The Man from U.N.C.L.E review: Guy Ritchie's back with a spy thriller that's stylish, fun and good-looking

Suave young(ish) actors, sneering eyebrows, snazzy one liners, crackling camerawork, peppy music, split screen action montages – all the elements of Guy Ritchie’s signature style are present in his latest film, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. This is the kind of film that Ritchie’s fans expect and want more of, and on that front, it delivers. If you’re expecting anything more, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Ritchie apologists, read on. The Man from U.N.C.L.E is based on the 1964 gonzo-style, spy-comedy series of the same name. The film project has been in development for years - Steven Soderbergh was originally attached to it, but it changed hands so often that fans of the TV show gave up on the movie. When Guy Ritchie finally found himself at the helm, it was clear that he was the perfect choice for the stylistic verve of the story. [caption id=“attachment_2413040” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The Man from U.N.C.L.E poster. Image Credit: Official Facebook page[/caption] It’s the 1960s, and after World War II, America has decided to have some fun spy missions in Europe, for our entertainment, of course. Thief-turned-CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) is sent on a mission to find a certain Gaby (Alicia Vikander), who may or may not be the daughter of a Nazi nuclear scientist on the verge of inventing an atomic bomb. Coincidentally, the Russians send a KGB spy, Ilya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) to get in Napoleon’s way. In a twist of fate, the two men are forced to team up and track down the aforementioned Nazi nuclear scientist, as well as steal the atomic bomb plans for their own nations. It’s all as gleeful as it is contrived – but Ritchie’s films have always been about finding self-aware humour in far-fetched situations. As our heroes clash against scores of baddies from various conflicting parties as well as each other, we’re treated to a series of hilarious wham-bam sequences amidst witty quips and sight gags. Going with the Ritchie tradition, there is also a sassy villain in the form of Victoria (Elizabeth Debicki), a rich pro-Nazi megalomaniac with the singular mission to own a nuke and become a superpower. But despite going through the check list of Ritchie’s style, The Man from U.N.C.L.E is different from the director’s other films. It moves at a much slower pace and is far more restrained in its spectacle. This time you stay with the characters and admire the beautiful production design and the costumes. You get to leer at Cavill’s bodacious bod and Vikander’s striking countenance. There’s fluidity in the way this film plays out, compared to Ritchie’s other work. Just when the narrative starts to sag and you think the style is outweighing the substance, a big action scene kicks in to keep things interesting. The most fun scene in the film has Napoleon sitting quietly in a truck, sipping wine and listening to music, while Ilya at a distance is struggling to make a getaway while a boat full of ruffians fire at him. Where the film disappoints is the inevitable (and forced) romantic angle thrown in between the femme fatale and one of the heroes. This sort of plot point has become so outdated that even Ritchie’s subversion does not seem to help. It’s about time we had a femme fatale that exists in a movie not to render lip service to a handsome hero or two. The recent Mission Impossible movie was so entertaining because Rebecca Fergusson did just that – kicking ass and not doing anything romantic. Ultimately The Man from UNCLE is not as fun as, say, Kingsman, but it’s another fine entry in a year full of great spy comedies that subvert James Bond.