User Reviews

David McCallum and Robert Vaughan return to their roles as Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo respectively and while they are on the screen together the film shines. Keeping them apart for a lot of the film was a mistake. It was their interaction that made the original television series memorable. Unfortunately Solo was saddled with a younger U. N. C. L. E. Operative who was just annoying. The film also missed Leo G. Carroll as Mr Waverley and the referential James Bond scene was just completely out of place. The story is ordinary; archvillain holds the world to ransom kind of thing but there good scenes with Ilya and Napoleon and the finale is exciting. Anthony Zerbe as the main villain Justin Sepheran from THRUSH was the best of the rest of the cast.

Having seen the original series when first aired in the mid-Sixties I confess to having a frisson at the uttering of the words "Open Channel D"!

Aside from one of the theatrical cuts of a two-part episode of the original, this was my first real look at anything U.N.C.L.E. I was a spy fanatic and had great expectations, based somewhat on the comments that a favorite Marvel comic, "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." owed its existence to U.N.C.L.E. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. It looked like every other TV show of the period and the leads weren't young anymore. The fantastic gadgets were rather mundane and the super-guns almost non-existent.

Some years later, I saw this again, with a more forgiving eye. There is a sense of fun to be had and it does follow the formula of the show, of which I had seen portions on video. McCallum and Vaughn are great and Anthony Zerbe makes for a great villain (as he usually played on TV show of the era). Although it doesn't look studio-bound like the TV series, you can't mistake the southern California and Nevada settings. Also, the camp (though a large part of later seasons) doesn't always work and is employed a bit too much in the end. Plus, Keenan Wynn seems wasted. On the whole, though, it's at least fun and entertaining. We do get some action throughout, as well as the intrigue and there is an attempt at character development.

The best summation is that the film is a bit of a disappointment for a real, top-quality U.N.C.L.E. movie, but a nice re-union for the TV series. The budget is comparable to a TV episode and it suffers from standard TV editing. The are strange decisions made, like the creation of a new U.N.C.L.E. Special gun, but it is barely seen in the film. The originals were as much stars of the show as the actors. U.N.C.L.E. and THRUSH are shown to be somewhat laughable, than real professionals. Still, it is nice seeing everyone back and they carry things off with charm and style. Patrick MacNee and George Lazenby make nice tongue-in-cheek references to other iconic spy properties. The Hoover Dam setting works well for the climax and adds a bit of scope.

Before this was made, there had been a script floating around for an U.N.C.L.E. feature film. One wonders what could have been done with a major budget and top levelly resources. Who knows? The premise still has enough originality to spawn a modern feature, though one hopes that enough of the fantasy elements would be maintained to keep it from being "Bourne from U.N.C.L.E."

This TV movie featured Robert Vaughn and David McCallum returning as their popular espionage characters Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin, agents of the U.S. branch of the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. In this movie which obviously takes place a number of years after the series ended. Napoleon Solo had inexplicably left or been let go years ago, and after he left Illya also mysteriously quit the force. Illya has gone to work in a store where he designs women's outfits - some of which are pretty offensive and revealing. This was a disappointment for the production as well as Illya's character.

I liked that the fictitious character JB (presumably James Bond) made a brief guest appearance, assisting Solo in a car chase who he referred to as "a colleague." I enjoyed that when the program went to commercial the last frame was frozen and then blurred out - just like in the original series. I did not like the altered music which slightly resembled the original TV show theme. There were a few funny parts in this movie which bring back memories of the old series, but The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. is not a favorite. Many of the original episodes were significantly better.

The Return of the Man from U. N. C. L. E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair gets better with age! I remember reading and old comic book Man from U. N. C. L. E, and with limited 80's cable I never got to see the series. In grade 8 I saw the trailer, on Entertainment Tonight for The Return of the Man from U. N. C. L. E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair! With great personal build up I caught the 15 years re boot, and was some what disappointment I watched the reboot. Years later I found The Return of the Man from U. N. C. L. E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair entertaining in a tongue and cheek way! George Lazenby Bond skit I totally missed out on at age 14 and missed it again if it was not for my wife's quick wittedness. Well shot on the cheap, and probably around the Vegas area The Return made up for the budget with many tongue and cheek moments. A decent spy story in a lame way. There is a few good spy plot scenes. The tailor shop, the phone company spot, and the pen phone and I look so young due to make up was cheesy in a good way scenes. The best is the watch and shoe bit for all gags the remake offers. The not too serious re boot is fast paced, with bongos, blurred screen changed to next act, and corny but fun dialogue creates fun acting for a wild ride. The ending is so over the top in a hilarious way. Worth going into back down memory lane. 7 stars.

I saw this on television when it first aired , and remembered it as being terrible. But with the recent DVD issue , I had to Return To The Man From U.N.C.L.E....

