For those who still love to watch old TV shows, The Man from UNCLE remains one of the best James Bond reflections on TV. For four seasons (between 1964 and 1968), it followed the adventures of two strikingly handsome secret agents who saved the world daily for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement (that’s UNCLE). Coming up with a film version was never going to be an easy task, however, director Guy Ritchie manages to pull off an interesting version that demands viewing. Here are the five reasons as to what makes The Man from UNCLE so desirable.
1. Henry Cavill is not Man of Steel here
He may have second billing in the movie but Henry Cavill is the star of the film. He manages to shed the Man of Steel image, speak in his natural ‘British’ accent and play Napoleon Solo to the best of his abilities. His cool demeanor reminds one of the original ‘Solo’ played by Robert Vaughn, who appeared as villain in Superman III (Coincidence!). Cavill’s Solo is as caring and attentive to women as Vaughn’s was nearly 50 years ago, but always has an ace up his sleeve, something that makes him dangerous to all, including his partner Illya Kuryakin.
2. This Illya Kuryakin has more presence
In the ’60s, David MacCullum was considered the epitome of ‘being sexy’ and that’s what made his ‘Kuryakin’ desirable to all. 50 years later, the same character gets Armie Hammer top billing in the movie because he is bigger, better and stronger than both his predecessor and his partner. Yes, the two characters don’t seem to have the kind of chemistry that made the original show a must watch but then again this is the origin story – a prequel of sorts. In the pilot episode of the original series, Kuryakin is just another agent, otherwise the name of the show would have been The Men from UNCLE!
3. The Return of Ritchie
It has been four years since Guy Ritchie directed a movie and what better way than to make a comeback with a film that even predates Mission Impossible.
Ritchie co-writes a story that reminds one of the original series where firstly, you never trusted anyone except your partner, secondly missions were of global importance and above all changing sides was always an option. That’s the reason why the twists and the turns in the plot look so refreshing. Ritchie works best when he is thrust into the old days (he is the man behind Sherlock Holmes, remember) and the no-mobile, no-internet days provide him a chance to walk you down memory lane.
4. The Swinging Sixties
Who doesn’t want to go back to the sixties where fashion was simple yet classy, the bad guys were one-dimensional and being rich was the answer to all your problems. The Cold War did make things difficult but that was one of the reasons why America managed to better itself with the help of its allies, like UNCLE. The classic cars driven by the villainess in the film are a treat for fans of automobiles from the past whereas the chase featuring an off-roader buggy and a motorbike reminds you how simpler things were in those days.
5. Hugh Grant is Mr. Waverley
And then there is Hugh Grant in the role of Mr. Waverley, a character formerly made famous by the legendary Leo G. Carroll. For the fans of Mr. Grant, his role comes as a surprise because a) he isn’t the leading man and b) it comes quite late in the film. But even having him there as the man-in-charge is something to look forward to; ‘Mickey Blue Eyes’ has been gone for some time and was being missed by his many fans around the world. (Omair Alavi is a freelance journalist)
