The Man from U.N.C.L.E Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

Guy Ritchie returns with a tongue-in-cheek spy flick. American and Russian spies are teaming up to find a splinter Nazi terrorist group that manufactured a nuclear bomb, threatening the world.

Genre: Action / Adventure / Comedy

Director: Guy Ritchie

Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Groth, Luca Calvani, Christian Berkel, Guy Williams, Jarred Harris & Hugh Grant.

Run Time: 116 min.

US Release: 14 August 2015

UK Release: 14 August 2015

German Release: 13 August 2015

Four years have passed since Guy Ritchie’s last movie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, so I was very excited when it was announced that he would be directing this film. The man is known for using a unique selection of actors and cinematic methods. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is based on the short-lived 1960s TV series of the same name. It is a typical spy film, with Ritchie melding modern cinematography and classic filming techniques.

Upon its release, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. received mixed reviews, leaning more positive than negative. RottenTomatoes.com lists the movie with an overall rating of 66%, which I found to be relatively low for a light and fun summer spy flick. Personally, I really enjoyed this new Ritchie film and thought it was well worth the cinema visit.

During the Cold War, a criminal organisation (a splinter group of the fallen Nazi party) plans to use a newly developed nuclear warhead to disrupt the power struggle between the West (U.S.) and the East (Soviet Union). CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) are forced by their superiors to work together and put aside their differences to stop the terrorist group. Their only lead is the daughter (Alicia Vikander) of a missing German scientist, whom they must find to prevent a worldwide disaster.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E., although lacking a deeper story, is smart and fun summer entertainment. The overall plot is well written, and the design and effects team truly knocked it out of the park, bringing the 1960s back to life. Ritchie assembled a great team of designers and actors who managed to create a realistic set and atmosphere.

Henry Cavill did a fantastic job as CIA agent Napoleon Solo. A former U.S. military officer, thief, and con man, Solo was recruited by the CIA and given a chance at redemption if he worked for the agency. Cavill gave his persona a slickness and sense of fashion reminiscent of the early Bond portrayed by Sir Sean Connery. Ironically enough, Ian Fleming himself created the character of Napoleon Solo as a U.S. version of Bond for small-screen TV.

Armie Hammer plays Solo’s counterpart, KGB operative Illya Kuryakin. Kuryakin is the exact opposite of Solo. Hammer managed to express the pain and fear of his character well, although sometimes he went a little over the top.

Alicia Vikander was another great casting addition. She portrayed Gaby Teller, the daughter of a Nazi scientist who cooperated with the U.S. Vikander played her as tough but feminine at the same time, keeping secrets of her own that threaten the operation’s success.

Gaby is an unconventional woman; she likes to wrestle and work on cars. Alicia Vikander is an incredible actress, and I liked seeing her in this flick, though I felt she was slightly miscast, as her broken German accent did not make her believable in the role.

It was nice to see the setting of this movie take place in Europe. 1960s East Germany and Rome looked beautiful. The movie also had great comedic relief in the form of Cavill and Hammer’s constant banter with each other.

There were two issues I had with this movie. One—though it doesn’t hurt the film overall—I did miss a bit more backstory and character development that could have fleshed out both the villains and heroes. The other issue was the bad German accents. I’ve mentioned this in previous reviews, but if you’re setting a movie in another country, at least have the decency to use extras from that country.

This film bears Ritchie’s unconventional cinematographic style, which I personally love. The typical visual post-manipulation technique used in some of his earlier films is what sets this one apart from the wave of spy movies we’re getting this year. However, there were a few too many of them flashbacks explaining what really happened during certain scenes.

One of the greatest elements of this movie was the soundtrack. I’m a great fan of Ritchie’s taste and choice in music for his films. He is one of two directors (Tarantino being the other) who, in my opinion, can pick the perfect song to fit a scene 100%.

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Verdict: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is another great addition to Ritchie’s filmography. It doesn’t have a deep story, but it’s a fun and easy summer flick with all the Ritchie-isms included. This spy film deserves a 7.0 out of 10, and I recommend seeing it in cinemas.

Did you watch this spy movie? If so, what did you think of it? On another note, I’ll start this coming Saturday with my Ridley Scott sci-fi reviews, so keep both eyes open if you’re interested!