Funny and Clever. "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." is a Must-See

   
   I was aware that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was based off of an old TV show. I have not seen said TV show, nor do I know anything about said TV show. What I do know is that there is a movie out by Guy Richie with this title, and the trailers looked interesting. So naturally, I had to see it. Overall verdict: an absolute joy. This film is so much fun I was pleasantly surprised. So right off the bat I suggest all to go see it.

     The premise is simple enough: in the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo (played by Superman himself, Henry Cavill) and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin (played by the Lone Ranger Armie Hammer) participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons. Their joint venture comes with a comedic tension between the two spies that truly acts as the catalyst for the entire movie's comedic charm. It's a spy movie, and it's everything you would ever want in a spy movie, respectively. Is this a worthy representation of the earlier source material? I can't say. But for a Guy Richie action-comedy, it's a freakin' blast. 

     In a world of spy movies, this one stands as a fun homage to all. Throughout the film I couldn't help but feel the connection to the earlier Bond films of Roger Moore and a few Sean Connery's. It pokes fun at the over-the-top espionage films that push the boundaries of ridiculousness yet maintains a level of believability and subtle seriousness. The movie is set in our past, which compared to espionage stories of the present, definitely dates the film in its villainy and combativeness. But that's okay, because at the heart of the film it's a buddy movie. And it's the characters we end up liking despite the story.

     The cast is really good. Henry Cavill will, for the foreseeable future, maintain the persona of Superman, yet he does a brilliant job of convincing us that he's an over-confident, suave, womanizing spy that can do no wrong. The son of Krypton was nowhere to be found. Armie Hammer is a really great actor, and you can't fault him for the floundering Lone Ranger film, which most people will recognize him from. He's a polarizing Russian spy with a pretty good accent and plenty of muchissimo to go around. He's pitted perfectly against Cavill's Bond-like persona. Alicia Vikander is caught in the middle and does a great job bringing her character to life as she strives to deal with the situations she finds herself in.


     All in all the movie is a ton of fun. There's some sweet action sequences that are right up there with the likes of other spy franchises. Though the villains are forgettable, the story moves along at a great pace that allows the comedic aspects to have their moments; all of which were spot on and hilarious. If you're unsure about this movie, check it out. If you love fun spy movies, you'll enjoy it. If you don't, it's still entertaining.