Dustin: 4 of 5 stars Nick: 4 of 5 stars Average: 4 of 5 stars (Live canary)
Dustin: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. brings the silly 1960s TV series to the big screen as a silly movie. It stars British actor Henry Cavill as CIA agent Napoleon Solo, American actor Armie Hammer as KGB agent Illya Kuryakin and Swedish actress Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) as German mechanic Gaby.
Nick: Do you think Henry Cavill impressed enough to get that future Bond role?
Dustin: Yeah, I cynically mentioned before this movie this was “Henry Cavill’s James Bond audition.” But after seeing it, I wouldn’t say that. He looked every bit like Bond, but his character reminded me a lot of Roger Moore, with the cool, affected delivery and tongue-in-cheek attitude throughout. I think he played Napoleon Solo, not James Bond-wannabe.
The movie is about Solo and Illya, agents of opposite forces tasked with finding a female mechanic named Gaby. Solo has to get Gaby out of East Germany so she can help the CIA find her nuke-building Nazi father. Illya has to stop Solo, using lethal force if necessary. Once the CIA and KGB learn the nuke is near completion, they force Solo and Illya to team up and work with Gaby to find her father.
Nick: The movie was well paced and every scene at least had a modicum of action or comedy, which helped set the tone throughout. The audience seemed to laugh at every joke, and the action was shot in some unique ways that gave this cinephile a cinerection! Guy Ritchie hasn’t made a film I have liked since Snatch (which I love) but he did The Man From U.N.C.L.E. proud.
Dustin: I haven’t seen the old TV series, but I’d like to so I can compare Cavill’s performance to the character played by Robert Vaughn. I was a little taken out of the movie by Cavill’s approach, but I can’t deny it wasn’t unique, and I think I’d appreciate it more if I knew he was being true to the source material.
Dustin: Yeah, I cynically mentioned before this movie this was “Henry Cavill’s James Bond audition.” But after seeing it, I wouldn’t say that. He looked every bit like Bond, but his character reminded me a lot of Roger Moore, with the cool, affected delivery and tongue-in-cheek attitude throughout. I think he played Napoleon Solo, not James Bond-wannabe.
The movie is about Solo and Illya, agents of opposite forces tasked with finding a female mechanic named Gaby. Solo has to get Gaby out of East Germany so she can help the CIA find her nuke-building Nazi father. Illya has to stop Solo, using lethal force if necessary. Once the CIA and KGB learn the nuke is near completion, they force Solo and Illya to team up and work with Gaby to find her father.
Nick: The movie was well paced and every scene at least had a modicum of action or comedy, which helped set the tone throughout. The audience seemed to laugh at every joke, and the action was shot in some unique ways that gave this cinephile a cinerection! Guy Ritchie hasn’t made a film I have liked since Snatch (which I love) but he did The Man From U.N.C.L.E. proud.
Dustin: I haven’t seen the old TV series, but I’d like to so I can compare Cavill’s performance to the character played by Robert Vaughn. I was a little taken out of the movie by Cavill’s approach, but I can’t deny it wasn’t unique, and I think I’d appreciate it more if I knew he was being true to the source material.
I really liked Ritchie’s writing and direction here. The style, substance, lighting and framing all resembled 1960s psychedelic films. But the movie is a little too self-aware and the production is too amped up to be a ‘60s film. I’d call it a ‘60s-style movie with a postmodern sensibility.
Nick: While Cavill’s portrayal of Solo took me out of the film as well, he just happened to be my favorite part. Every remark and smirk made me think of an homage to classic spy films where the American is always just so goddamn cool, like the scene where he hops on a truck after falling off a boat Illya is driving and he finds red wine and a sandwich in a basket. While his temporary ally is being chased around he enjoys that fine random meal that some Italian henchman is going to regret leaving in his car later. (I wish that was an after-credits scene.)
Dustin: That was one of my favorite scenes as well, and when I finally warmed up to Cavill. That’s pretty much exactly what I would have done in that situation, so I was able to relate then.
We both talked about the early scene in Blaul Part: Mall Cop 2 where his grandma gets hit by a truck and it is supposed to be funny. I gave an objective reason why it wasn’t funny. You said it would have been funny in a dark comedy. Here we both laughed pretty hard when a man gets electrocuted to death. This movie establishes its tone effectively and delivers some good dark humor.
Nick: Another thing that caught my attention was how sexuality was suggested rather than shown. There is quite a bit of sex going on behind the scenes, and there is a nice side-boob shot, but there is no sex scene and none of the main characters end up sleeping together (a spy staple). Though it did come pretty close when Solo and Illya argue about what is considered high fashion for a woman. I really thought they were going to be gay after that scene. They both argued so vehemently over the topic. I guess they just really know their stuff.
Dustin: We don’t see the sex scene between Solo and the bad chick, but we sort of hear it. It was more of a comedic bit than a character-developing plot point. That was another scene I really enjoyed.
Anything else to add?
Nick: Tupac is alive and in witness protection!
Dustin: In that case, I’ll just say The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a stylish, comedic and entertaining throw-back to Cold War-era spy films. I recommend seeing it when it opens this Friday.
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