movies: the man from u.n.c.l.e.

I'll admit that I wasn't necessarily expecting a whole lot from The Man from U.N.C.L.E... the trailer did look interesting, but trailers are often very deceptive... but it turned out to be a brilliant movie.

I've never seen the original TV series, so I can't say how faithful it is, but Guy Ritchie's direction and his script with Lionel Wigram (who also worked on a number of the later Harry Potter movies) it really well written. It's full of humour, but it's done with a fantastically light touch and the humour comes from the situations, not from intentionally "funny" lines.

And the fact that they've set the movie in the 60's really allows for fantastic production design, costumes and music... and makes the movie it's own thing rather than being a pale copy of any other contemporary spy movie.

Editing is not usually something I notice, but Ritchie's choices to use a multiple split screen edit during the action sequences works really well. And unlike some action movies, he also gives you that sense of space and position so that you always know where you are.

Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer as Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin respectively are both really good... not to mention very handsome (Cavill in those dapper 60's suits especially). And Alicia Vikander, who I last saw doing excellent work in Ex Machina definitely holds her own against the boys.

The only real weakness is that this is an origin story... and the villains lack a little bit of motivation... although Elizabeth Debicki is suitably over the top without taking it too far.

I did thoroughly enjoy the movie though... everything it did, it did very well.

yani's rating: 5 engagement rings out of 5