Was it any good? I may need to have to call in a chip to get to go see this one; I’d rather not if it’s not actually all that good anyway. Also: the latest Mission Impossible looks pretty good, but I’ve skipped every movie since the first one. Does it really matter if I have? Or should I at least watch the fourth one?
16 thoughts on “So, anybody see ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’ yet?”
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I don’t think it really matters but I liked the previous MI (Ghost Protocol – Simon Pegg is a good addition!). Big Hollywood is kind of meh on UNCLE, but I’m not sure if it’s worth calling in a marker.
If you haven’t seen Kingsman, than skip both and find a copy to rent or buy.
There’s this website called Rotten Tomatoes. Look it up.
Rotten Tomatoes gives THX1138 a rating of 88%. Sorry, but no matter what else they say, they lose all credibility here.
I’m afraid to see it. I watched it when I was really young, so I’m not sure I’ll know if they screw it up or not.
http://basicinstructions.net/basic-instructions/2015/8/11/how-to-vent-your-frustration.html
If you expect it to resemble the tv show, then you’ll be disappointed.
If you expect it to resemble the other MI movies, then you won’t be.
I suppose that’s the thing. The Man from U.N.C.L.E was never M.I.
http://www.schlockmercenary.com/pages/2015-movies
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Howard liked Mission:Impossible, but rated U.N.C.L.E above it.
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Interesting U.N.C.L.E factoid .. Ian Fleming was one of the creators .. and got sued by the Broccolis over it because it was “too much like Bond”… for whatever that’s worth.
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My current plan is to see U.N.C.L.E on the big screen – hoping for the best – and to catch the MI franchise .. on late night reruns?
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Mew
Interesting U.N.C.L.E factoid .. Ian Fleming was one of the creators .. and got sued by the Broccolis over it because it was “too much like Bond”…
I believe the lawsuit was over the name “Solo” — in one of the Bond books and movies there’s a bad-guy character named “Mr. Solo” (no first name). If I recall correctly, he came to a bad end in an automobile scrapyard compactor.
That would be “Goldfinger”, Herp.
Haven’t seen Uncle yet, but probably will next week.
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Mission Impossible? Ghost Recon was rather good,and I liked the new one a bit better. However, MI has used a particular plot point in 3 (possibly 4) of their 5 films. But if you’ve skipped those, hey, not an issue for you.
I’ve seen both, and MI is more fun, and it’s the only one I’ve seen.
Haven’t seen “Man From UNCLE” yet, but MI:RN is awesome. The dangling-off-the-airplane scene is just from the prologue – the action ramps up from there. OTOH, Fant4tastic sucks the wombat weenie, and I speak as an FF fan from back in the Jack Kirby days. What is it that prevents Hollywood from getting an FF movie anywhere close to right?
The concept of family.
http://www.schlockmercenary.com/blog/fantastic-four-2015-review
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That’s just one part of it.
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Mew
I’m terrified to watch it. Thirty-ish years ago I owned all the U.N.C.L.E. paperbacks, and ran an U.N.C.L.E. RPG (Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes) campaign.
I may be a “gamer in recovery”, but I still cherish the memory of the “lost weekends”. Guy Ritchie can direct some stunning films when he doesn’t get in his own way. I don’t want the old campaign to seem puny and dated by comparison.
Since absolutely no one asked, here are my thoughts on the MI films…
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MI was a bit of a rocky start to the franchise, but a fairly solid film overall. There are…issues…with some of the character development that caused a broken fanbase for fans of the original series. Kinda depends if you’re a Brian de Palma fan or not.
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MI:II – I surprised that it didn’t torpedo the whole franchise. Incoherent plot due to massive Executive Meddling; Ethan Hunt’s personality is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike his personality in the rest of the franchise; and it suffers from John Woo Physics. Also had a Big Bad who was merely loathsome rather than actually scary. Saving graces: Thandie Newton (awesomely cute) and Anthony Hopkins (snarkily awesome). Neither of them can save the film overall.
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MI:III was a very strong comeback after II. Strong scripting, Ethan Hunt has personal stakes driving his plot choices, and a scary-horrible Big Bad in Philip Seymour Hoffman. It’s got the most psychologically intense prologue sequence of any film I can think of. Benji Dunn’s first appearance, for you Simon Pegg fans. Also of note is Lawrence Fishburne as Director Brassell, who delivers an amazing a$$-reaming to two of the characters.
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MI:GP – directed by Brad Bird – what else can I say? It delivers with story and characters, and really plays up the exotic locales aspect – not unlike a Bond film in that respect. Has some good plot twists as well.
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MI:RN has lots of practical effects, shifting alliances, outright betrayals and more character development – well worth a watch.
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All in all, the last three films have the most continuity with each other, though there have been call backs to the first film as well – I think they’d just a soon forget that MI:II exists. I’d recommend seeing the latest three films, in order. The first two are optional.