Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a stylish, fast-talking spy-action comedy that blends classic espionage tropes with modern humor, luxury settings, and an intentionally chaotic team dynamic. Think James Bond energy mixed with Snatch-style dialogue and a healthy dose of sarcasm.
Detailed Summary
A Stolen Weapon Changes Everything
The film opens with the theft of a highly classified experimental technology known as “The Handle.” This device is capable of destabilizing global security systems and is worth billions on the black market. When the weapon disappears, British intelligence panics.
Instead of using traditional agents, the government hires Nathan Jasmine, a private intelligence contractor who assembles a covert off-the-books team.
Enter Orson Fortune
Nathan recruits Orson Fortune, an elite operative known for his precision, arrogance, and inability to work politely with others. Fortune’s team includes:
- Sarah Fidel, a tech genius and hacker
- JJ Davies, a field agent and Fortune’s closest ally
Their mission is simple on paper but impossible in reality:
track down the weapon before it’s sold to the highest bidder.
The Billionaire Middleman
The stolen technology is traced to billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds, a flashy, insecure businessman who thrives on attention and celebrity friendships.
To get close to him, the team devises an unconventional plan.
They recruit Danny Francesco, a famous Hollywood action star whom Simmonds idolizes.
Danny has no idea he’s walking into an actual spy operation. He believes he’s “researching a role.”
This celebrity infiltration becomes the movie’s comedic backbone.
Manipulation, Lies, and Luxury Espionage
The operation spans multiple countries, including:
- Lavish Mediterranean villas
- Private yachts
- Exclusive film premieres
- Underground arms markets
The team manipulates Simmonds using his obsession with fame, slowly positioning Danny as his best friend.
Behind the scenes, Fortune and Sarah orchestrate surveillance, hacking, and psychological pressure while pretending to be film producers and assistants.
As the mission unfolds, it becomes clear that everyone is lying to everyone, including members of the same intelligence agencies.
The Twist: Intelligence vs Intelligence
Midway through the film, Fortune discovers that the situation is far more complicated.
The stolen weapon is not merely being sold illegally.
It is being used as leverage in a shadow war between intelligence organizations.
Several governments secretly want the weapon released so they can justify political and military escalation.
This revelation reframes the entire mission.
The team is no longer just stopping criminals.
They are standing between world stability and institutional corruption.
Movie Ending
The final act brings all players together at a massive arms deal staged on a private estate.
Simmonds believes he is selling The Handle for an astronomical price, unaware that every buyer present is either an intelligence operative or a decoy.
Orson Fortune executes a multilayered deception:
- The real weapon was swapped long before the meeting
- The buyers are secretly controlled through falsified identities
- Surveillance footage is manipulated live by Sarah
When the deal collapses, chaos erupts.
A shootout breaks out between mercenaries and intelligence operatives. JJ and Fortune fight their way through the compound while Sarah shuts down all digital escape routes.
Simmonds realizes too late that he has been completely used. His financial empire collapses as authorities freeze his assets worldwide.
The real version of The Handle is secured and handed over, but not to the government.
Instead, Nathan Jasmine arranges for the technology to be quietly dismantled and erased from existence.
In the final scenes:
- The official story blames international terrorists
- The agencies involved deny everything
- Fortune’s team walks away rich, unpunished, and anonymous
The movie ends with Orson Fortune declining a formal government position, choosing independence over politics, while teasing that the world will always need people willing to operate in the grey.
The final tone is deliberately cynical:
the mission succeeded, but the system remains broken.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre does not include mid-credit or post-credit scenes. The story ends definitively with no sequel tease.
Type of Movie
The film is a spy-action comedy that blends international espionage with heist elements and sharp British humor. It prioritizes style, dialogue, and character chemistry over realism.
Cast
- Jason Statham – Orson Fortune
- Aubrey Plaza – Sarah Fidel
- Josh Hartnett – Danny Francesco
- Hugh Grant – Greg Simmonds
- Cary Elwes – Nathan Jasmine
- Bugzy Malone – JJ Davies
Film Music and Composer
The score was composed by Christopher Benstead, a frequent Guy Ritchie collaborator. The music mixes modern electronic beats with classic spy motifs, reinforcing the film’s playful take on espionage.
Filming Locations
- Antalya, Turkey – luxury resorts and coastal estates
- Doha, Qatar – urban and elite interior scenes
- Farnborough and London, UK – studio interiors
These locations emphasize wealth, secrecy, and global mobility, reinforcing the idea that modern espionage happens among elites rather than battlefields.
Awards and Nominations
The film did not receive major awards nominations. It was positioned primarily as a commercial entertainment release rather than an awards contender.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- The movie was originally titled Five Eyes.
- Guy Ritchie rewrote large portions of dialogue during filming.
- Jason Statham performed many of his own close-combat stunts.
- Hugh Grant improvised several comedic monologues.
- Josh Hartnett’s character intentionally parodies his own Hollywood image.
- The production was delayed due to distributor changes after MGM’s acquisition by Amazon.
Inspirations and References
- Classic James Bond films
- Guy Ritchie’s own The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
- 1960s espionage cinema
- Modern celebrity culture and influencer politics
The film intentionally mocks traditional spy seriousness.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
No alternate ending has been released.
Deleted material includes:
- A longer introduction to Fortune’s previous missions
- Additional Danny Francesco “actor research” scenes
- A subplot involving rival intelligence contractors
These were cut to maintain pacing.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- The fake movie pitch meeting that is actually an intelligence briefing
- Danny unknowingly participating in a real arms deal
- Hugh Grant dancing while negotiating weapons
- The synchronized digital takedown during the final deal
Iconic Quotes
- “I’m not saving the world. I’m renting it.” – Orson Fortune
- “You people are worse than my ex-agents.” – Danny Francesco
- “Espionage is just lying with better tailoring.” – Sarah Fidel
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- Danny’s fictional movies parody real Jason Statham films
- Several license plates reference Guy Ritchie’s earlier works
- The codename “Fortune” mirrors Bond-style surnames intentionally
- One background news report references events from The Gentlemen universe
Trivia
- This is the fourth collaboration between Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham.
- Aubrey Plaza was cast specifically to break the “serious hacker” stereotype.
- Hugh Grant asked to play the villain as “as obnoxious as possible.”
- The film was shot in under six months.
- Most luxury locations are real, not CGI.
Why Watch?
You should watch Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre if you enjoy:
- Fast-paced dialogue and witty banter
- Stylish, non-serious spy stories
- Jason Statham playing a smarter, drier character than usual
- Hugh Grant stealing every scene he appears in
- Slick action without emotional heaviness
Director’s Other Works (Movies)
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
- Snatch (2000)
- Revolver (2005)
- RocknRolla (2008)
- Sherlock Holmes (2009)
- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
- King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
- The Gentlemen (2019)
- Wrath of Man (2021)
