The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Action, Adventure, Comedy
Directed By: Guy Ritchie
In a year so crowded with movies of espionage and gadgetry
to make your particular film stand out you need to do something different,
something special. Paul Feig's Spy
went hard on the comedy, M:I 5 went
for the crazy action stunts, and Kingsman
went for the old school toys and high octane action, so what could U.N.C.L.E. do to impress? It has fun, to
put it simply. Guy Ritchie's latest film, working as an adaptation of the
classic T.V. show, takes us on a trip back in time to when everything didn't
have to be so serious.
Solo (Henry Cavill) is the CIA's most esteemed agent
currently on a mission to track down a terrorist organization attempting to
create their own nuclear weapons. After a botched mission due to interference
from the Russians he finds himself teamed up with the very man who made his
last mission a royal pain in his ass. Illya (Armie Hammer) is the KGB's most
lethal asset with quite the temper. When the two are tasked to work a mission
together they never take each other well. While working with the daughter of a
missing scientist (Alicia Vikander) the two constantly but heads in an attempt
to complete the mission themselves, without help from their unwanted new
partner. These two deadly assassins, coming from polar opposite worlds, must set
aside their differences in order to save the world from nuclear holocaust.
I have been excited for this project since I first heard
about it simply because Guy Ritchie wrote and directed it, and I love almost
everything else he has done. Even so, I was still wondering how a movie like
this could stand out in a summer like this. Ritchie didn't fail me as this
movie is a total blast from start to finish. Never wasting too much time with
the small details and nitty gritty this film moves fast to get you into the
relationship between our core three characters. Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer
strike fantastic chemistry and even though Armie's accent is a tad cheesy, it
never takes you out of the film. The addition of Alicia Vikander adds a ton of
charm and wit to the cast as well as she puts in another amazing performance
(see Ex Machina from earlier this
year). Hugh Grant is also solid in his role but I felt he was criminally
underused, hopefully he has a bigger role if a sequel ever comes around.
What is most impressive with this film however, is the
style. From the art direction and costumes to the cinematography, this film is
absolutely gorgeous to look at. You actually feel like you are taken back into
the Cold War era and it adds so much to the film. This is all due to amazing
costume design and set direction and when mixed with the incredible camera work
in this film it makes for a gorgeous visual treat. The action scenes are also
done in a way we haven't really seen before and it adds a whole level of originality
that was much needed. Ritchie was never afraid to take the camera out of the
immediate action to focus on another point of view and this makes for some
highly entertaining and fresh action sequences.
What ultimately makes this movie though is the charm, wit,
and self-awareness. The movie never takes itself too seriously and uses that to
have fun. It knows it is a movie made from a classic 60's television program
and it wants you to know that as well. It has the feel of all the classic bond
movies while adding its own flavor to be something completely different. In a
time where movies have become so serious and dark U.N.C.L.E. aims to simply entertain us. Even in the darkest moments
of the movie it will make you crack a smile or have a good laugh rather than
make you uncomfortable. With spy movies changing so much in the last few years
it is nice to see one film content on being from the past and embodying
everything that made us all fall in love with the genre to begin with.
I wouldn't call this one of the best of the summer, or even
the best spy movie but it is a great time at the theater and a wonderful capper
to an incredible summer of movies. Henry Cavill shows some serious acting
brass, something we don't get enough of from him in Man of Steel and Armie Hammer gives his best performance I have
seen to date. Alicia Vikander is a rising superstar and after seeing her in Ex Machina and now this I can only
hope she begins popping up in everything. If you are looking for something to
see this weekend that feels a little different from everything we have seen
this summer give The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
a shot, it may impress you a lot more than you think.
As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who Watches
Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!
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