I know many flaws are probably due to the basis being from the 60s but this was mainly a letdown.
The exposition took way too long for the characters being so unimaginative and onedimensional. From protagonists to antagonists really everyone was a trope blueprint. The story was rather boring and really worn out.
The twist within a twist was somethings worth mentioning, the first one even unexpected to me but I just didn't care at all for the betrayal.
Usually I like Guy Ritchie movies a lot but this one was lacking so many elements that make them great. The ones it had, like the comic panels, made the movie more enjoyable but there was definitely lacking a lot!
Where the movie failed the most in my opinion was the buddy dynamic. It was suggested but delivered on so little that I sometimes really wondered what this movie wanted to be.
And why can they cast two Germans but when it comes to the female lead who is also supposed to be German they cast a Swedish and all her German lines sound awful. Same for most of the Italian... aren't we past that by now?

Really the only things enjoyable were first the setting, sets and locations and costume. It looked authentically like the 60s in those places. And second the editing of the action sequences.

Super smooth '60s period espionage caper boosted by some very clever modern directing and cinematography. The tongue-in-cheek humour really makes this movie work.

Henry Cavill's performance in this movie is nothing short of captivating. He exudes a suave and charismatic demeanor that instantly brings to mind the iconic James Bond character. His portrayal is both charming and engaging. He is without a doubt the next James Bond.

Ask for the movie itself, it resembles a lot of the classic Bond movies from the Sean Connery era.

One of the film's standout features is its impeccable aesthetics. The visual elements, from the costumes to the set design, are meticulously crafted, immersing the audience in the stylish world of espionage and intrigue.

What sets "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." apart is its ability to strike a perfect balance between action and humor. The film doesn't take itself too seriously, and this lighthearted approach results in genuinely funny and memorable scenes. The humor is smartly woven into the storyline, making it a delightful watch.

The ensemble cast delivers outstanding performances across the board. From Cavill's suave Napoleon Solo to Armie Hammer's intense Illya Kuryakin, each actor brings depth and charisma to their respective roles. Alicia Vikander also shines in her role, adding to the film's overall charm.

The pacing of the movie is commendable. It keeps you engaged from start to finish, with well-choreographed action sequences and plot twists that maintain the excitement throughout.

"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." is a must-watch for fans of espionage films, offering a fresh take on the genre with its charismatic performances, stylish aesthetics, humor, and solid pacing. Whether you're a fan of the original series or new to the world of U.N.C.L.E., this film is a highly recommended cinematic experience.

This could never be described as Guy Ritchie's best work, and Henry Cavill really is about as rigid as that jaw bone of his - but it does have redeeming features. It doesn't take itself at all seriously; there are loads of gadgets, stylish costumes and the even a soupçon of a score that could have been penned by Morricone. Set against a background of cold war mistrust, Illya Kuryakin (a comically thick-accented Armie Hammer) partners up with Cavill ("Napoleon Solo") to prevent an evil Spectre-like organisation from proliferating nuclear weapons. Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Debicki provide added glamour - and quite a bit of what menace this rather weak effort generates. I am not sure if it is intended (or not) to be a sort of "Bond" meets "the Saint" spoof - but it's tongue is firmly planted in it's cheek; there are quite a few decent comedic sequences and Hugh Grant manages to steal the few scenes he is in - as the enigmatic "Waverly". It obviously comes across way better than the original television series, but maybe that's the problem - it is all just a bit too classy and slick when it needed to be a bit more rudimentary.

The high-powered and hyper-kinetic ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ is a pulsating production that one would expect from the off-kilter imagination of writer-director Guy Ritchie whose flashy and furious actioners such as ‘Snatch’ and ‘Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels’ are indicative of the filmmaker’s excess frivolity. So it is not much of a shock that Ritchie’s big screen adaptation of the iconic 60s television series that featured the retro-suave Robert Vaughn and golden-haired heart-breaker David McCallum takes on a sleek, stylish and impishly erratic mix of intrigue and frolic.

The consensus is that ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ continues the wave of nifty and naughty-minded colourful espionage spectacles that seem to have invaded the summer of 2015. Perhaps when one cries ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ it will not be as challenging or convincingly crafty as the more cerebral and stimulating ‘Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation’. Still, Ritchie’s off-beat serving of ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ is mindless fun and roguishly cheeky.

