The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Review: Nonchalant 60s Fun

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is more concerned with making its characters look cool than complex storytelling, and that’s what makes it special.

With the help of Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander, Firebrand), the daughter of the scientist developing the bomb, the three unlikely heroes join forces to prevent a nuclear catastrophe while bickering about their methods to save the world.

British filmmaker Guy Ritchie has made a career out of making witty, non-linear action comedies with fast paced dialogue and characters that approach their issues in nonchalant fashion. Two of his most acclaimed films are Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Ritchie has perfected his style since his early work, though, due to the quick turnaround in which he produces his projects, his body of work consists of a nice balance of hits and misses. In the past five years alone, he’s directed five movies and created a show for Netflix. You often have to remind yourself of what Ritchie has done lately, but when the hits hit, they hit quite hard, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an excellent example of that.

Off the bat, Ritchie lets the audience know they won’t be sitting through yet another generic spy flick. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. opens with a credits sequence containing stylish graphics and a needle-drop by Roberta Flack that sets tone and world-building. From here, the film establishes its core dynamic between the three leads through an action set piece that is as funny as it is exhilarating: Hammer’s Ilya trying to stop Cavill’s Napoleon and Vikander’s Gaby from crossing The Berlin Wall, only for him to be left literally hanging between both sides of the wall as Napoleon takes pride in outsmarting him.

Both male leads do not exchange dialogue throughout this chase sequence, but everything we need to know about their relationship later on is expertly introduced in this sequence. Cavill and Hammer excel at selling the unlikely pairing. There is a level of childish rivalry hiding a sense of respect neither will admit they have for the other. Ritchie displays this in the widely praised scene of Napoleon eating a panini with Armando Trovajoli and Peppino Gagliardi’s “Che Vuole Questa Musica Stasera” on the radio, considering whether he should save Ilya from enemy fire. It’s a surprisingly moving moment that externalizes our heroes’ reluctance to bond due to their differences, putting them on the path of friendship. The scene also shows Ritchie’s use of style as a form of substance, as the audience gets emotionally invested through character action rather than verbally telling us what to feel.

Alicia Vikander deserves as much credit as the guys for selling the overall nonchalant vibe The Man from U.N.C.L.E. has going on. She isn’t necessarily playing the straight-man to Cavill and Hammer’s funny men, per se, but she does come across as the voice of reason in the group while being playful, too. Debicki brings a similar presence as Vikander, though the zany nature of her villainous role allows her to reach proper levels of over the top within the world Ritchie constructed.

Calvani and Sylvester Groth (The 355) don’t have much meat to chew on in the roles of Alexander and Rudi, Gaby’s Nazi uncle. However, they do elevate the material with the right amount of cartoony malice you would see in old Bond films. To top it all off, it never hurts to have Hugh Grant (Heretic) in your cast, injecting effortless swagger to an already smooth roster of characters.

The production value that the creative team brings to the table radiates as much as style as the cast itself. Joanna Johnston’s costumes are a pivotal storytelling device that visually represent each character’s personality. Whether it is a headband or an extravagant dress meant to seduce, Debicki’s Victoria can be seen constantly wearing black and white, which symbolizes her blatant wickedness. Napoleon’s sharp suits reflect how the character carries himself, attempting to keep things nice and clean. Ilya, on the other hand, wears more casual clothing that displays his roughness and willingness to get dirty. Paired with Oliver Scholl’s slick sets, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. delivers a convincing 60s look while retaining Ritchie’s modern sensitivities.

John Methieson’s cinematography and James Herbert’s editing keep the film dynamic and spontaneous. Ritchie loves to play with quick cuts and extreme zooms to convey a sense of urgency or make a joke land. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. uses these techniques for both purposes. Ritchie’s approach to filmmaking shouldn’t work for a 1960s setting, but the flexibility of the movie’s tone, alongside Ritchie and Lionel Wigram’s script, allow for Methieson to frame actors and locations in ways that differentiate it from other spy films. The same goes for the editing. One moment, Herbert will exploit the movie’s silly nature by connecting separate plots for comedic effect; the next, he will slow things down when a scene takes a sinister turn, such as Uncle Rudi torturing Napoleon.

Unfortunately, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. did not go on to become a financial success and spawn a franchise, as the team and studio had hoped for. Although we didn’t get to continue the adventures of our colorful characters, it is worth cherishing a film with this much flair. From Ritchie’s filmmaking style to the cast’s charm, killer soundtrack, and simple narrative, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. delivers a fun time. The best way I could describe Ritchie’s spy effort is by comparing it to that one friend with whom you don’t have to talk about anything deep to enjoy their company. You can simply pop open a bottle of wine, sit on the couch, make stupid jokes about life, and not worry about anything else. It is pure vibes, and sometimes those hangouts, like this movie, are the best thing you can do to spend an evening.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is now available to watch on digital and on demand.

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