Cinema goes retro with new spy flick

Tom Cruise's "Mission Impossible" has already been in cinemas for a fortnight, while action fans eagerly await James Bond in the fall. Now they can ease their anticipation with a film that took its cue from the big spy role models - but leaves them in the dust when it comes to humor and irony.

The basis for "Codename U.N.C.L.E.," which opens in Germany on August 13 and in the US a day later, is nearly as old as that of James Bond. "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." was the title of the popular US television series that ran from 1964 to 1968. It shot lead actor Robert Vaughn to fame and brought him a Golden Globe.

Bond writer Ian Fleming contributed to the concept of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and, while the first Bond film in 1962 certainly wasn't humorless, the TV series two years later took irony to a whole new level.

The current $75-million Hollywood production more than lives up to its 1960s model.

Handsome spies and beautiful co-stars

"Codename U.N.C.L.E." is a firework of action and humor, rushes from one scene to the next, and doesn't skimp on well-dressed heroes and drop-dead-gorgeous heroines.

While James Bond and Ethan Hunt (in "Mission Impossible") are undoubtedly concerned about having the edge over their enemies, this is exaggerated so comically in "Codename U.N.C.L.E." that at some point cinema-goers don't care who's after who. They're too busy holding their bellies in laughter.

What's unusual for a Hollywood spy flick is that the Russian isn't the bad guy: American CIA agent Napoleon Solo works together with a Russian KGB colleague, Ilya Kuryakin. Surprisingly, that idea originated in the original TV series, which was created at the height of the Cold War, just three years after the erection of the Berlin Wall and the Bay of Pigs Invasion in Cuba.

Napoleon (Henry Cavill) and Ilya (Armie Hammer) work together to defeat a criminal organization that is threatening the world with nuclear weapons.

A German nuclear physicist (Christian Berkel) has the scientific knowledge necessary to outdo the bad guys - but he has disappeared without a trace. Nevertheless, his beautiful daughter Gaby Teller is able to lead the two agents to their goal.

Funny twist on a tested recipe

What follows is straight out of the recipe book for tried and true secret agent films: chase scenes on land, in the water and in the air, shoot-ups, poison attempts, murder schemes, and so forth.

But "Codename U.N.C.L.E." is a classic example of cinema in which form takes precedence over content and the shiny aesthetics are more important that the plot. And if that's your thing, this one is for you.

The man behind the film is no no-name: cult director Guy Ritchie. The one-time husband of Madonna breathed new life into the genre of ironic gangster films with works like "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998), "Snatch" (2000), and his hit adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes saga.

In "Codename U.N.C.L.E." Ritchie reveals himself as a master of retro chic and resurrects the 1960s. Not only the settings and music, but also the style of editing all give viewers a real sense of déjà-vu.

Guy Ritchie at his best

With Napoleon and Ilya constantly battling dangerous opponents without getting a single scratch on their impeccable custom suits, the film resembles a comic more than reality. Add to that their female co-stars with Barbie proportions and stylishly daring outfits. But it's all in good taste.

Guy Ritchie hasn't only produced blockbuster films, he's also created TV ads for BMW, Nike and Nespresso - as well as music videos for Madonna, of course. The British director's wealth of experience becomes evident in his latest work, which is polished to a shine.

Combine that with 60s charm and this film is poised to please.