One cannot deny the natural chemistry between Macallum & Vaughn , but it's a shame the writers didn't give them a decent script.

This is the lamest U.N.C.L.E. venture ever! ( Yes , even worse than some of Season 2 & 3's worst episodes. ) The trouble begins with a terrible "updated" version of the theme song , and spirals from there! ( Apparently they couldn't find the original logo or typeface either - how do you ignore something so iconic? ).

There is far too much time wasted on setting up the affair - which in itself is far too simplistic and easily resolved - and not enough time developing...well...anything else. The writers would rather spend every other scene with one character or another mentioning that "15 Years" have passed...read the title , got it. There's also just a plethora of terrible jokes - including the lame James Bond inclusion, ( Yeah , Ian Flemming , co-creator , got it , back in the 60's , carry on! ), and the typical "Oh you're so out of step" gags ,and throw in a few "old guys teaching the new pups a lesson" gags , and you've got a confused stew that is neither comedy nor drama. Also , since this is the 1980's , all car wrecks or "dangerous scenes" , have to show the bad guys running to safety just before the big bang! ( Makes you miss the days of the sleeper darts! )

The acting is fairly plastic , including an appalling role for Gayle Hunnicut. ( As a "Russian" operative , the writers weren't even clever enough to have her and Illya interact! ). And a major waste comes by way of getting Solo & Kuriyakin back together only to spend most of the Affair in different countries and not performing as a team! A waste of time. A waste of Vaughn & Macallum. A waste of Anthony Zerbe & Keenan Wynn! CLOSE CHANNEL D!

This movie was clearly made for Television and the copy I got looked like it was a "bootleg" from China or something. The focus was terrible and the color saturation was gone totally. The company who released this particular DVD was New Star Video. Avoid getting a copy of this from this company, The quality is TERRIBLE.

As for the plot, it was weak and very unlikely. There is a scene at the end where there are 20-25 THRUSH agent lying dead in close proximity to each other and the remainder of the UNCLE contingent just jog on by with none of them even hurt. The believability of this film is low and although Robert Vaughn and David McCullum and Patrick McNee carry the film, it is still very weak and there are too many "I'm Sure, like their gonna do that!!" moments to it. Perhaps I am seeing it through "adult" eyes after seeing the original series as a small kid (8-10). Kids will like this but adults will see through it totally and may not enjoy it as much as a pre-teen or teenager would. Worth a shot if there is nothing else to watch.

5 out of 10...

Talk of a 'Man From U.N.C.L.E.' movie has recently resurfaced, this time with Stephen Soderburgh's name attached. Not being a fan of his work, I cannot say I'm too thrilled, but let's wait and see.

In 1983, writer/producer Michael Sloan ( future creator of 'The Equalizer' ) reunited Robert Vaughn and David McCallum for this entertaining television movie. THRUSH has stolen a nuclear device, and threatens to use it unless a hefty ransom is paid. Furthermore, it must be delivered in person by none other than Napoleon Solo, now a computer salesman. Solo agrees to return, provided Illya Kuryakin follow suit. If you can believe this, the ex-Russian agent now works as a fashion designer! The chief villain, Justin Sepheran ( Anthony Zerbe ), is an old enemy of Solo's and wants revenge...

'Return' is generally disliked by U.N.C.L.E. fans for several reasons, one of which was keeping Solo and Kuryakin apart much of the time, greatly reducing the potential for interaction. A lot of episodes were like that too as I recall. The main plot is a retread of the Bond picture 'Thunderball', but money was clearly spent on the movie ( there's location filming in Las Vegas and a 007-style gun battle climax at a dam in Libya ) and the supporting cast is good. Keenan Wynn and Geoffrey Lewis are among the villains. British actors Simon Williams ( from 'Upstairs, Downstairs' ) and Carolyn Seymour are also in evidence. Leo G.Carroll having passed away, who better for the job of U.N.C.L.E.'s new boss than good old Patrick Macnee from 'The Avengers', in the role of 'Sir John Raleigh' ( there's a wonderful fan fiction story online - 'The Avengers Affair' - in which it is revealed that Raleigh is really John Steed! ). Gayle Hunnicutt ( once tipped to play 'Major Anya Amasova' in 'The Spy Who Loved Me' ) is absolutely awful though as defecting Russian ballerina 'Andrea'! Of the leads, McCallum seems to have weathered the passing of time better than his co-star, but they are still able to recapture the old magic. The film's tone is rather less campy than the series, and that was to be expected. As McCallum said in an interview at the time, there's no way you can be treat terrorist groups in a light-hearted fashion in these troubled times. There is humour though. When Solo's pen communicator suddenly bleeps in a casino, he says: "Excuse me, my pacemaker needs a new battery!".

