Mission Impossible. Bourne. Bond (Craig-verse, anyway.) Why is it that when spy movies come out, they’re dark and brooding? Where are all the fun romps? That’s a question that The Man from UNCLE seeks to answer with, “Right here you dummy!” But does it succeed? Read my review and find out?
Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) is a former thief turned CIA agent, more or less blackmailed into working off what would have been his prison sentence. During a mission in East Berlin to extract Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander), the daughter of missing nuclear scientist Udo Teller, Solo is ambushed by Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), a no-nonsense and blunt KGB agent, but narrowly escapes. Unfortunately, Solo and Kuryakin, alongside Gaby, are forced to team up when it becomes clear that Gaby’s father has been kidnapped by Nazi sympathizers who intend to use him to build an atomic bomb. What ensues is a spy adventure through fabulous locales set in the swinging 60’s, with betrayals and twists galore.
It’s also a lot of fun, with everyone involved clearly enjoying themselves. Cavill as Solo is excellent as a smooth and experienced spy, with nothing ever truly phasing him, and he bounces off of the (hilariously) stoic Hammer, who plays his character with just enough depth and hidden rage to prevent Kuryakin from becoming a one-note Russian stereotype. Vikander, meanwhile, nails the sex appeal of a Bond girl, but injects it with a goofy and lovable feel. Also, she isn’t stuck in a dumb love triangle with Solo and Kuryakin, which is an interesting twist since that’s usually how a movie like this would go. The cast also has an awesome chemistry together, which sells the reluctant (turned not-so-reluctant) team-up.
Of course, a great cast can’t save a movie where the action and plot don’t work, so it’s a good thing they do, for the most part. Guy Ritchie captures the retro feel and visual style of old-school Bond, with scenes that definitely wouldn’t feel out of place in a Moore-era Bond flick. The editing and cinematography is cut in such a way that the action is fun without being overwhelming, and it snaps along well because of it. The story is also fun, with solid wisecracks and humor, alongside unexpected bait-and-switches of spy tropes. (Kuryakin regularly avoids killing despite being a brute of a man, while Solo curses with modern-day slang.) Unfortunately, the movie isn’t perfetc writing-wise. Near the end of the film, the pacing and tone varies wildly, and at times feels as though it should be in a different film. One scene in particular wouldn’t have been out-of-place in Casino Royale (Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.) while a knifefight in the rain between Kuryakin and the big bad’s deadliest mook is deadly serious.
I suppose I should also mention that while the main trio is well-written and fleshed out, the supporting cast is less so. Elizabeth Debicki and Luca Cavini are excellent as the main villians, but the characters never feel like anything other smarmy villians. (To be fair, neither did Dr. No.) Hugh Grant is difficult to discuss without spoiling his character’s role in the plot, but he’s solid, if underused. What I’m saying is that the cast is solid, if underdevloped.
Ulitmately, The Man from UNCLE isn’t perfect, but it overcomes a style-over-substance design by having a hell lot of style. It’s quick, funny, and most importantly, fun. Go see it if you want to have fun. You do like fun, don’t you?
Overall Score: 8 out of 10
Notes:
>That’s right, I’m grading on a 1 to 10 scale now. Deal with it.
>”You should’ve seen it run. It tore the hood off my car.” A bewildered Solo describing his run-in with Kuryakin.
>Solo nonchalantly eating a sandwich as Kuryakin is chased by guards is one of the film’s funniest scenes, and absolutely could’ve gone on longer.
>I really would like to see a sequel to this, seeing as how it broke even at the box office and already has something of a cult following.
