Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre (2023 | UK | 114 minutes | Guy Ritchie)
At any given point throughout the almost-two hour run time, I don’t think I could satisfactorily explain what exactly is going on. It’s a taut, fast-paced heist movie, but it can be hard to follow at times. I also don’t care. Last time Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham teamed up, in 2021, I wrote, “I’m a simple man and sometimes I just need to watch Jason Statham beat the shit out of some bad guys. Ya know?” Nothing has changed: I got what I wanted then, and I’m getting what I want now.
The leader of the crew is Fortune, Orson Fortune (Statham) and he’s got a team together that includes Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone, and Aubrey Plaza. They need to keep some weapons technology from falling into the wrong hands. A billionaire arms dealer played by Hugh Grant is involved, as is Hollywood superstar Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett). Grant’s character, Greg Simmonds, is determined to sell the mysterious tech to maximize his profits, consequences be damned.
This might not be Guy Ritchie’s finest movie, but it has a lot of the trappings of what makes his filmmaking style so succinct. It’s like a well-oiled machine at this point. The plot moves at a brisk pace, it has plenty of action scenes, and the acting is understated but great. A lot of the movie takes place in exotic locales and they party aboard yachts. Statham is a man of few words, because his fists can do all the talking. Hugh Grant is perfectly cast as a shady rich guy and he leans into the absurdity his character demands. Aubrey Plaza oozes coolness and sex appeal and she’s been stealing every scene she’s in for years. I can’t say every character is fully developed, but learning about the motivations of each character would likely be more trouble than it’s worth.
With all of the extravagance in this movie: the yacht parties, the fancy clothes, the glamorous locations, and the ass-kicking from Statham, this movie looks like it was a blast to make. That definitely translates to an enjoyable tale and a perfectly fine use of two hours.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre opens in theaters on Friday, March 3.