The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (D+) Movie Review
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. stars Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo, a CIA operative who joins forces with Illya Kryakin, played by Armie Hammer, a KGB operative who is also working to take down a mysterious organization that's trying to get their hands on nuclear weapons. They recruit Gaby, played by Alicia Vikander, who may have ties to this organization.
Director Guy Ritchie brings together this trio of stars for his period spy film, a remake of the old television show of the same name. And the film starts out very promising with a fun opening action sequence, then soon deteriorates into a disappointing, convoluted mess.
I really wanted to like this film. A globe-trotting, stylish spy film is my cup of tea. But at least The Man from U.N.C.L.E. gets style right. This film has enough style and dazzle for three films. With some pretty neat cinematography and beautiful costume/production design, it's a marvel to look at. Europe in the 60's is perfectly captured here, with bright colors and fashion galore.
Unfortunately, it's not much more fun than that. Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, and Alicia Vikander all turn in pretty wooden performances and it's too bad because we know they can do so much better. Vikander wowed audiences in Ex Machina earlier this year and Cavill and Hammer are solid actors. But the trio has close to zero chemistry with one another. Their characters are strikingly different in personality but Ritchie and other writers can't find a way to make them interact comfortably or in an exciting manner. Their conversations, much like the plot, are devoid of any dramatic excitement.
Speaking of the film's script, it can be described in one word: mess. This is as generic a plot for a spy film you can get. It's wholly unremarkbale and, by fault of the filmmakers, incoherent. I struggled to make sense of this film the longer it progressed and the less interested I was. On principle, I never look at my phone during a film but The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was seriously tempting me.
It's also a tonally misguided effort, often trying much too hard to be funny and not hard enough to deliver genuine thrills of any kind. The laughs come rarely (if at all) and are only due to Illya's awkwardness around women. But what's sad about it is that you aren't laughing nearly as much as Ritchie is probably hoping you are.
There are a couple fun, scattered set pieces. The one that comes to mind is the opening sequence and, unfortunately, it all goes kind of downhill from there. Only the film's style and verve sporadically save it from being a total bore. The first half sustained my interest but as the plot progresses, it only becomes more convoluted. There's a good film buried somewhere inside The Man from U.N.C.L.E. It's just a shame things didn't go differently.
FINAL GRADE: D+
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for action violence, some suggestive content, and partial nudity
Director Guy Ritchie brings together this trio of stars for his period spy film, a remake of the old television show of the same name. And the film starts out very promising with a fun opening action sequence, then soon deteriorates into a disappointing, convoluted mess.
I really wanted to like this film. A globe-trotting, stylish spy film is my cup of tea. But at least The Man from U.N.C.L.E. gets style right. This film has enough style and dazzle for three films. With some pretty neat cinematography and beautiful costume/production design, it's a marvel to look at. Europe in the 60's is perfectly captured here, with bright colors and fashion galore.
Unfortunately, it's not much more fun than that. Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, and Alicia Vikander all turn in pretty wooden performances and it's too bad because we know they can do so much better. Vikander wowed audiences in Ex Machina earlier this year and Cavill and Hammer are solid actors. But the trio has close to zero chemistry with one another. Their characters are strikingly different in personality but Ritchie and other writers can't find a way to make them interact comfortably or in an exciting manner. Their conversations, much like the plot, are devoid of any dramatic excitement.
Speaking of the film's script, it can be described in one word: mess. This is as generic a plot for a spy film you can get. It's wholly unremarkbale and, by fault of the filmmakers, incoherent. I struggled to make sense of this film the longer it progressed and the less interested I was. On principle, I never look at my phone during a film but The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was seriously tempting me.
It's also a tonally misguided effort, often trying much too hard to be funny and not hard enough to deliver genuine thrills of any kind. The laughs come rarely (if at all) and are only due to Illya's awkwardness around women. But what's sad about it is that you aren't laughing nearly as much as Ritchie is probably hoping you are.
There are a couple fun, scattered set pieces. The one that comes to mind is the opening sequence and, unfortunately, it all goes kind of downhill from there. Only the film's style and verve sporadically save it from being a total bore. The first half sustained my interest but as the plot progresses, it only becomes more convoluted. There's a good film buried somewhere inside The Man from U.N.C.L.E. It's just a shame things didn't go differently.
FINAL GRADE: D+
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for action violence, some suggestive content, and partial nudity