[projekktor id=’20429′]
I have never walked out of a theatre with the sincere thought of “I can’t wait for the sequel.” That was until I watched The Man From U.N.C.L.E. That’s high praise coming from someone who views sequels as a blatant attempt to cash in on the success of the first film. While I can’t fault the studios for doing their business, I can disapprove of the overwhelming amount of follow ups that are released yearly. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before we talk sequel or franchise lets talk The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the hilarious high octane spy thriller film from director Guy Richie.
Based on the popular 1960’s television series, the film follows two covert agents at the top of their game: CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer). Set in the height of the Cold War, the pair are unlikely partners brought together when America and Russia decide to join forces against a common enemy, a possible Nazi threat led by Elizabeth Debicki’s Victoria Vinciguerra. Cavill is debonair as the womanising art thief turned CIA agent while Hammer is the perfect compliment as the towering, quick to anger but incredibly sensitive KGB officer. The pair have great chemistry and command the big screen. Joining the boys is Alicia Vikander who lights up the screen as Gabby Teller, the East German daughter of a former Nazi scientist who abandoned his family and defected to the states near the end of the Second World War. When her father, a key figure in creating the Atom Bomb, is kidnapped in America, Solo makes contact with Gabby to get her assistance to track him down and take down his captors. Joined by Illya, they travel to Italy where Gabby’s father is believed to be held. Vickander is far from the damsel in distress and brings a wild kookiness to the trio.
The cinematography and editing are perfectly in sync – and Ritchie employs a comic book visual style to milk the excitement out of every frame. I was impressed with the visual composition but also the sound, not only is the soundtrack spot on, the use of audio is very imaginative. While the narrative is lacking in any real suspense (it follows the ebbs and flows of your standard spy thriller) the film is incredibly enjoyable to watch. A lot of this can be attributed to a stellar script from Ritchie and Lionel Wigram that puts a refreshingly modern twist to the spy capers of the 60s and 70s. The script easily mixes digestible exposition into witty rapport about ladies fashion.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a well made, visually entertaining film that is well worth the watch on the big screen, but it’s the characters that are the real boon of the film. I left wanting to see more of Solo and Illya’s adventures and its why I’m hoping for a sequel, or better yet, a series. Who needs Bond when you’ve got Solo? Right Henry?
Reviewed by Vithiya Murugadas.
