Guy Ritchie and Henry Cavill reunited this year for the criminally underrated yet wholly entertaining war comedy The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. The film makes good use of their strongest qualities, but it doesn’t quite compare to their first collaboration together, 2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Based on the eponymous TV show, the movie follows two spies, American Napoleon Solo (Cavill) and Russian Ilya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) who must reluctantly work together to stop an Italian socialite from starting World War III.
Fun, stylish to a fault, and featuring arguably the best performance of Henry Cavill’s career, The Man From U.N.C.L.E is Ritchie’s best movie of the 2010s and probably his best since Snatch. Sadly, it was a box office flop and received so-so reviews at the time. However, time has been quite kind to it, turning it into a modern action classic, to the point where Rolling Stone named it the 50th best action movie of all time. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is currently streaming on Netflix, and if you haven’t seen it, now’s the perfect time. If you need more convincing, here are four reasons to stream this incredibly rewatchable film.
Henry Cavill plays the best spy you’ve never heard of
As previously mentioned, The Man From U.N.C.L.E is not only one of Henry Cavill’s best movies but it also contains what may very well be his finest performance. Sure, he is an absolute unit in Mission: Impossible — Fallout, and he gives Tom Cruise a run for his money there, but the film is still Cruise’s vehicle. However, Cavill is the undeniable star of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; this is his movie, and both he and Ritchie make the best of it.
Cavill’s Napoleon Solo is suave, ridiculously confident, stylish, charming, and near-irresistible, a fireball of charisma and panache the likes we haven’t seen before or since. Solo is a spy crafted by the English-est director working right now, played by a hulking actor who effortlessly combines badassery with stereotypical good looks. The result is a character that is both alluring without being overly sexualized and intimidating without ever being menacing. Cavill has never been better than he is in this role, proving that not only is he quite charming but also a surprisingly good comedian who should embrace his sillier side more often.
Elizabeth Debicki makes a great femme fatale
An action movie is nothing without a great villain. Luckily, The Man From U.N.C.LE. has a great one in the form of Elizabeth Debicki’s deliciously wicked Victoria Vinciguerra. Along with her husband, Victoria is a Nazi sympathizer who wants to launch a nuclear weapon and start World War III.
Victoria is the very embodiment of a classic femme fatale: breathtakingly beautiful yet ruthless and quite resourceful, unafraid to use her allure to entrap Solo before continuing with her devastating plan. Debicki is spectacular in the role, dominating the second half of the movie with her icy performance and killer wardrobe (more on that later). Movies often depend on a great villain to keep things moving; after all, no evil deed, no need for two hunky spies to save the day. Victoria’s plan is suitably dangerous, and she looks stunning while carrying it out. 10 out of 10, no notes.
The action is great
Few directors are as gifted when it comes to staging action as Guy Ritchie, especially if the film is PG-13 and he needs to get creative. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. features several impressive set pieces that rank among the best of the decade, combining flair and thrills with unexpected intensity. Sure, there is a distinctive lack of tension, but the film never pretends to be an anxiety-inducing ride — instead, it always presents its action as heightened yet perfectly controlled and aesthetically pleasing, not a hint of chaos around.
This approach works wonders with the hyper-stylized ’60s tone Ritchie adopts. One of the film’s most famous scenes sees Hammer’s Kuryakin escaping a series of guards before seemingly drowning while Cavill’s Solo calmly eats a sandwich to the tune of Armando Trovajoli’s Che Vuole Questa Musica Stasera. The action is distinctive and satisfying without ever being adrenaline-pumping, a remarkable and refreshing approach compared to the decade’s other over-the-top and overly violent action vehicles.
The movie has style to spare
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a strong contender for the most stylish and stylized movie of the decade. Every aspect of this film seems to have come out of a 1960s postcard, aimed at reminding you of all the things you’ll never have — and it somehow works! The scenic views are expectedly gorgeous, as is the cinematography by two-time Oscar nominee John Mathieson, which successfully sells 2015 London as 1963 Rome. As previously mentioned, the costumes, courtesy of two-time Oscar nominee Joanna Johnston, are a thing of beauty, making a stunningly beautiful woman like Debicki look even more jaw-dropping.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. sells an Italian fantasy from head to toe and gets away with it thanks to the strength of its convictions. Every aspect is curated like a postcard, every action sequence seems taken out from the romanticized memory of a now-weary Italian who lived through it. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a one-of-a-kind action movie that sells romance and class just as much as it does spy thrills and adventure. It’s the marriage between nostalgia and action, a throwback to the old James Bond movies that will leave everyone with a sudden desire to buy a Vespa.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is available to stream on Netflix.
