The Man From Uncle * * *

When I was a lad I thought The Man From UNCLE was one of the best things on Television.  I haven't seen any of the old episodes since my impressionable youth but I later learnt that apparently it was quite tongue in cheek. Went over my head.  But I thought Napoleon and Illya were totally cool and had the most exciting life that any man could hope to live outside of being a rock star.

Given the trend to make feature films on  many of the popular sixties TV series it amazes me that a film on The Man From Uncle wasn’t made sooner.

Anyway, it’s here now and they have entrusted Guy Ritchie with the project.  It looks good. I’m glad that he didn’t update it, but chose to leave it at the same time the original Man from UNCLE tv series was made - early to mid sixties which is beautifully recreated.

The casting is quite good too with Henry Cavill as a convincing clone of Napoleon Solo, though Ilya has been made into a bigger and harder man by Armie Hammer, even if he is rounded off with a knowledge and appreciation of womens fashion.

Unfortunately the plot is not as well planned as the characters and the look of the film.  But I guess if they were to be true to The Man From UNCLE origins it just had to be about nutcase megalomaniacs with unlimited funds who want to hold the world to ransom - which it is.  It just comes across as a bit corny and uninspiring today and begins to test your patience after a while.  

Though I appreciated the fact that no one could tell us background stories of various characters by using computers that cough up data onto huge flatscreens.  They have to tell each other directly or use paper-based files.  And there are no mobile phones to get you out of trouble either.

Most of the story is set before UNCLE is formed. Napoleon and Illya are directed by their governments to work collaboratively to rescue a young woman - Alicia Vikander -  from East Germany as she is needed to access her father who has been force-recruited into making some deadly weapon for some rich Italian megalomaniacs headed by Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki, playing a wonderful Ice Queen.

Despite their initial disgust of working together Napoleon and Illya are so successful the spy bosses from UK, Russian and USA decide an ongoing alliance would bring benefits.  Their spokesperson is Hugh Grant who looks set up to take on the Mr. Waverley character

Clearly this film is the beginning of a franchise.

I’ll wait till the next one to let you know if I think that is a good thing or a bad thing.