nickytanner
No cameos from the real Solo and Kuryakin, no theme tune, no tailor shop, no UNCLE. Ilya Kuryakin is a powerful robot rather than a likeable nerd........honestly.......what was the bloody point?
Leofwine_draca
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. is another dud from British director Guy Ritchie, who has been churning out one poor-quality film after another for the last twenty years after he did so well with LOCK, STOCK and SNATCH. This is supposedly a new version of the classic 1960s television series but aside from the character names it has no relation to that show. Instead, this is a very poorly-made Cold War thriller in which a US spy and a Russian spy have to team up to tackle a terrorist bomb threat. This is one of those films that has absolutely no idea what it's meant to be. It's not funny at all, and both Cavill and Hammer are stiff and awkward in their roles. There's little in the way of interesting action sequences and in between the 'moving' scenes the pace slows down to a real crawl. Don't expect one single moment of suspense or anything associated with suspense or normal thriller film elements. It says something when an extended Hugh Grant cameo is the most interesting thing in the whole picture. As is usual for the actress, Alicia Vikander is cast in a femme fatale role but comes across as a child playing dress up.
avukorepa
I saw this movie with no expectations save: "Ah, another spy movie. I guess some dudes are gonna sneak around and shoot at people." What I got was such a surprise, I could only stare at the screen in shock when the credits rolled.First of all, this is a gorgeous film. We're treated to painstakingly-composed shots, creative camera angles, choosy lighting, and evocative, colorful scenery that's full of life right from go. The look and feel of the early '60's is brought to the fore, and it is magnificent with just a touch of quirky. The costuming is truly something to behold, from funky frocks to luscious robes to cool combat gear. Even the editing is a work of art in and of itself, with creative but logical cuts that keep your attention and maintain a springy, fun pace to the movie.Secondly, this movie is nothing like my previous experiences with "spy" films (James Bond, Mission Impossible, the Bourne series, etc.), and everything I had always hoped such a movie would be. It is SO funny, rarely taking itself too seriously, but when it does, you're on the edge of your seat and feeling for those characters. The mix of pure comedy, dark humor, and seriousness is very much a trademark of Guy Ritchie, and it works fabulously here. Even the acting doesn't take itself too seriously - Cavill in particular hams up his character just the perfect amount to be evocative of the 1960's TV show from whence this film sprung. Hammer's character is magnetic - deadly serious, but so dork-tastic it makes him excellently human. It's hard to put a finger on Vikander's character, but it turns out that this is for a good reason, and she is fun and interesting nonetheless. I loved that the focus was spread pretty evenly between the three lovable characters, making it feel much more like an ensemble cast rather than the focus and development all happening to just one character or two.The fight scenes are relatively few, surprisingly, but exciting and real-looking. I was concerned at first at how quickly the romance was introduced to the story, until I realized that it was going to be a long, teasing, torturous game, which I found compelling and satisfying.In essence, I was swept away by this film, thoroughly enjoying every minute, loving the cool music, the pace, the visuals, and the simple story thoroughly enriched by fabulously entertaining and surprisingly mysterious, nuanced characters. It is certainly not without its flaws, but for such an unassuming film to surpass my expectations and pleasantly surprise me to such a degree, it absolutely deserves a 10/10, as well as a sequel. A franchise, even, as a period piece that throws together an American, a Soviet Russian, and an East German in a period where they should not have ever been colleagues, much less friends. This movie is everything the spy genre should be, and I would recommend it to anyone.