Sure, at times the boisterous bounce in ‘U.N.C.L.E/’ feels rather strained as Ritchie’s foray into the James Bond-esque territory featuring the off-balance smoothness of twitchy twosome Brit Henry Cavill (the ‘Man of Steel’ star portraying American CIA Agent Napoleon Solo) and Armie Hammer (incidentally sporting a catchy and clever moniker) as Russian KGB Agent Illya Kuryakin spirals into a cliched cavalcade of mischievousness drowned out by surging surf music, crazy-minded and bright-coloured landscapes, perfect-looking protagonists and wildly penetrating predicaments in its manufactured action sequences. Nevertheless, ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ still generates a sense of rousing charm and insane impishness to carry out its agenda for off-the-cuff espionage escapist frolicking.

Some may not mind the make-up of ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ as a saucy buddy action flick in disguise as Cavill and Hammer drolly inhabit the kooky coolness of TV’s dynamic duo spies from yesteryear. Nobody will ever claim that Cavill and Hammer are trying to ape the small screen spying antics of original U.N.C.L.E. bad boys in the aforementioned Vaughn and McCallum any time soon. The exaggerated juiced-up chase scenes, the inclusion of high-volume spunk and wit, devious femme fatales that parade around as hormonal trophies…all add to the high-wire hedonism of Ritchie’s off-centered international gun-toting caper.

Ritchie’s co-written screenplay, along with Lionel Wigham of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ fame with ‘Harry Potter’ producer credits, does not provide much of a deep-seeded story other than its need to indulge the audience in its shifty shenanigans as an over-the-top ode to a classic couple of televised operatives that baby-boomers will fondly recall from their childhood reminiscences. The premise is somewhat painfully familiar as two clashing spy guys with different approaches to the espionage game join at the hip to stop a madman planning to engineer nuclear destruction for a vulnerable world. Of course, in attempting to stop such unthinkable madness we are overcome with the philosophical tactics and mannerisms of the targeted tandem looking to spread some spice along the way in saving the world from certain cartoonish devastation.

Solo is the capable cad whose free-spirit and ease on handling a sticky situation is met with instinctive, cavalier American ingenuity. Kuryakin, on the other hand, seems to be disciplined in his uptight ‘play-it-by-the-book’ demeanor as the cold Russian enforcer without a sense of straying from his boundaries. Together, this debonair ‘ying-and-yang’ pair of free-wheeling agents form as one in their mission to foil the demented deed of others. Isn’t that special?

In essence, ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ believes in its wheeling-and-dealing hype and that is not necessarily a bad thing. It does not pretend to be anything other than what it is at large, a spry, jet-setting caper where playful doom and gloom is played out against a backdrop of elegant locales not to mention a spruced-up soundtrack to accompany the animated proceedings. As usual Ritchie punctuates his theatrical releases with loose-minded lunacy happening at a fast pace. The outlandishness of ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ is truly true to form in the tradition of the funky and frenetic fables that Ritchie loves to spin at will.

Both Cavill and Hammer seem to get inspiration out of their dressy roles as the inventive spies with a knack for carousing and chaos. The wily women that are at the center of attention for Solo’s/Kuryakin’s romancing interests in Elizabeth Debicki’s vivacious Victoria and Alicia Vikander’s toxic Gaby is refreshingly stimulating and reinforces the suspenseful jolt. As the commanding Waverly that oversees Solo and Kuryakin, Hugh Grant does not hold a candle to the late great character actor Leo G. Carroll, that was so memorable as the head honcho that pushed the buttons in the background for both Solo’s ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ and later April Dancer’s (Stephanie Powers) ‘The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.’

So here is to the jousting ‘U.N.C.L.E.’ enjoying its considerable A.U.N.T (‘A Unique Nifty Time’) at the busy summertime box office.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

Warner Bros. Pictures

1 hr 43 mins.

Starring: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Groth, Christian Berkel, Luca Calvani, Misha Kuznetsov and Hugh Grant

Directed and Co-Written by: Guy Ritchie

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre: Spy/Espionage/Action & Adventure/Spy Thriller

Critic’s rating: ** 1/2 stars (out of 4 stars)