It is the 1960s. The Cold War is being waged. With the knowledge that Adolf Hitler’s scientist is developing a formula which in the wrong hands would put the world on the brink of nuclear disaster, US and Russian intelligence agencies reluctantly team up to locate the bad guy and end the madness.
Apparently ‘teaming up’ means making two agents partners. Seems ‘joining forces’ and ‘combining assets’ can have humble origins.
The US donates Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), a suave, charismatic and unflappable agent who is bemused by any effort to waylay him and disdainful of those beneath him who would offer assistance. The Russians lend Illya (Armie Hammer) a no frills hothead who bulldozes his way to victory.
Sparks fly. Even before the introduction of Gaby (Alicia Vikander), the scientist’s daughter who will be the key to gaining access to him.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. gets many things right. The production is good, the cast solid and the music – typical of Guy Ritchie films – absolutely nailed. Even the action is extremely competent, with competent in this case not being a huge endorsement. Almost getting it right means slightly getting it wrong. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. lacks a couple ‘Wow’ sequences to push it over to worthwhile status (something both Sherlock films did have by the way).
Cavill, Hammer and Vikander do their level best to elicit a response of some kind, but Cavill and Hammer have already seen headlining roles fall flat (Man of Steel, The Lone Ranger) and Vikander’s claim to fame is so far being a largely emotionless robot, hardly a sign that her presence alone would bring colour to a beige existence
The film idles along pleasantly toward an unremarkable existence, but without the highs supplied by Big laughs or the gasps supplied by Big action. A life without laughs, grins, elation and rush would be unfathomable, while I can cope without those things for a couple hours, the experience would be far more memorable with them.
………….
After a strong start with Lock, Stock and Snatch came Guy Ritchie’s inevitable flat period. He ran out of clever gangster names, clever Inge for them to say and clever ways to intertwine it. Revolver proved that. RocknRolla was a mild return to form but evidence that the well was running dry.
Sometimes even the masters need time out. Takeshi Kitano went away from the Yakuza for a while and came back with a vengeance with Outrage. There were thirty years between Mad Max’s.
So Guy Ritchie changed tack. He teamed with Robert Downey Jr to make the underrated Sherlock Holmes. That weren’t broke, so Sherlock 2: Even Holmesier ensued. Was Ritchie a two trick pony, or had he broken into commercial blockbuster entertainment?
After The Man from U.N.C.L.E. we are none the wiser. Did Ritchie polish a turd or mess up what could have been a franchise.
Consider this a vote for the former. A talented director can probably make almost anything into a film worth watching, I just don’t see how this film could be much more than it turned out to be.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. Guy Ritchie isn’t yet the guy who can turn lemons into lemonade, so for now try to enjoy this… lemon flavoured water.
