Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre

2023 Lionsgate

Rated: R

Length: 1hr 54 min

Action ~ Comedy ~ Thriller

Starring: Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone and Hugh Grant.

“Our secure facility in Johannesburg was ambushed and some well guarded cargo is missing. I need you to retrieve it, find out who the seller is, who the buyer is and what it is. I need this to be an unorthodox mission, Ruse De Guerre, led by your main man Orson Fortune.”

Nathan Jasmine (Cary Elwes), a private spy contractor, is hired by the British Government to retrieve stolen merchandise known only as “The Handle”. He assembles a team led by his main spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham), Sarah Fidel (Aubrey Plaza), newly acquired from Nathan’s competition and JJ Davies(Bugzy Malone). The team flies to Madrid to intercept the courier carrying a hard drive with the data from “The Handle”.

They quickly realize that there is another contractor’s team led by Mike, Nathan’s competition in the spy business, after the same courier. They manage to get the drive and copy the contents, before Mike gets the hard drive from them, and discovers that the arms dealer Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant) has “The Handle” and plans to auction it off to the highest bidder.

Sarah is an expert hacker and digs up dirt on Greg Simmonds’ favorite actor, Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) and blackmails him into going to a fundraiser hosted by Greg aboard his yacht in Cannes France. Sarah poses as Danny’s girlfriend and Orson as his Manager in a ruse to get closer to Gregg to ascertain the whereabouts of “The Handle” and who the buyers are.

Which is where the action really starts. It is the same spy story plot of, bad guy stole the goods and unless we get it back the world is in peril, retrieve at whatever cost. There is lots of action, fighting, killing, guns, knives, missiles, car chases, helicopters and backstabbing amongst everyone trying to get their hands on “The Handle”. There is a lot of witty banter between Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza, Jason and Bugsy Malone, Josh Hartnett and Hugh Grant.

I really like Hugh Grant in this role, similar to his role in The Gentlemen, another Guy Ritchie Movie. Bugzy Malone was in that as well, have to re-watch that. It also reminds me of another guy Ritchie movie, The Man From U.N.C.L.E, another good spy caper film I really like. I like Aubrey Plaza in this, thought she and Jason had good chemistry. I’m not familiar with her but see that she is in Emily The Criminal. Have to watch that one tonight! And I am a big Jason Statham fan, he can’t hardly do any wrong as far as I am concerned.