I just finished watching The
Man from U.N.C.L.E. for the second time. The first time, I walked out of
the theater, turned to my sister and said, "That's one of the very rare movies
where I wouldn't change anything. Except maybe the length of some scenes."
Now,
watching it a second time, the same thing holds true. I was almost afraid I
wouldn't love it as much the second time around, but my worries were unfounded.
The movie may not have smashed the box office apart (although, in my opinion,
it should have), but it stole its way into my heart very quickly, and it
appears it will remain there.
Here
are a few good reasons why you should watch it, if you haven't already:
• Ilya. I'll admit it - when I heard Armie Hammer was cast
as Ilya, I had my doubts. I'd seen him in two movies - Mirror, Mirror and The
Lone Ranger, and I wasn't impressed either time. However, when fellow Fangirl
Initiative staff-writer Rica went and saw The Man from U.N.C.L.E., she
immediately texted me and told me I needed to go see it because of Ilya.
Imagine my surprise to find that Armie Hammer could not only act, but he could
really, really well. Ilya's character is a fun one - he's definitely a mixed
package, combining danger (after all, he's a KGB assassin who suffers psychotic
episodes) with endearing adorableness (he has killer puppy-dog eyes). He's one
of my favorite characters to grace the cinematic screen in 2015 - impossible
not to love.
• Solo. Solo's timing is flawless in every sense. The way he
delivers his lines, his comedic timing, his mannerisms - everything he does, he
does to utter perfection. He's unique and quirky while still being a cool, classic
character who hails back to the days of black-and-white TV, and he provides the
perfect counterbalance to Ilya's more serious nature.
• Gabby. I'm usually wary of female leads in movies - either
they're useless and wishy-washy, or they're obnoxiously in-your-face. Gabby is
a great character and one I'm actually quite fond of - not only is she cute and
spunky, but she's clever, sassy, and incorrigible. Not to mention she has
perfect hair and makeup all the freaking time.
• The music. The soundtrack for this movie is absolute
perfection, trust me. If you don't believe me, look it up and give it a listen.
• The cinematography. The movie is beautifully filmed with
a classic style that frequently looks like it's straight out of a music video.
The angles, the filtering, and the lighting are beautiful - good enough that it
actually stands out to me, which most cinematography does not.
• Last, but certainly not least [actually, it might be the
most important] - the bromance. Ilya and Solo have the best bromance of the
year, and we get to watch it develop beautifully on-screen. Honestly, good
bromances are hard to come by - either they're rife with queerbaiting (looking
at you, Moffat) or they tend to revolve around locker-room talk and sex jokes
(looking at you, everything else ever). This bromance is wonderful, revolving
around their opposing personalities and the way their animosity grows to
friendship. Also, they argue over fashion, which is a beautiful thing.
Have you seen the movie - and if not, have I perhaps
persuaded you to give it a try? If you have seen it, what did you think? Let me
know in the comments!
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