The Film
Remember the TV show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.? Chances are, you don't (and that may be a good thing in this case), so Warner Bros. is hoping that Superman, style, and a little action will suck you into the theatrical version of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The good news is that director Guy Ritchie sticks pretty closely to the classic story. It's 1963 and the Cold War is in full effect. That's also the bad news. He doesn't try to update anything and it just comes off as a little boring -- at least, when it's not totally confusing.
Henry Cavill (that's Superman to you!) plays CIA agent Napoleon Solo (a role originated by Robert Vaughn). In order to help save the world from wealthy Nazi sympathizers looking to build a nuclear weapon, Solo must team up with his nemesis, KGB operative Illya Kuryakin (The Lone Ranger's Armie Hammer).
I think Cavill is supposed to be playing it with a bit of a campy, retro vibe. I prefer the term "wooden." He does manage to walk, read the paper, and eat a sandwich quite well, though. His character is supposed to be sort of James Bond meets Inspector Gadget, which sounds really good for a Guy Ritchie movie. Unfortunately, not enough action and bad dialogue had made the The Man from U.N.C.L.E. painfully boring.
Not quite ready to say "U.N.C.L.E.?" Check out Matthew Passantino's theatrical review of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Picture
The best thing about The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is that it's filled with pretty locations and even prettier people. The 2.40:1 image does a nice job at delivering all of the colors of the time period, but without a dated look. This is one sharp looking image, from the comb lines in Henry Cavill's hair and the texture of his suits to the swanky 1960s fashions and exotic scenery.
The Sound
This is the type of movie that you'd expect to get a little boost from Dolby Atmos, but you'd be wrong. This has nothing to do with the technology, but it's just the nature of the film. It focuses more on the dialogue and Daniel Pemberton's stylish score, with the Atmos being a bit of a waste. In fact, I checked a few times to make sure the right track was coming through. A few bullets fly by almost an hour in and there's a rainstorm at one point. Otherwise, the movie just doesn't have a lot of immersive moments that warrant this type of technology. Instead, the surround sound stands out, but mostly with that soundtrack. However, it's not just Pemberton's score, but Louis Prima, Roberta Flack, Ennio Morricone, and more. Of course, there are also car chases and explosions, but really not enough of them!
The Extras
Final Thoughts
Not even a Dolby Atmos soundtrack can save this film. Frankly, it seems sort of wasted here. Instead, the movie focuses on the music and the style. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but better dialogue would have been nice too. This is the type of film where you'd be willing to look past the script in exchange for a lot of awesome action. It just never seems to come together. Despite the eye candy in the cast and their surroundings, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a bit of a D.U.D.
Product Details
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