The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

It could have something to do with the material or it could have something to do with the budget, but Guy Ritchie's The Man From U.N.C.L.E., a '60s era Euro-espionage caper based on the TV series of the same name, favours style over spectacle. And it's an approach that works a treat. After the big bang blockbuster thrills of something like Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, this works as a cool, refreshing palate cleanser.

It's 1963, and the heated conflict of WWII has given way to the tense brinksmanship of the Cold War between America and Russia. But the two superpowers find they must join forces when a sinister, fanatical cabal aims to reignite global hostilities by developing a nuclear device, roping in former Nazi scientists to do so.

So it's up to Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), a CIA operative, and Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), a KGB operative with a hair-trigger temper, to infiltrate the organisation, derail their plans and save the world. All of which would be much easier if the two agents weren't sneakily sabotaging one another at every opportunity.

Despite their mutual animosity (which plays more like a bromance), it's clear Solo and Kuryakin are a bit of a dream team, with the coolly combative chemistry of Cavill and Hammer — both of whom deftly underplay their roles — setting the tone for the film. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. may be something of a trifle, but when something displays this much elegance and elan a lack of substance can be easily forgiven.