While it’s difficult to know how many reshoots and how much editing took place on Operation Fortune, causing its release to be delayed for over a year, it seems as though there was never just one movie villain in the spy thriller comedy movie.
For much of the thriller movie, tech genius and hacker Sarah (Aubrey Plaza) and movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) have been undercover at the lavish Turkish villa belonging to billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Simmonds hero-worships Danny, but this doesn’t dissuade him from attempting to seduce Sarah (who is posing as Danny’s girlfriend). Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) initially poses as Francesco’s manager, but blows his cover while pursuing Simmonds’ associate Ben Harris (Max Beesley).
Sarah realizes that Greg’s other associate Emilia (Lourdes Faberes) is about to discover that she’s been hacking their system the entire time she’s been enjoying this luxury weekend retreat. Sarah tells Danny to prepare a getaway, and he jumps at the chance to use the beloved classic car that he once drove in an action movie (which now happens to be residing in Greg’s garage).
Meanwhile, Orson is posing as Ben Harris at the final exchange – which will close the deal on ‘The Handle.’ Fortunately, he is being tailed by JJ (Bugzy Malone), who is on hand with his sniper rifle when Fortune’s rival Mike (Peter Ferdinando) arrives and things go south.
Orson and JJ manage to escape in a helicopter, and they catch up with Sarah and Danny, who are embroiled in a full-on car chase/shoot-out, worthy of a Fast and Furious movie. Orson manages to use the rocket launchers on the helicopter to save them, but promptly takes them back to the exact location they’ve just escaped from – Greg’s villa.
Orson offers Greg a deal – and they agree to work together to take down the real villains at the top of the pyramid – Trent (Tom Rosenthal) and Arnold (Oliver Maltman). They are a pair of American tech billionaires, who have been buying up gold. They want to use The Handle – which is an AI program that can infiltrate any computer system in the world, to bring international banking to its knees. Gold will be the only reliable commodity, and its value will sky-rocket.
Greg and Danny go to meet Trent, Arnold, and Mike (who has been working for them all along). Greg is there to get his commission from the original deal, and he proceeds to deliver an amazing monologue – worthy of a James Bond villain. When Trent and Arnold say they’re not going to pay him, Greg uses his vast arsenal of weapons to start destroying their compound, and threatening to use the same weapons on Trent and Arnold’s mothers’ houses.
Hugh Grant’s brilliantly-delivered monologue is intercut with Jason Statham’s Orson (initially aided by JJ) making his way up to where the villains are – in a room surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows at the top of a tower, which is filled with the latest computer technology. He single-handedly takes out Trent and Arnold’s vast army of guards.
Mike and his goons end up turning on Trent and Arnold, killing them both. Orson kills Mike with the briefcase containing The Handle, and saves the tech from falling into nefarious hands. Orson, JJ, and Sarah are called to Doha by their handler Nathan (Cary Elwes) who lines up their next job – perfectly setting up a sequel. Nathan tells Orson that he needs to return some stolen cash and jewels. Orson tells Nathan that he’s already spent it – investing in a movie, and he insists on a holiday before starting the next job.
The credits begin, and then we see Danny Francesco recreating Greg’s monologue that he delivered to Trent and Arnold. Danny is making the movie (which Orson has invested in), where he plays a character based exactly on Greg. It’s also hinted that Greg and Danny may now be involved in a romance movie ‘happy ever after’ of their own.
So, it looks as though the Ukrainians were never the main villains of Operation Fortune anyway, and were instead lower down the ranks. However, the movie studio obviously wanted to take precautions and it’s understandable. Now you know how Ritchie’s latest movie ends, check out our guide to the best spy movies.