The Man From U.N.C.L.E., 2015.
Directed by Guy Ritchie.
Starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Luca Calvani, Sylvester Groth, Jared Harris, and Hugh Grant.
SYNOPSIS:
In the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons.
My familiarity with The Man From U.N.C.L.E. television series is non-existent (I was born in 1989 dammit) but I feel pretty confident in assuring viewers that this film reboot is nothing like the series from the 60s. Director Guy Ritchie has made a name for himself by employing a major over-dosage of style over substance in films such as Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; something that oozes out of every scene in The Man From U.N.C.L.E
That stylistic decision turns out to be the film’s greatest strength as well as its most glaring flaw. There is a lot of flair and bravado to the action sequences here, whether it be in-car chases, boat chases, Nazi torture doctors, and powerful slaps that can knock a man out while keeping him standing still upright, but your left solely appreciating the idiosyncratic nature of it all alongside some admittedly wonderful cinematography that captures these scenes with, again, style.
It’s hard not to overuse that word in this review because that’s all the movie is; an exercise in style. You’re going to have a blast watching Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer portraying opposites as American and Russian spies during the Cold War that must put their differences aside and work together to infiltrate some dangerous people and locate a nuclear bomb; the banter that they share regarding the technical gadgets from their respective countries, their dissonance in personality (Cavill is the fast-talking, suave ladies man while Hammer is the brute that much control his temper), and constant feeling to one-up the other is all deeply fun.
The problem though is that there isn’t much that defines these characters; we learn that the American spy was a professional thief after World War II that joined the CIA against his will in a quick montage flashback that lasts roughly two minutes. Meanwhile I can’t even remember the origin story of the Russian. Furthermore, it all proves just how forgettable The Man From U.N.C.L.E. truly is; the style is woefully entertaining in the moment but 24 hours removed, I barely remember anything about this movie other than Cavill driving a truck into a body of water while eating a sandwich to save his partner. Still, there is nothing to these spies that captures the mystery of a James Bond or the death-defying stuntwork of Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. It all goes back to Guy Ritchie being more interested in using these characters as a vessel for his personal style rather than giving a proper revitalization to this long forgotten television series.
There is a third wheel to the group played by Alicia Vikander; both the American and Russian are using this German mechanic to get to her abandoned father that they believe has a connection to the nuclear bomb. It makes for some highly amusing scenes where she and Hammer pose as a married couple with fake identities, and also leads to a twisty final act. Once again though, there just isn’t much to the narrative to actually care. Even the villains are one-note with practically no explored motivation. A great deal of the final action sequence feels rushed too; for example one of the major villains goes down in a very lame and forgettable fight. The vehicular chase that leads to the showdown fares a little better but never really reaches the heights that are being aimed.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is certainly an exercise in style (the locales are all fascinating, costumes are all ravishing, the action is competently directed, there’s a groovy sleuth reminiscent soundtrack, and great actors making the most of what’s here) but at the end of the day it’s impossible to give this one a high recommendation. Fans of the original show will probably get more mileage even though this is probably nothing like it barring the actual characters. Again, it’s highly entertaining in the moment but immediately disposable once the credits roll. Except the theme, that awesomeness stays in your cerebral cortex.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder – An aficionado of film, wrestling, and gaming. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=8k_v0cVxqEY
Originally published August 15, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
