Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre

Elite spy Orson Fortune, and his team of snarkily unflappable secret agents, must track down a deadly McGuffin in the possession of a billionaire arms broker, and the only way to get their target, and complete their globe-trotting mission, is to recruit the billionaire’s favorite movie star to help them.

Hollow and inert, redefining the word perfunctory, and despite an admittedly impressive cast, this film is flat out terrible.

Watching this film was like watching a parody of a dumb action flick, but it’s obviously unaware of this, so it’s more like watching a dumb person’s idea of a smart action movie. It’s as if we were watching a live action Team America: World Police, but done by the creators of Burn Notice.

This film is so rote, so unengaging, so cliche-laden, I wondered if maybe the central idea of the film—a Hollywood guy agreeing to perform for the billionaire guy for huge amounts of cash—was actually the precious little darling of some real life billionaire, one who probably lives in one, if not all, of the film’s multiple glamorous international locations, a wannabe Hollywood mogul who thought he had the best movie idea ever, and unable to make his little silver screen dreams come true off of his own talent and determination, simply backed a couple of dumptrucks full of money up in front of Guy Ritchie’s house and paid him make this crap-hole movie. This is at least something that I can understand, even approve of. Plus, that it was a purely mercenary effort would totally explain how lifeless and dull this film is.

Or… maybe this is just where Guy Ritchie is at now.

Maybe this is who Guy Ritchie has always kind of been, underneath all the flashy editing that marked his previous efforts. Maybe it’s time for me to just avoid his films from here on out. After this one, and the last couple, I don’t know why I even bother anymore. I’ve never really liked any of his films, honestly, and they don’t seem to be getting better, so… pfffftttt.

Thumb’s down.

Anyway, this film is only worth it if you can see it for free while doing some other activity, like while you’re folding your laundry, or maybe while you’re sitting in the waiting room at the dealership while your car is being fixed.