Man From U.N.C.L.E., The MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: -2

Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris, Hugh Grant. Warner Bros. Action Adventure. Written by Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram. Based on the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Directed by Guy Ritchie.

FILM SYNOPSIS: A fresh take on the hugely popular 1960s television series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.is set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War and centers on CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer).  Forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the two team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology.  The duo’s only lead is the daughter of a vanished German scientist, who is the key to infiltrating the criminal organization, and they must race against time to find him and prevent a worldwide catastrophe.

This film has been rated PG-13 for action violence, some suggestive content, and partial nudity.

PREVIEW REVIEW: As a kid, I faithfully watched the somewhat campy TV series The Man From U.N.CL.E., starring Robert Vaughn. The best part of the show was the opening theme song. But viewing episodes of the show (’64-’68) now running on Me TV, it suffers from time-warp. That said, for its time, it was good TV.

Besides the great theme song the spy program boasted, there was also a good chemistry between Illya Kuryakin/David McCallum and Napoleon Solo/Robert Vaughn (well, as good as Bob Vaughn could muster - to me, he always came across as a bit of a snob). Like the debauchery done a few years back to The Wild, Wild West, the producers here also depart from the camaraderie between Napoleon and Ilya, making them adversaries in this rip-off that neglects the famous song until the very end, with a Retro-Cocktail version of the theme. I say rip-off, because that appears to be the main reason for its making.

I found this film lacking in thrills, relationships and the glamour that say the older James Bond movies gave us. The stars lack much charisma, and the dialogue is full of exposition and innuendo, but not much wit.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Warner Bros.