Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a 2023 action-comedy spy film directed by Guy Ritchie, bringing together Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Hugh Grant, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes and Bugzy Malone. The movie follows super-spy Orson Fortune, who is recruited to recover a dangerous piece of technology known as “The Handle” before it reaches the wrong hands. (Roger Ebert)

The film mixes international espionage, glamorous locations, action sequences, deadpan comedy and the familiar Guy Ritchie formula. While some critics found the story derivative and lacking in tension, others enjoyed its breezy tone and especially the performances of Aubrey Plaza and Hugh Grant. (The Guardian)

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre – Movie Details

What Is Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre About?

The story begins when a group of Ukrainian criminals steals a highly valuable device known as The Handle from a secure facility. The British government becomes concerned because the technology could have catastrophic consequences if sold to the wrong buyer.

Nathan Jasmine, played by Cary Elwes, is tasked with recovering the device. He recruits independent operative Orson Fortune, played by Jason Statham, along with hacker Sarah Fidel and weapons specialist J.J. Davies.

Their mission becomes more complicated when they discover that billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds, played by Hugh Grant, is attempting to broker the sale of The Handle.

The team therefore has to find a way into Simmonds’ inner circle.

Their solution is unusual: they recruit Hollywood superstar Danny Francesco, played by Josh Hartnett, because Simmonds happens to be a huge fan of him.

That gives Fortune and Sarah an opportunity to get close to the arms dealer without immediately revealing their real identities. (Wikipedia)

Who Is Orson Fortune?

Orson Fortune is the film’s central character and is essentially Guy Ritchie’s answer to the traditional super-spy.

Unlike James Bond, however, Fortune is not particularly interested in following rules.

He is confident, expensive, unpredictable and extremely capable in a fight. He also has expensive tastes, including a particular obsession with fine wine.

Jason Statham plays Fortune with the same combination of physical toughness and dry humor that has become one of his trademarks.

The problem is that Fortune is not especially complicated as a character. Several critics noted that the film gives Statham a familiar tough-guy role without developing him very deeply. (The Guardian)

Aubrey Plaza as Sarah Fidel

One of the biggest highlights of the movie is Sarah Fidel, played by Aubrey Plaza.

Sarah is the team’s technology expert and hacker. She can manipulate computer systems, gather intelligence and create digital solutions for Fortune’s increasingly complicated missions.

But Sarah isn’t simply the stereotypical person sitting behind a computer.

She gets involved in the field and develops a surprisingly entertaining partnership with Fortune.

Her sarcastic personality works particularly well against Statham’s straight-faced delivery.

Several reviews singled Plaza out as one of the film’s strongest performers. The Guardian, for example, argued that she steals much of the attention from Statham, while other reviews also praised her contribution to the movie’s comedy. (The Guardian)

Hugh Grant’s Greg Simmonds

Hugh Grant plays Greg Simmonds, a wealthy arms dealer who is much more entertaining than the film’s central mystery.

Simmonds is flamboyant, arrogant and extremely confident. He operates in a world of billionaires, weapons dealers, celebrities and international criminals.

But he also has a surprising weakness: Hollywood movies.

He is obsessed with Danny Francesco, which becomes the key to Fortune’s infiltration plan.

Grant clearly enjoys playing the exaggerated villain. His performance gives the movie some of its funniest moments and became one of the most frequently praised aspects of the film. (The Guardian)

The Plan to Infiltrate Greg Simmonds

Fortune’s team discovers that Simmonds is preparing to negotiate the sale of The Handle.

To get close to him, they use Danny Francesco.

Danny is essentially blackmailed into helping the operation because the team knows about his affair with his sister-in-law.

Sarah adopts the identity of Danny’s girlfriend, while Fortune pretends to be Danny’s manager.

This allows them to enter Simmonds’ world.

The plan works because Simmonds is such a huge fan of Danny.

However, the closer the team gets to the truth, the more dangerous the operation becomes.

What Is “The Handle”?

The Handle is the mysterious piece of technology everyone is fighting over.

Initially, the characters don’t completely understand what it is.

Eventually, they discover that it is an extraordinarily advanced artificial intelligence system capable of infiltrating and defeating computer security systems around the world.

In other words, whoever controls The Handle could potentially gain access to critical infrastructure and financial systems.

That makes it far more dangerous than an ordinary piece of stolen technology.

The film deliberately keeps The Handle somewhat mysterious, using it as the MacGuffin that drives the entire international chase. (Wikipedia)

Why Do Trent and Arnold Want The Handle?

The true threat becomes clearer toward the end.

The ultimate buyers are two wealthy biotech businessmen named Trent and Arnold.

They have been secretly accumulating huge amounts of gold.

Their plan is to use The Handle to attack the global banking system.

If they can cause a worldwide financial collapse, the value of gold could dramatically increase while the global financial system suffers.

Their objective isn’t simply to own powerful technology.

They want to manipulate the world economy for their own financial benefit. (The Digital Fix)

⚠️ Operation Fortune Ending Explained

Spoilers ahead.

The final act takes place in Turkey, where the various players finally converge.

Fortune and his team attempt to recover The Handle during the exchange.

But their rival Mike Hook interferes.

Mike has been pursuing The Handle independently, and his actions cause the situation to explode into chaos.

The device is stolen again, and Fortune’s team is forced to rethink the entire operation.

At this point, Simmonds realizes that he has been betrayed as well.

Instead of simply allowing the buyers to walk away with The Handle, he decides to help Fortune.

This creates one of the movie’s strangest alliances:

Orson Fortune + his team + Greg Simmonds.

Who Are the Real Villains?

The movie initially makes it seem as though Greg Simmonds is the primary villain.

But that isn’t quite true.

Simmonds is certainly a criminal arms dealer, but he is primarily interested in making money.

The real threat comes from Trent and Arnold, who want to exploit The Handle to destroy the global financial system and profit from the chaos.

Mike also becomes a major threat because he turns against the people involved in the deal.

The final confrontation therefore becomes a battle between several different groups, each attempting to control The Handle for their own purposes. (Wikipedia)

How Does Orson Fortune Get The Handle Back?

As the different groups turn against one another, a massive shootout takes place.

Simmonds creates enough chaos for Fortune and J.J. to move through the heavily guarded compound.

Eventually, almost everyone involved is dead or incapacitated.

Fortune reaches the location where The Handle is being held.

Mike attempts to stop him.

The two men fight, and Fortune ultimately defeats Mike using the briefcase containing The Handle.

Fortune successfully retrieves the technology and prevents it from falling into the hands of the people who wanted to use it to collapse the world’s financial system. (Looper)

What Happens to Greg Simmonds?

Interestingly, Greg Simmonds survives.

Even more surprisingly, he ends up developing an unusual relationship with Danny Francesco.

The film doesn’t treat Simmonds like a conventional villain who must be killed or arrested.

Instead, his obsession with Danny becomes part of the movie’s comedy.

This becomes particularly important during the credits.

Operation Fortune Post-Credits Scene Explained

Yes, there is a scene during the credits.

Danny is filming a new movie, and the production is clearly based on the events that have just happened.

Danny plays a character resembling Greg Simmonds and recreates Simmonds’ dramatic speech from the final act.

Then the joke is revealed:

Greg Simmonds himself is involved with the movie’s production.

The sequence turns the entire adventure into material for a Hollywood movie, adding one final layer of comedy to the story. (Just Jared)

Why Does Orson Finance Danny’s Movie?

After the mission, Nathan tells Fortune that the team has another assignment.

But Fortune isn’t interested.

He reveals that he has already used money obtained during the operation to help finance Danny’s new movie.

The movie is essentially based on their recent adventure.

Danny plays Simmonds, while Simmonds himself becomes involved with the production.

It is a fittingly ridiculous ending for a film that constantly mixes espionage with Hollywood satire.

What Does the Ending Mean?

