The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) Movie Ending Explained: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” a war thriller starring Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, and Eiza Gonzalez, promises high-octane action based on true events. However, the film’s execution falls short. The expected wit of a Guy Ritchie flick is fleeting, and the trademark frenetic energy feels strangely subdued. While the mission hinges on the improvisation skills of seasoned commanders facing daunting enemy obstacles, these challenges are overcome with surprising ease. It seems the focus on stylish visuals overshadowed the historical context. Despite its shortcomings, the film’s slick presentation might still be a draw for some viewers.
Spoilers Ahead
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” opens with Gus and Lassen, two men surfing on the international waters after being surrounded by German troops. Lassen introduces themselves as Swedish fishermen wandering in the ocean. The German soldiers search for any suspicious things inside the boat. Suddenly, amidst the tension, when Gus is asked to keep his hands above his head, he starts laughing along with Lassen. Just when the German officer decides to set the boat on fire, Henry Hayes, another member inside the boat, starts firing at the German soldiers.
Gus and Lassen take care of the rest of the soldiers on the deck while they show the main German ship the dead body of their officer. The ship then starts firing shells at them. But they don’t hit the right target when the fourth member appears from inside the water, Freddy. Freddy has set a bomb near the German ship. A couple of minutes later, we see that the whole German ship is destroyed into pieces as Gus and his men move from the place.
Why did Churchill take the desperate measures?
During the Second World War, the Germans were using a special kind of submarine called U-Boats that destroyed America’s trade welfare drastically, causing them to surrender to Hitler. However, Churchill was too proud to surrender himself. He was also a learned man who understood that surrendering would only mean losing control over Europe, and soon, the war would be lost. Moreover, knowing how Hitler functioned, there would be billions of people dying for a decision like this. So, there were two reasons for coming up with this plan of invading German territory and destroying their hope of winning for the time being.
One was the attack on Pearl Harbour that took place in the year 1941, which almost pushed America to join the attack. The other one was Churchill himself, who is known as the greatest dramatist of all. Churchill had been seen as many things, including opportunist, and this quality was perhaps the reason why this classified mission took place. Along with Brigadier Colin Gubbins, Churchill planned something vicious, which, at that time, no one would have approved.
Can Churchill’s Secret Weapon Save the Day?
According to the information that Churchill received from the intelligence, the Germans had found themselves a spot in neutral territory in a Spanish colony named Fernando Po. There, they made the supply for the U-Boats ready with the help of two Nazi tug boats named Bibundi and Likomba and one Italian supply ship named Duchessa d’Aosta. Churchill wants these boats destroyed. However, it needs to be a covert operation because since it’s in neutral territory, if Britain dropped bombs, it would lose control of Europe, resulting in the loss of the Atlantic altogether.
The mission is very risky, and if the men who will be participating in the mission get caught, there will be torture and death. Hence, Gubbins comes up with the one guy who thrives on such opportunities. Also, Gus knows people who can do it. When he finally hears the plan, he puts forth the names of four people (whom we have seen at the beginning of the film). The only problem is that the fourth guy, Geoffrey Appleyard, is taken into custody by the Germans because he is caught spying. Appleyard is held prisoner inside a German camp on La Palma. Gus says that without Apple, there would not be any mission. He would ensure that Apple was released and travel with them to Fernando Po.
Why do Gus and Others plan to Steal the Ship?
Apart from Gus’s team of five men, there are two other secret agents named Marjorie and Heron on the ground, talking to Germans and Spanish soldiers. They are securing information that will help the mission. Heron is a businessman who usually throws parties and offers drinks to the German soldiers. Marjorie is there to take care of Heinrich Luhr, a brutal German officer who is in charge of the whole cavalier. Marjorie and Heron have already stolen information from the Germans that confirms the huge stock that Duchessa has within her. Now, once they land in Fernando Po, they find that there are way more soldiers than they have expected.
To help Gus and his men, Heron takes Marjorie to the local don (he prefers to be called King) named Kambili Kalu, also known as KB, to persuade him to help their cause. KB is interested since he hates the Germans so much. He wants the island back to himself once and for all. However, later, Heron learns from a Spanish officer that Duchessa is set to leave three days earlier than before. He and Marjorie will share the news ASAP with the headquarters, and Gus will be informed. Apple shows a different route on the map, which is riskier but shorter.
Why is Gus required to Stop with the Plan?
Finally, Gus and KB meet together. They plan to conduct the plan as decided before. However, the only problem that remains is taking care of the soldiers, who depend on Heron and Marjorie. Heron plants a bomb inside the control room, which will take care of the electricity once it is blown. Marjorie, on the other hand, prepares herself to lure Luhr into the party that Heron is throwing in order to occupy the soldiers elsewhere when Gus and KB destroy the Duchessa.
Inside the party, Marjorie learns from the original owner of the Duchessa that Luhr has made his men change it into an unsinkable vessel. Hence, if Gus tries to blast it, it won’t work. She informs Heron. But it is already too late because the bomb will go off at any moment now. So, instead of wasting time sending messages, right after the bomb goes off and the power goes down, Heron signals at Gus’s men from afar. Thankfully, Gus sees the signal before proceeding with bombing the Duchessa.
When Gus learns that Duchessa can not be destroyed, not with the amount of explosives they have, he thinks that the whole mission is ruined. Meanwhile, a mole inside the intelligence has informed other Generals about this secret Churchill-led mission, and they come to stop the mission. However, Gus refuses to respond to their diplomacy while Churchill, too, hopes that Gus doesn’t listen to these bureaucrats anyway. However, the only thing that is stopping Gus now is that he requires a whole new plan, as their plan will not work.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
What do Gus and his men do to Duchessa?
Apple comes up with the idea of stealing Duchessa if they can’t destroy it and then hand it over to the British government. Meanwhile, Luhr realizes that Marjorie is not German. But she is a Jew, as she pronounces a phrase wrongly. Gus and his men land on the island and start killing the remaining German soldiers while they are enjoying the party. After a lot of hustle, Gus and KB’s men are finally able to board Duchessa and tie it to their ship.
The anchor is destroyed when Luhr arrives at the spot, listening to all the shooting and bombing from the outside. However, Gus and KB leave the place, securing themselves out of the Germans’ shooting range when Luhr goes back to confront Marjorie, but she shoots him in the head. Heron is still inside the island. He helps Marjorie to escape the situation. They take a patrolling boat and enter Duchessa’s deck.
What happens to Gus and his men?
Gus and KB hand over the Duchessa to the British Government. However, since they fail to carry forward the order of abandoning the mission, Gus and his men are arrested for committing the crime. KB and his men are asked to return to their land as Gus shakes hands with him, knowing that he has failed him (he promised him power in Britain). Gus and his men are sent to jail as their contribution has almost gone unpaid by the government.
At the end of the film, we see Churchill himself come to pay a visit to Gus and his men along with Heron and Marjorie, thanking them for their contribution, which helped Britain not to kneel down to the Germans. Churchill especially cheers their decision to go against the top officials, trusting the instinct of their own men during the time of war. So, he offers them a great meal by saying to Gubbins that from this time onward, these people will work dedicatedly for him.
