The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (7.5 out of 10) Directed by Guy Ritchie; Written by Guy Ritchie and Lionel Wigram, story by Jeff Kleeman. David Campbell Wilson, Guy Ritchie and Lionel Wigram, based on the TV series by Sam Rolfe; Starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Luca Calvani, Sylvester Groth, Hugh Grant, Jared Harris, Christian Berkel, Misha Kuznetsov. Rated PG-13 for “action violence, some suggestive content, and partial nudity.” 116 minutes. In wide release August 14, 2015.
It’s the early 60’s and an Iron Curtain has descended on Europe, dividing East and West, including Berlin. CIA Agent Napoleon Solo (Cavill) helps German mechanic Gaby (Vikander) escape to the West, but not before they are intercepted by the KGB’s finest, Ilya Kulyakin (Hammer). After barely escaping, Solo and Kulyakin are paired together for a joint CIA-KGB mission to track down Gaby’s father, who may have discovered a process that would proliferate nuclear weapons across the world. Of course, both top agents bristle at being paired with the other, but accept their mission to go undercover in Rome, with Kulyakin posing as Gaby’s fiance, to uncover her father’s location.
And thus begins a taut, funny, stylistic, and incredibly enjoyable spy thriller from Guy Ritchie. His fingerprints are all over this film, and suffice it to say that if you enjoyed his take on Sherlock Holmes and have any love for the spy genre, you are in for a treat. Fans of Ritchie’s style will immediately feel at home, but for those who prefer more traditional presentation to his stylistic quick-cuts and action, you’ll also be fine.
Ritchie has shown himself a master at tonal, period filmmaking. Just as with watching his Sherlock Holmes films you can almost taste the London fog and coal soot in the air, so too does he nail the early 60’s Cold War European vibe and the trademarks of the spy genre. And he’s also a smart enough director to let his actors do the talking for him.
Cavill and Hammer are both incredible in these roles, and they have an amazing chemistry with one another. They really seem to relish these broad roles, too, with Solo as the debonair almost-more-con-man-than-spy versus Kulyakin’s formidable physical strength, presence, and genius-level intellect.
And did I mention how funny they are? This script has some serious laughs in it (again, much like Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films) but also does not let the comedy get in the way of the mystery, the intrigue, and the action.
If there’s one criticism to be made, it’s that this could be more of a Guy Ritchie film. This feels more like the studio welcomes him to take the helm of their property given his track record, but they will only let him be ” ” this much Guy Ritchie. When he turns it on, you know it– like a climactic battle scene taking an island fortress. But, as divisive as that style would be for regular filmgoers, it’s likely the studio made the right decision to protect their profits.
Regardless, this is a satisfying addition to the spy genre, a successful reboot of another aging property, and a fun film to boot.
7.5 out of 10