Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre review: Guy Ritchie delivers exactly what you'd expect

The comedy comes from the quick dialogue and the expert delivery of the actors. But it’s also in the characters. Take Statham’s Fortune, for example. He has many phobias and is particular about how he travels (only on private jets). He also loves very expensive wine. He’s so extravagant that he threatens to bankrupt the agency. The script gives Fortune these characteristics so the other actors can tease him about them while he maintains his deadpan facial expression. Imagine if Statham had been called upon to have an accent other than his own or to actually emote; the film would’ve been in deep trouble. And this is part of why Statham works so well here, he’s here to deliver his persona, not an actual character.

Grant, on the other hand, delivers a fantastic character performance. He works from the outside in, giving his nefarious arms dealer a rather frightening tan and that aforementioned accent. His line deliveries vary from genuinely scary when he’s threatening his adversaries, to earnestly admiring when talking to Hartnett, to flirty when he’s with Plaza. Grant is so committed that he throws off the balance of the ensemble because no one else is as good as he is. Everyone else understood the assignment correctly as light and easy.

In addition to the fast dialogue, there’s fast action. Ritchie knows how to shoot a foot chase through a labyrinthine location: the way he cuts from one operative to the other in their pursuit of the mission builds tension and provides thrills. However, as the film barrels on, things do get repetitive, and it doesn’t help that the “McGuffin” being pursued needs a convoluted explanation. Ritchie also resorts to too many of the requisite car chases and shootouts when that’s not what distinguishes his movies.

For the most part, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a fun time at the movies. There’s laughter, action, and movie stars playing to their strengths. It’s exactly what audiences expect to see from Ritchie and that’s its main selling point. If only the second hour was tighter, maintaining the film’s fast rhythm.