action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) talking about the greatness of stuntmen while walking on the set after a stunt. While the stunt seems perfect, Tom tells Colt to go for another take as he feels in the given shot, the audience will identify that the person, who has performed the stunt is Colt because of his jawline.

While Colt gets ready for another take, he faces an accident while performing it and gets off the radar from the entertainment industry and works as a valet at a family place. 18 months later, he gets a call from Tom’s producer Gail (Hannah Waddingham), who tells him to come back to the place and do what he loves. While his response is always negative, she reveals that Jody (Emily Blunt) once a steady cam operator, who had an affair with Colt, is making her directorial debut with a biggie titled Metalstorm featuring Tom and wants him for doing stunts.

Colt agrees to come on the set and while we see his rekindling of love with Jody with cute and funny banters, the reason to call him is tricky and vicious. Gail tells Colt that Tom has been missing for quite a few days and he needs to find him out. When he enters the actor’s room, he finds another stunt double of Tom dead in the bathtub.

He panics and while trying to inform everything about the incident to Gail, we see some goons attacking him and later becoming one of the prime suspects of the murder. Well, so many questions in your mind, right? And the answer to all these you will find on the big screen while watching
The Fall Guy
, which is a fun roller-coaster with delightful action sequences.

Director David Leitch has made a film, which has its heart at the right place and makes sure to give us ample whistle-worthy moments through its entertaining screenplay, which has filmy references, AI as well as Deepfake technology.

Talking about the performances, Ryan Gosling is a one-man show and rules the screen with his enigmatic charisma. Emily is amazing as Jodi and her chemistry with Ryan is superb. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Hannah Waddingham as Tom and Gail are simply perfect. Winston Duke steals the show with his bang-on comic timing.

On the whole, The Fall Guy is a delightful action comedy, which reminds you of massy Bollywood films from the 90s minus the technology.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

The Fall Guy will release on 3rd May