‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.‘ had all the premises for a successful entertainment. It’s an action and espionage film, a combination of genres that I like. The action takes place during the Cold War, a very interesting historical period for me, which has been the background of many successful books and films, and a pretext for the retro-espionage style that has created some successful comedies. The cast features Alicia Vikander, an actress who is as beautiful as she is talented. And yet, I have not managed to resonate or have fun with this movie. Whose fault was it? Maybe mine, though I have doubts that this is the reason.
The film begins with a spectacular car chase in the Wall-divided Berlin in the 1960s, reminiscent of the style of ‘Mission: Impossible ‘. We are dealing not with one super-spy but with two of them, who will continue their stunts in Rome, Italy, and on the Mediterranean shores. One is CIA, the other is KGB, and their bosses have decided that they have to work together to save the world, which does not prevent them from fighting with each other during the breaks. There is also an evil scientist of the Nazi era, plus one sadistic ‘doctor of death’. The scientist also has a very beautiful daughter for whose charms the two spies will also exchange some other punches. As many spices as for a rich salad, but too many for one film.
‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.‘ is based on a television series of the 60s that was not, of course, broadcast in Romania where I was living at that time. I believe that if the retro line would have been followed more carefully, it would have had the chance to be a better movie. As it came out, director and co-writer Guy Ritchie seems to have tried to combine too many genres without succeeding in doing a good job in any of them. The action scenes are rather sloppy, except for the sea race close to the end of the film, where the split screens work very well. The spy intrigue a la Le Carre is confusing. The gags and comedy scenes rarely and with difficulty smash a smile. The romantic line is atrophied by the actors’ flat play. Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer, are forgettable super-spies. Neither for Alicia Vikander nor for Hugh Grant in a supporting role, ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.‘ will be a film to remember in their careers. After all, if I think better, I do not believe that I am to blame for the missed entertainment.