“A Cold War espionage film served deliciously cold.”
“I take top,” Solo demands while he and Kuryakin try to pick
the two locks on heavily-barred doors, forcing his partner to bend down and “take
the bottom.” This is just one of the many amusing scenes in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. where the
characters played by Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer are constantly bickering
against each other. Directed by Guy Ritchie, the mind behind the recent Sherlock Holmes movie franchise, the
film is the big-screen adaptation of the 1960s hit British spy thriller TV
series.
The film is set in 1963 during the early Cold War. It opens
with two spies competing to haul out an important asset in East Germany.
Napoleon Solo (Cavill), a debonair playboy, is a former black market dealer and master thief in
post-war Europe recruited by the CIA into becoming a secret agent. On the other
hand, Illya Kuryakin (Hammer), similarly enlisted by his state, is the perfunctory
tight and serious KGB operative. The wild card in the game is the auto mechanic
vixen Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander) whose bomb-expert dad is the enemy’s ace
card.
Surprisingly, the two agents are forced by their bosses to
pair up. Kuryakin poses as Teller’s fiancĂ©e while Solo infiltrates the criminal
organization led by neo-Nazi tall Italian dame Victoria Vinciguerra (Elizabeth Debicki). Rushing to stop the soon-to-be nuclear warfare, the gorgeous trio of
Solo, Kuryakin and Teller must work together to accomplish their mission.
Apparently, The Man
from U.N.C.L.E. is an origin movie, introducing an antiquated espionage
story to young audiences. Expectedly, it is formulaic and predictable, but unbelievably,
it is fun and appealing. It is visually pleasing, sexy and suave. It is literally
classy and stylish, obvious with the pretty-boy bravado of the actors and the
overflow of elegant and sleek wardrobe. Solo, dashing in his jet-black hair, is
also daper in his suits, all in the shade of blue, while Kuryakin, hair always combed
and glossy, is handsome in his dark earth-color turtleneck shirts. Similarly,
Teller is a Vogue-worthy femme fatale. With all these chic dresses, the film sometimes
feels like an action film in a fashion show.
Moreover, the movie is not exactly thrilling for a spy
thriller, but it compensates its lack of urgency with humor and playfulness. Its
choreography is decently executed, especially with the car chase at the beginning
where actions are smooth and fluid while maintaining a restrained air of
excitement. Director Ritchie is also quite fond of placing crucial sequences
either in the background, such as when Solo helps himself into a glass of wine
inside his car while Kuryakin is busy with speedboat chase outside, or
offscreen, like when Kuryakin presumably explodes and beats three bully boys in
the restroom. Classy jazz score is also copious, though it is excessive at some
points. And as often as the actors change outfits, the film is also quick to
change settings and locations.
On the downside, the film suffers from a simplistic plot and
poor characterization. There is not much tale going on and plot twists are lame
and unsurprising. The heroes are also stereotypical. Solo is the usual white Bond-like
womanizer while Kuryakin is the perfect humourless Communist agent. Though
amusing, the duo’s constant squabbling eventually becomes whiny and childish,
especially that they call each other names like “Cowboy” and “Red Peril.” Despite
her girlish change of clothes, Teller also appears too stiff for too long.
Yet, the actors make the best of their characters. Their
acting is nothing special but their chemistry is tremendous. Cavill is flawless
with his playful Solo persona but mostly, he comes across more British than
American, which he truly is in real life. Meanwhile, with his weirdly deep
voice, Hammer is more pleasing to the eyes than ears. His Kuryakin, who is too
volatile that he suffers seizures from controlling his temper, is convincingly
played out. Vikander, from his winning performance in Ex Machina and Testament of Youth, seems wasted but her presence as Teller brings a touch of joy and
harmony. Her moments with Hammer are killingly sweet and infectious, like
freshly-baked butterscotch. Others actors like Debicki, who could be easily
mistaken as a Hilton figure, and Hugh Grant, Solo’s boss and possibly the
brains of U.N.C.L.E. or United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, also have
strong and commanding presence.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E., with its good-looking
cast, location and actions, is an enjoyable film to watch. It may have poor
plot and character development for an origin story but it holds enough charisma
and wits to lure viewers. It is an unexpectedly pleasant viewing experience,
stirring anticipation for a sequel to come soon.
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