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'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.': Stylish, empty spy adventure
(Courtesy of Warner Bros
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(Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
With all the humor and glossy 1960s setting, Guy Ritchie's latest film, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., serves as an entertaining spy flick.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. will entertain crowds, however, this remake of the American TV series that ran from 1964 to 1968 lacks the gripping thrills that featured in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films.
The film is set in 1963, where a former art-thief turned CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) is sent to East Berlin to rescue female car mechanic Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander).
He is interrupted by a Russian spy, Ilya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), who comes with the same mission ' that is, to get Teller to find Terrel's missing father who is part of a nuclear weapon development project.
They are later involved in a car chase, presenting a simple but fascinating opening sequence that gives enough description about the main characters.
Solo always relies on his knowledge of the field and avoids confrontation, while Kuryakin is often clouded with rage and likes to find brute solutions.
The two spies later team up in a joint mission to investigate the Italian megalomaniacs who develop nuclear bombs that threaten both nations.
The trio goes to Italy with a cover-up story; Terrel is engaged to Kuryakin and plans to introduce him to her uncle who works for the Vinciguerra couple, who use Terrel's father ' believed to be Hitler's favorite rocket scientist ' to develop the nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, it is Solo's job as an antiquities dealer to seduce Victoria Vinciguerra (Elizabeth Debicki) to acquire information on the nuclear project.
At an event where Terrel meets her uncle, Kuryakin also acquires evidence that Vinciguerra has been exposed to radiation, which indicates that their nuclear weapons development is almost complete.
To follow up the evidence, Solo and Kuryakin break into the suspected location to look for more solid information.
The plot should thicken here as they get closer to the mission, but the film fails to build the tension as it is disrupted with exaggerated humorous scenes and lousy dialogue.
Their work to break into the building also looks like an amateur criminal job instead of that of trained spies, abandoning the strong spy characters that are built at the beginning of the film, where every move is well calculated and carried out.
Vinciguerra immediately takes action when she understands that there has been an intrusion into the compound, suspecting Solo as the mastermind but ditching her suspicions instantly when she finds him in his hotel room.
After the incident, Terrel's uncle promises to take her to see her father, while Solo is able to gain Vinciguerra's trust by inviting him to her house.
Despite the insignificant plot, Ritchie's decision not to modernize the story gives the whole film an authentic sense.
Credit should also be given to the costume and design teams, as the cast members are immaculately and elegantly costumed, perfectly showcasing the greatness of the 1960s vintage era.
Over the course of the film, the character development of Cavill and Hammer from enemies to partners also works well. But it is Hugh Grant who becomes the true star of the movie with his small, attention-grabbing role as a British agent.
Most of the action scenes are brief, but thanks to the soundtrack, they are very lively and amusing.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E is a sexy and stylish espionage adventure, but nothing spectacular comes out of the story.