The ending is essentially a joke about turning real-life espionage into entertainment.

The characters spend the entire movie trying to prevent a catastrophic financial attack, yet by the end, their story has become the basis for a Hollywood movie.

That fits the film’s overall attitude.

Operation Fortune doesn’t take its spy story especially seriously. It borrows heavily from James Bond and Mission: Impossible while deliberately making its characters more eccentric and comedic.

The film’s ending simply pushes that idea further.

Operation Fortune Review

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is probably best viewed as a lightweight Guy Ritchie action-comedy rather than a serious spy thriller.

The movie has:

• Jason Statham doing what Jason Statham does best
• Aubrey Plaza delivering sarcastic one-liners
• Hugh Grant having fun as an eccentric arms dealer
• International locations
• Shootouts and car chases
• A ridiculous spy plot
• Plenty of Guy Ritchie-style banter

But its biggest weakness is that the story feels familiar.

Several critics compared it unfavorably with better spy films and described it as derivative or formulaic. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the film at 51% from critics and 82% from verified audience ratings, reflecting the divide between critics and viewers. (Rotten Tomatoes)

The Guardian was more positive, describing it as a slick and silly action comedy, while also praising Plaza and Grant. (The Guardian)

Roger Ebert’s review was much harsher, arguing that the movie’s impressive cast and locations were not enough to create meaningful stakes or suspense. (Roger Ebert)

Final Verdict

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre isn’t Guy Ritchie’s most original movie, but it works reasonably well as a casual action-comedy.

If you’re looking for deep spycraft or an emotionally complex story, this probably isn’t the movie for you.

But if you want Jason Statham punching people, Aubrey Plaza being sarcastic, Hugh Grant having fun, international action and a ridiculous spy plot, it delivers exactly that.

Movie rating: 3/5

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Operation Fortune based on a true story?

No. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a fictional spy action-comedy written and directed by Guy Ritchie.

What is The Handle in Operation Fortune?

The Handle is an extremely advanced AI system capable of penetrating computer security systems around the world.

Who plays Orson Fortune?

Jason Statham plays Orson Fortune, the film’s central spy and operative. (Roger Ebert)

Who plays Sarah Fidel?

Aubrey Plaza plays Sarah Fidel, a highly skilled hacker and member of Fortune’s team.

Who plays Greg Simmonds?

Hugh Grant plays billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds.

Does Orson Fortune get The Handle?

Yes. Fortune ultimately defeats Mike and recovers The Handle.

Does Greg Simmonds die?

No. Simmonds survives the final confrontation and later becomes involved in Danny’s movie.

Is there a post-credits scene?

There is a scene during the credits showing Danny filming a movie based on the events of the story, with Greg Simmonds involved in the production. (Just Jared)

Will there be an Operation Fortune 2?

The ending leaves the door open for another mission, but the first film itself does not establish a confirmed sequel. Nathan offers Fortune’s team another job, while Fortune wants a vacation. (Wikipedia)

Where can I watch Operation Fortune?

Availability varies by country and changes over time, so check your local streaming and rental services for the current listing.

Conclusion

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a stylish but familiar spy adventure that combines Guy Ritchie’s trademark humor with Jason Statham’s action persona. Its strongest elements are Aubrey Plaza, Hugh Grant, the international locations and the deliberately ridiculous tone.

The ending completes the main mission when Orson Fortune retrieves The Handle, while the credits turn the entire adventure into a Hollywood movie within the movie. That final joke perfectly captures what Operation Fortune is trying to be: a silly, fast-moving spy caper that never takes itself too seriously.

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Author Bio

Movie Explained Hub is a movie-focused platform dedicated to breaking down films in a simple, engaging, and easy-to-understand way. Our team covers movie reviews, ending explanations, story breakdowns, character analysis, and the latest films across action, thriller, comedy, horror, and other popular genres.

For Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, we explore Guy Ritchie’s spy-comedy style, Orson Fortune’s mission, The Handle, and the performances of Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, and Hugh Grant.