Guy Ritchie’s “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” trailer impresses, but…
How much of a The Man from U.N.C.L.E. fan am I?
Need I add, this is in my wallet?
This much.
So when I heard Guy Ritchie got the nod to bring us a new film, I was ready to believe. But of course, this is not only the man who brought us Snatch and the Sherlock Holmes movies, but the remake of Swept Away.
When I first heard that Tom Cruise had been cast as Napoleon Solo, I was not happy. Not because of any lack of talent on the couch-jumper, but because he was already connected to the Mission Impossible franchise, and I thought it was a bit much all for him.
So hearing that Henry Cavill got the role instead made me feel much better. So too hearing that Armie Hammer (a man with a name that could have easily been used in a MFU episode) was to play Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin. Hugh Grant as Alexander Waverly left me a bit dry – I’d prefer someone a bit older, with a bit more gravitas, but hey, it’s a young man’s world.
But it was all just smoke and dreams until the first trailer hit. And today, hit it did.
OK, a few points.
I despise “origin” films like this where the characters have to go through the period where they hate each other. And when I heard that they were going to go that route with this film…
I didn’t take it well.
But I have to say, Cavill and Hammer seem to have the balance right. Henry’s in full-speed suave super spy mode, exactly as he should be, without getting into self-parody.
Since this an origin film, they are clearly NOT actually from The United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. Solo is said to be with the CIA and Illya with the KGB, which were their positions before they got their radio pens. Likewise, the evil organization, while not named, certainly sounds like it may be at least a prototype version of Thrush. So that’s good.
Ritchie’s style seems to work perfectly for the film – the car chase was very much in the style of the Mini-acrobatics of The italian Job (the original one, that is)
And there was one moment that had me squeeing…
That’s an U.N.C.L.E. Special to these eyes.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. will be released on August 14, 2015. Future updates will be broadcast here at ComicMix if you can’t remember the password to Open Channel “D”.
Uh, Hugh Grant is 54 years old……..
Yeah, I was going to bring up the same point. Hugh Grant is my age (born in 1960). I guess I should thank Vinnie for the complement.
And I’m 48.
Therefore, being only a few years older me, he is young.
No debate will be recognized in this matter.
In comparison, Leo G. Carroll was
over a barrel78 when he played Mr. Waverly, so yeah, a bit too young for the role, self-denial notwithstanding.A Sue Cole ID card from one of the first fan clubs. Wow, that goes back a few years.
Yes, an U.N.C.L.E. Special!!!!!
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MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Well, I don’t know, Vin. I want to see the tailor shop and the pens and I want to hear “Open Channel D.” And what, they couldn’t get the rights to the theme?
Right now the trailer just looks to me like another “spy movie.” No reason they couldn’t do an “origin story” with all the U.N.C.L.E. paraphanelia in place. Hmm, did I spell that word right?
Not looking forward to this one.
I have to say that the trailer seems to be presenting Ilya as a bit of a thug. NOT right.
I wonder if Ritchie will give us a nod to the history of UNCLE and THRUSH that David McDaniel gave us in his books – that THRUSH was founded by Colonel Moran from the remains of Moriarty’s organisation after Moriarty died at Reichenbach Fall, given his Holmes films.