‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Henry Cavill Leads Cool & Confident Spy Tale

With Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, director Guy Ritchie established himself as a master of bravura set pieces and buddy movie banter, before proving he could successfully meld the irreverent spirit with classic properties in his Sherlock Holmes adaptations. Now, Ritchie brings his signature touch to his big-screen translation of the beloved 1960s television spy show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 1963: in the thick of the Cold War, roguish CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill, Mission: Impossible – Fallout) forms an uneasy alliance with brooding KGB officer Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name) to thwart a criminal organization with apocalyptic intentions. The rebellious daughter of a missing nuclear scientist (Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina) is their only ticket inside the sinister ring – but to whom is she truly loyal? A desperate race against time will determine whether the scientist’s atomic research will shatter the delicate balance of power in the world. A thrilling spy romp with rich period detail and an infectious soundtrack of cool pop classics, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. puts a colorful, contemporary twist on 1960s espionage and delivers pure entertainment with swaggering ease.

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Video Quality

Arrow Video presents The Man from U.N.C.L.E. with a grand 2160p transfer in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio sourced from Warner Bros. presented in 4K resolution and graded in 4K HDR10/Dolby Vision. Despite the 2K DI origins, the upscale to 4K resolution is a notable benefit to his feature that is executed with a terrific encode. This film was previously released by Warner Bros. on Blu-Ray in 2015, but we have never seen that disc to compare the presentations. With a film as visually slick and detailed as this one, you want it to look the best it possibly can. The level of minute detail and clarity on display is enchanting as you delight in every flourish of the period costumes and production design. The craft elements alone are a feast for the eyes, and this presentation puts them on their highest level of display. 

One of the most praiseworthy aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for refined color output that takes this skillfully crafted film and displays every distinct hue to its ideal state. The palette is dialed into its intended shade rather than artificially boosting anything. Everything is nicely suffused in this transfer to immerse you in this world. The disc always stands tall with its command of contrast. Black levels are effortlessly deep with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights show no evidence of blooming. The new master features some nuances within the lighting, production design, and clothing that unlock a pleasing amount of depth. This world feels tactile and three-dimensional thanks to the tremendous depth of field. This transfer reveals nothing in the way of damage or unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a fabulous effort from the team at Arrow Video. 

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a stellar Dolby Atmos track that captures this sprawling narrative with the precision you desire. The complex sound design is just as important to the movie as the stylish visuals, and this track brings it to life with impeccable skill. The film is lush with environmental effects that engage the surround and overhead speakers making you feel as if you on embarking on a mission alongside the characters. The movie showcases some thrilling moments such as an early chase scene that puts the low end to work. 

The track has an intricate and accurate sense of directionality with sounds always emanating from the appropriate channels. Dialogue comes through clearly in the front channel without being swallowed up by any sound effects or the score. The jaunty score from Daniel Pemberton sets the tone for this story which fills the room effectively. There are absolutely no issues with fidelity or damage to the track. This audio presentation earns top marks from Arrow Video. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. includes a multi-page booklet featuring new writing by Barry Forshaw, and a reprinted article from CODEX Magazine on the film’s cinematography. This provides great insight into the film, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The release also comes with a double-sided fold-out poster. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

• Audio Commentary: Critics Bryan Reesman and Max Evry provide a very informative and entertaining commentary track in which they discuss the background of the production, the legacy of the source material, the background of the performers, the easter eggs in the film, the production design and special effects, and so much more that gets covered quite thoroughly throughout this track.  

• The Hollywood Way: A new 15-minute interview with co-writer/producer Lionel Wigram in which he discusses his background, his history with Guy Ritchie, his love of secret agent cinema, the production of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., his love of the film, and more. 

• A Lineage of Bad Guys: A new 15-minute interview with actor Luca Calvani in which he discusses his character in the film, his background in performing, the direction of Guy Ritchie, the atmosphere on set, memories of working with his fellow performers, and more. 

• Legacy of U.N.C.L.E.: A new 29-minute featurette with historians Helen McCarthy, David Flint, and Vic Pratt that takes a look at the original 1960s television series and how it was brought back to life for this film adaptation. 

• Cockneys and Robbers: A new 25-minute piece with film critics and historians Kat Hughes, Hannah Strong, and Josh Saco that takes a look at the background of Guy Ritchie and his legacy in filmmaking. There are some great insights into his filmography as a whole and how each film feeds into a larger tapestry. 

• Spy Vision – Recreating ‘60s Cool: A nine-minute archival video in which the cast and creative team discuss the design of the film from the costumes to the production design and beyond. 

• A Higher Class of Hero: A seven-minute archival look at the boundary-pushing nature of the action sequences. 

• Metisse Motorcycles – Proper and Very British: A five-minute archival piece that gives a closer look at the motorcycles in the film. 

• The Guys from U.N.C.L.E.: A five-minute archival portrait of Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. 

• A Man of Extraordinary Talents: A three-minute archival look at Guy Ritchie. 

• U.N.C.L.E. – On-Set Spy Featurettes: A four-part look at some of the key locations in the film that explores the construction, how they fit into the narrative, the secret details, and more. 

• • Don’t Swim Elegantly (1:06)

• • You Want To Wrestle? (1:08)

• • Heli Restored (1:07)

• • A Family Thing (1:46)

• Theatrical Trailer: This disc provides the two-and-a-half-minute trailer. 

• Image Gallery: This disc provides a gallery for production stills and behind-the-scenes photos. 

Final Thoughts

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is one of the better Guy Ritchie films to emerge from the 2010s. The filmmaker has at times indulged too much in his stylistic flourishes to the point of exhaustion, but there appears to be a level of restraint here that allows the narrative to feel cool and confident. Henry Cavill is at his suave best here alongside a talented cast including the luminous Alicia Vikander. The thrilling set pieces are a blast alongside the espionage tactics. This ranks very favorably among modern spy movies. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an excellent A/V presentation and a nice balance of new and archival special features. If you have yet to see this one, don’t miss out. Recommended 

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray on July 30, 2024. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray. 

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.