The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Storyline
In the 1960s with the Cold War in play, CIA agent Napoleon Solo successfully helps Gaby Teller defect to West Germany despite the intimidating opposition of KGB agent Illya Kuryakin. Later, all three unexpectedly find themselves working together in a joint mission to stop a private criminal organization from using Gaby's father's scientific expertise to construct their own nuclear bomb. Through clenched teeth and stylish poise, all three must find a way to cooperate for the sake of world peace, even as they each pursue their own agendas.Plot
In 1963, professional thief turned CIA agent Napoleon Solo extracts Gaby Teller, daughter of Udo Teller, an alleged Nazi scientist turned United States collaborator at the end of World War II, from East Berlin, evading KGB operative Illya Kuryakin. He later reports to his superior, Saunders, who reveals that Teller’s uncle Rudi works in a shipping company owned by Alexander and Victoria Vinciguerra, a wealthy couple of Nazi sympathizers who intend to use Teller's father to build their own private nuclear weapon. Due to the potentially world-ending nature of this crisis, the CIA and KGB have reluctantly teamed up and Solo and Kuryakin are ordered to stop the Vinciguerras from succeeding, with both men secretly assigned to steal Udo Teller's research for their respective governments.The trio travels to Rome, where Teller and Kuryakin pose as an engaged couple and Solo as an antiquities dealer. Solo deduces they are being monitored and instructs Kuryakin not to react to provocation so as to preserve this cover. Despite their hostilities towards each other, Kuryakin heeds his advice and does not react when his father’s prized watch is stolen. Later, at an auto racing event promoted by the Vinciguerras, Solo and Teller take turns flirting with the host couple to lure out information about Teller's father, while Kuryakin acquires evidence the Vinciguerras were recently exposed to radiation, indicating that their weapon is near completion.
Solo and Kuryakin begrudgingly join forces to break into a Vinciguerra shipping yard, in which they find traces of uranium. After accidentally setting off the alarm, they escape into the water only to find their way blocked. During the ensuing scuffle with the guards, Kuryakin nearly drowns in the waters but is saved by Solo. Although a suspicious Victoria pursues them with her henchmen, Solo and Kuryakin manage to slip past into their own rooms undetected, and Victoria and Solo spend the night together. The following day, Teller meets with Rudi and Alexander to discuss a job but unexpectedly betrays Kuryakin to them, forcing him to escape, while Solo is sedated and captured by Victoria and taken to a nearby warehouse to be tortured by Rudi. Solo is saved by Kuryakin, allowing Rudi to reveal that the weapon is hidden in an island fortress, where Teller has been reunited with her father. Udo pretends to resume work on the weapon to protect her, which has a secondary decoy that can home in on it for added impact, but although Teller attempts to help her father escape and sabotage the warhead, Victoria discovers the deception and kills him.
Meanwhile, Solo and Kuryakin are approached by Alexander Waverly, a high-ranking MI6 operative who reveals that Teller is an undercover agent under his employ. He and his Royal Marines help Solo and Kuryakin infiltrate the Vinciguerras’ compound. Alexander Vinciguerra attempts to escape with Teller and the warhead, but is intercepted by Kuryakin and killed. However, the warhead Vinciguerra was taking with him was the decoy, allowing Victoria to leave undetected on another boat with the real one. Solo is able to contact her via radio and keep her on the line long enough for Waverly to locate her and launch the homing decoy, simultaneously destroying the weapon and the boat, taking Victoria with it, while Solo retrieves the disc with Teller’s father’s research.
Kuryakin confronts Solo in his hotel room, intending to kill him and steal the disc, but changes his mind when Solo produces his father’s watch, which he had retrieved. The two appear to destroy the disc so as to prevent both their countries from gaining the upper hand in the nuclear race. They then reunite with Teller and Waverly, who reveals that the trio has been reassigned to a new international organization under his command. He then deploys them on a new mission in Istanbul under their new codename: U.N.C.L.E.
Cast
- Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo
- Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin
- Alicia Vikander as Gabriella "Gaby" Teller
- Elizabeth Debicki as Victoria Vinciguerra
- Jared Harris as Saunders
- Hugh Grant as Alexander Waverly
- Luca Calvani as Alexander Vinciguerra
- Sylvester Groth as Uncle Rudi
- David Menkin as Jones
- Simona Caparrini as Contessa
- Misha Kuznetsov as Oleg
- Christian Berkel as Udo Teller
- David Beckham as Projectionist
Use Review
Style over substance can definitely still be appreciated by the appeal of its own craftsmanship, but maybe putting that aim out of hand could bring a quite different result, and that is basically the case of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. This is meant to be a throwback to the old school spy movies where it's all about the hero's swagger, campy villains and some cool, slick sets all around. But the movie lacks the fun or at least the energy of this campiness and even the coherence of the plot at some points. There is a lot to admire through the surfaces of this film, but everything else is sort of too smug to enjoy.The plot isn't really that complex, it's the typical saving the world by thwarting an evil plan type of mission. However the movie has a lot of stylistic gimmicks like juxtapositions and slick camera work, which takes this narrative to a different spin. As silly as some of these details can be, the movie doesn't really take the advantage of having fun with this absurdity. It's more fond at being cool than anything else. While it is effective through that ambition, it is frustratingly devoid from any serious tension. Even at some crucial moments, it rather feels uneventful, in spite of seeing how the scene was build up. It is so smug, we even see the protagonist eating a sandwich while his partner is having a dangerous boat chase. That scene is impressive by its tone and cinematography, but then it seems to solely exist to show off how cool this guy and the movie are.
And that is what it often feels like in this movie; visually, it's undeniably stunning, probably some of the best looking imagery you'd see in a blockbuster, but you don't always find any purpose or connection through a particular moment, because sometimes there isn't much to merit other than its own swagger. Though the characters do have their worthy moments, like whenever Solo and Illya are trying to show off which of their country's agency have better gadgets and technology. Their spark should have given more of these comedic moments maybe little more.
The acting is much of the same as the visuals; Henry Cavill is perfect as the spy of the film's era, though this character is rather dated in our time where we root better for relatable heroes, but his wittiness should have given a real sense of humor; the Chianti scene doesn't count since the movie is having a profoundly whimsical moment right there; but really, that would have made this character work, at least in our sensibility today. Instead, Armie Hammer gets the jokes; his character has a temper and pathos that often become a punchline or treated with petty suspense; otherwise, it's just a blatant stereotype, like many of the characters here.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is remarkable in its style, it fabulously captures the groove of its setting. But again, it's also too smug because of it. There is so little reason why the movie has to have this straight face since the story doesn't offer much subtlety or the characters aren't given any deeper personalities. It's definitely meant to be adventurous and campy fun, but it's too narcissistic apply those and even make the plot easy to follow. Therefore, it's just swagger and fancy suits around these glossy action.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar