
MOVIE REVIEW: “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” (A Movie Based on a TV Show You Never Watched)
Anyone who makes a Cold War movie in 2015 better have an interesting take on it because we’ve seen every Russia VS America flick imaginable. Director Guy Ritchie makes HIS Cold War picture different by casting two of the most beautiful men in Hollywood, Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. If you’re a grown woman who relishes any chance to stare at these men (like me), that might be enough. If you need something more than foxy dudes in your movies, you might be yawning before the first fake Russian accent kicks in.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is based on the 1964 TV show about American and Russian agents who are forced to work together. Not that it matters. I never watched a single episode but I still felt like I’d already seen the whole movie. Swanky sets, luxe fashions and beautiful people are all reminiscent of films like Goldfinger, though Ritchie spices it up with an awesome soundtrack (of course). Hammer and Cavill are fun to look at but they also bring a sense of humor to The Man from U.N.C.L.E. There’s a hefty dose of homoeroticism as well, which is delivered with less of a wink and more of an airhorn. Alicia Vikander plays the damsel in the distress and I still can’t decide how I feel about her. She’s adorable and I loved her in Ex Machina but she can’t quite pull off this role. The two male leads aren’t very convincing, so a stronger female would’ve brought more credibility to the picture. As it stands, Vikander just and fusses and scowls prettily while she waits to be rescued. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention all the awful accents in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. A Brit plays an American while an American plays a Russian. It’s actually a relief when Hugh Grant shows up and speaks his native tongue.
You’d think from all these complaints that I hated The Man from U.N.C.L.E., but that isn’t the case. I expected more from Guy Ritchie but I AM grown woman who enjoys Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer, even when they aren’t that great. That’s why I’m giving The Man From U.N.C.L.E. a C. Maybe they can tweak those accents and get a stronger female lead for “Part 2,” because I’m SURE that’s already in the works.