The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Guy Ritchie
Lionel Wigram
116 mins.
Action, Adventure, Comedy
August 14, 2015
Rated PG-13 for action violence, some suggestive content, and partial nudity. (MPAA)
In 1964, a new television show appeared as part of NBC’s lineup. Its first season was shot in black and white, and, stylistically, it fit in with “The Avengers,” which debuted on TV in 1961. Two years after this show’s premiere, “Batman” entered into the television landscape with some similar stylings, as well. This TV show was “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” which starred Robert Vaughn (“Bubba” from “Superman III”) and David McCallum, who currently has a role on CBS’s “NCIS.” The Cold War was raging at the time, so American TV audiences were primed to watch spies do their thing against the Enemy. This show scratched that itch for 3 1/2 seasons.
Fast-forward over 50 years later, and the Cold War is still a hot topic in entertainment, especially on TV: from “The Americans” to BBC America’s “The Game” to “Deutschland 83.” So there’s no better time to bring “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” back, right?
This time, it’s a Guy Ritchie film. Ritchie, who most recently directed and co-wrote the “Sherlock Holmes” film franchise, is no stranger to stylish and energetic productions. So he seems like the perfect fit for “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” After all, this film’s tag line is “Saving the World Never Goes out of Style.” Instead of Vaughn and McCallum, Ritchie’s two leads are Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. So far, so good. (Interestingly, Cavill, a British actor, plays American CIA agent Napoleon Solo. Hammer, an American actor, plays Soviet KGB agent Illya Kuryakin.) Solo and Kuryakin (who, at first, are out to destroy each other) reluctantly team up to stop an international criminal organization. So, this film presents the origin story of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” which stands for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, by the way.
At its opening, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” establishes itself as a smoothly crafted period spy-action film: There’s a great jazz song playing (Roberta Flack’s “Compared to What,” which was also featured in “Boogie Nights”), and there’s footage from the period that’s awash in red. Throughout the film, the camerawork, sets, costumes, and sounds are an extension of that beginning. It’s beautiful to behold. It’s well done.
Another film released this year, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” gave audiences a take on a somewhat similar sensibility. While “Kingsman” certainly isn’t a period piece, it does have a central character, played by Colin Firth, who would fit right in with Solo and Kuryakin. However, “Kingsman” tries too hard; it shoves its comedy down its audience’s throat. In contrast, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” has much greater ease as it shifts from action to spy craft to comedy. It’s closer to “The Bank Job” in that way. It has shades of the “Bond” films and “Alfie,” too. This is a summer action movie for adults.
Another positive note is that when “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” winks at itself and at the spy genre in general, it works rather well: In a scene that features a super-serious briefing of Kuryakin, a piece of film appears upside-down, which needs to be corrected much to the embarrassment of the technician. In another scene, Solo almost gets run over by a car driven by Alicia Vikander’s Gaby Teller, yet he remains unflappable throughout. Later in the film, there’s a faulty electric chair that spells the demise of … well, someone, I won’t tell you whom. Also, in the scene when Solo and Kuryakin learn that they must work together, can you tell exactly how many agents are present? It’s all ridiculous, but in a fun sort of way. Plus, the action, when it happens, is as clear as crystal. It’s not overdone, and it bridges the gap between what would be presented in a film from the 1960s and what we’re used to seeing today.
In “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” Ritchie, once again, shows that he knows how to communicate via visuals. For instance, more than once, this film flashes back a few moments to reveal how Solo either spots a surveillance bug in his briefcase or manages to steal things (he’s a thief, after all). Those flashbacks are a nice touch.
Also, at its best, this film’s engine is its music. When Ritchie shifts between letting the music rip and abruptly shutting it off, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” has wonderful rhythm and appropriate timing. Unfortunately, though, Ritchie doesn’t use music enough. While he does use it a lot, he needs to use it even more. Many scenes in the middle of this film sag a bit, largely because they don’t have any musical interplay. There’s too much air in them. The music could have filled in the gaps and sharpened those moments. It could have cleaned up some of those beats.
As for the acting, it’s just what this kind of film needs – confident. The only possible exception is Armie Hammer’s performance. At times, he seems uncomfortable with his role, especially when he goes off-voice: There’s too much air in his voice every now and then. He isn’t bad, though. Cavill, on the other hand, always seems sure of himself. He channels Cary Grant. He gets it. Similarly, the supporting cast is a good one: Vikander, who did a great job in this year’s “Ex Machina,” imbues her character with appropriate spunk; Jared Harris is excellent, as usual, as Solo’s CIA handler who has Solo in a bind because of Solo’s thieving ways; Elizabeth Debicki is the perfect villain – she’s tall, svelte, and cunning (plus, she slinks in and out of her scenes). As for Hugh Grant … he’s Hugh Grant. (They don’t use him as much as they could have, though.)
Overall, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” is a fine way to beat the summer heat. Yes, it could be sharper, at times. And, yes, it certainly could be shorter and tighter as a whole. But there’s enough style and confidence on display to soften the blows of those flaws. This is a familiar yet stylishly pleasant way to pass the time.
Verdict: Good
About: (Source: manfromuncle)
Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” centers on CIA agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin. Forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology. The duo’s only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist, who is the key to infiltrating the criminal organization, and they must race against time to find him and prevent a worldwide catastrophe.
“The Man from U.N.C.L.E” also stars Alicia Vikander (“Anna Karenina”), Elizabeth Debicki (“The Great Gatsby”), with Jared Harris (“Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows”), and Hugh Grant as Waverly.
The screenplay was written by Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, who previously collaborated on re-imagining the classic detective Sherlock Holmes in two hit films. The story is by Jeff Kleeman & David Campbell Wilson and Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, based on the television series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
John Davis (“Chronicle”), Steve Clark-Hall (“RocknRolla,” the “Sherlock Holmes” films), Wigram and Ritchie produced the film, with David Dobkin serving as executive producer.
Ritchie’s behind-the-scenes creative team included two-time Oscar®-nominated director of photography John Mathieson (“The Phantom of the Opera,” “Gladiator”), production designer Oliver Scholl (“Jumper,” “Edge of Tomorrow”), editor James Herbert (the “Sherlock Holmes” films, “Edge of Tomorrow”), and Oscar®-nominated costume designer Joanna Johnston (“Lincoln”). The music is composed by Daniel Pemberton (“The Counselor”).
“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” opens Friday, August 14, 2015.
A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, a Ritchie/Wigram Production, a Davis Entertainment Production, a Guy Ritchie Film, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
