Ever since British director Guy Ritchie began his career with cult hits such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000), he has become known for style rather than substance.

Thankfully, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. isn’t quite the Derek Zoolander of films. Not only is this energetic spy comedy action film ‘really, really ridiculously good-looking’, but it carries something of a brain as well.

While the throwaway plot isn’t smart enough to win any screenplay awards, it certainly has enough legs to carry the film’s snazziness.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. looks as slick as a freshly tailored pinstripe suit

Set in the 1960s, the film is built on the volatile chemistry between Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), an ex-con turned CIA spy, and Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), a powerfully built KGB agent with temper issues.

After starting on opposing sides in a sequence in East Berlin that feels like a love letter to vintage spy flicks, the two are tasked by their respective governments to work together with Gabby Teller (Alicia Vikander). The mission of this dysfunctional trio is to locate Gabby’s Nazi father, a scientist capable of building nuclear weapons who disappeared after defecting to the American government.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. has a good cheeky sense of humour, and offers plenty of laughs. The very tall Armie Hammer, who even towers above the Man of Steel, Henry Cavill, makes for an interesting communist agent constantly struggling to contain his fury. Amusingly enough, any time he is close to losing control, he clenches his fists and hears the sound of a fast-approaching train in his head. We empathise with Illya because the targets of his wrath often have it coming, though amusingly enough, sometimes they don’t. 

Henry Cavill, on the other hand, is a bit of a mixed bag. While his performance is effective overall, his attempts at appearing suave seem forced, often distractingly so. During a few scenes involving the British actor, I found it difficult to concentrate because he came across as an inadvertent caricature of a smooth agent.

Thankfully, Alicia Vikander is quite engaging as a woman searching for her estranged father. The diminutive Swedish actress holds her own amongst the rather tall cast, which includes Elizabeth Debicki (Victoria Vinciguerra). It is unfortunate, however, that the film ultimately relegates her to a damsel-in-distress role.

In typical Guy Ritchie fashion, the real stars of the film are the sharp editing and kinetic camera work. Often, scenes are presented in multiple fast-moving panels, much like a graphic novel come to life.

I also enjoyed how The Man from U.N.C.L.E paid homage, not only to the ’60s TV show it was based on, but the vintage James Bond films from the era.

In typical Guy Ritchie fashion, the real stars of the film are the sharp editing and kinetic camera work. Often, scenes are presented in multiple fast-moving panels, much like a graphic novel come to life.

What’s more, the impressive costume and set design coupled with the ’60s soundtrack make for some interesting production values. On the other hand, the action scenes aren’t quite as thrilling as they could have been, and seem to function only as placeholders for the rest of the film.

As the two mediocre Sherlock Holmes films proved, Guy Ritchie’s style of filmmaking isn’t suited to every film. Here, however, he may have just found his kin in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Rated PG-13 for action violence, some suggestive content and partial nudity

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, August 23rd, 2015

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