With a resume of movies like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch; and the Robert Downey Jr.-lead Sherlock Holmes series; director Guy Ritchie‘s name has become synonymous to sleek, stylish, hyper-kinetic action containing quick wit and smart plotting. Unfortunately, it is this last part, “smart plotting,” that the Man from U.N.C.L.E. lacks.
Telling the through time and memorial story of unlikely partners who amidst differences have to work together in order to save the world, the movie stars Superman, Henry Cavill, as the CIA agent Napoleon Solo; while almost Batman, Armie Hammer, plays the KGB spy Illya Kuryakin. Separately tasked to extract Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander), the mechanic daughter of a Nazi scientist, in one of this year’s most exciting chase sequences, the two come to blows until their respective supervisors soon realize that there is a bigger threat at hand and (yes, you guessed it) they must join forces for the betterment of mankind.
Aesthetically, Guy Ritchie does bring his trademark style to the movie. The movie is filled with beautiful costumes that serve as a throwback to the Mod era of the sixties. The sets designs are consistently vintage all throughout and the action is innovative as ever. Aside from the aforementioned opening chase, two scenes you should look out for are the split screen siege sequence and the landscape panning, “zoom in, zoom out” race both during the movie’s third act. The score is also just as wonderful – employing jazz percussions that scream 60’s spy caper, as well as some throwbacks to the spaghetti westerns of Clint Eastwood. Unfortunately, these are just smokescreens to the movie’s bland story.
My biggest gripe with The Man from U.N.C.L.E. would definitely have to be its unconvincing plot. Again, from the get-go, there’s really nothing new to its premise but with a name like Guy Ritchie’s attached to its helm, one could hope that there would be more to the movie’s stereotypical facade. Yes, at some point there are some twists and turns, but it just doesn’t fully immerse you. Not until the very end of the movie could you feel the weight of the stakes at hand. Visually and aurally, you are wonderfully stimulated with its great action sequences, catchy jazz score, and Mad Men-esque set designs and costumes, but aside from that you’ll find yourself asking “Why should I care?” You sense the excitement of the scenes on screen but you never really feel involved or connected to the story.
The lack of chemistry amongst its leads don’t help engross you either. Individually, both Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer have their shinning moments. Henry Cavill, who after his stoic and detached portrayal of Superman, is able to prove that he can indeed turn on that smooth James Bond charm as the bad boy Napoleon Solo. Armie Hammer, on the other hand, serves some laughs as he from time to time unveils a soft side to his machine-of-man character, Illya Kuryakin. At times though his hulk-man’s characterization feels a little bit forced. Together, the two characters don’t seem to mesh well. They do banter like a married couple but the sparks just aren’t there. There is some comedy to their interactions but their relationship’s just lacking.
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It is the female cast, especially Alicia Vikander, who outshine the leads in this movie. Vikander, who plays the mechanic Gaby Teller, turns on the cute as she proves that she can match wits and skills with the boys. Elizabeth Debicki, who we last saw in The Great Gatsby, also pulls off the sexiness of past Bond girls as she plays the smouldering villain. Unfortunately, she is all sexy and not at all scary. Her motivation’s the usual “sell arms and earn money” scheme. This just shows how weak the movie’s villain ensemble is as she is already the driving force amongst the rest of the baddies – who are mere foreigner-accented lackeys.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is enjoyable, at best, as a movie. It is not as good as we wanted it be but its not bad either. Take it as an art gallery set to music which you stroll through for the visuals and not for the story. Because as it is, that’s what The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is – an art exhibit that showcases the themes and feels of the 60s…just, you know, with explosions.