Director Ray Austin is better known for his work on 'The Avengers'. Overall this is good fun, vastly superior to 'I Spy Returns', 'Wild Wild West Revisited', and the 'Six Million Dollar Man'/'Bionic Woman' reunion films. But the cherry on the cake is George Lazenby's cameo as ( wait for it ) 'J.B.'. We first see him at the wheel of his Aston Martin waiting for traffic lights to change, when he witnesses Solo's car chased by K.G.B. thugs. He decides to give his colleague a helping hand, and deploys the car's gadgets to wipe out the opposition! For those of us who loved 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' ( 1969 ) and wanted to see George back as James Bond, this scene is an absolute joy. Incidentally, Sean Connery and Roger Moore were both filming Bonds - 'Never Say Never Again' and 'Octopussy' - when this was made!

Despite the respectable ratings, there were no more movies of this kind. It remains to be seen whether or not 'M.F.U.' can work in the 21st century. I hope Soderburgh ( or whoever directs it ) does not make the mistake of treating it like a big joke, as sadly happened with 'I Spy' and 'Starsky & Hutch'.

THRUSH is back in business, and one of their top men is broken out of prison after 15 years, heading up a scheme wherein a nuclear device is stolen from a downed military jet. A huge ransom is demanded or the device will destroy part of the USA, and the agency demands the ransom be delivered by former UNCLE agent Napoleon Solo-- who must be recruited back to do the job-- and he has to recruit his former partner Ilya Kuryakin, who quit years earlier over a mission that went bad. Solo know his old enemy well enough to believe the man will detonate the device EVEN AFTER he's been paid, and so plans a two-pronged assault to find and deactivate the bomb on one hand, and find and take down the new THRUSH HQ on the other.

It all sounds a lot better than it actually is-- TRUST me!

In the late 70s, "reunion" films became a new fad in the wake of RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND. Tragically, too many of them were apallingly-bad, like THE WILD WILD WEST REVISITED, THE RETURN OF MAXWELL SMART, and STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE. This one didn't happen until several years later (1983). Compared to those 3 examples... it's not that bad. But that's not what I'd call a glowing reccomendation. TV adventure shows were demasculated in the late 70s by heavy censorship, and in the early 80s, network TV was still trying to figure out how to do exciting action shows again. (Having to watch bad guys climb out of just-crashed cars BEFORE they explode, so nobody actually gets killed onscreen, gets extremely annoying after the first time you've seen it.)

I first saw this (and taped it!) when it was first-run. At the time, I'd actually seen very little of UNCLE. But watching it on DVD now, it has the huge disadvantage of my having just watched EVERY single episode of UNCLE in sequence (even the "GIRL" episodes). Season 1 was revolutionary for TV at the time, and as close to perfect as a show from that era could be. Seasons 2 & 3 (and yes, "GIRL" as well) had a lot of really fun episodes, but far too many just got SILLY-- and STUPID. Season 4 was a revelation; I've NEVER seen a show turn around like that one did. Until the unintended series finale (which was painfully padded-out to 2 episodes), there had NOT been a single bad episode in there. So going from THAT-- to THIS-- was one of the most painful TV-viewing experiences I've had this year. Let me put it this way: I'd rather re-watch Season 3.

I feel the source of the entire problem can be summed up in one person: MICHAEL SLOAN. When he took over as Producer on McCLOUD in its 7th season, the quality of the writing went through the floor. I know he got better as he went (see KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES). But I fear he hadn't made it there yet when he did this. It just feels amateurish, like it was done by some enthusiastic fan who thinks he knows the show, but really doesn't. And I have to wonder what happened with director Ray Austin. EVERY episode of THE AVENGERS he did in the 60s and 70s was better-done than this! Nearly every actor in this gives a STIFF, lifeless performance, as if they're all reading from cue cards during a rehearsal. The incessant attempts at humor are NOT funny, and annoying. The only exception to this is during the really lame car-chase in Vegas when several cars crash, and George Lazenby looks straight at the camera and says, "Shaken-- but not stirred!" THAT I found funny.

Details... with 105 episodes of THE MAN FROM UNCLE at their disposal, do they mean to tell me they couldn't find ONE villain actor from that show to come back for "revenge"-- and they had to make up several new ones? Anthony Zerbe (THE OMEGA MAN), Keenan Wynn (DR. STRANGELOVE) and Geoffrey Lewis (HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER) all seem wasted in this. Gayle Hunnicutt (SHERLOCK HOLMES: "A Scandal In Bohemia") arguably gives the single worst acting performance in the entire film. Carolyn Seymour, an excellent actress (RETURN OF THE SAINT: "The Arrangement") is barely even visible in her one brief cameo. At least Simon Williams (DOCTOR WHO: "Remembrance of the Daleks"), Lois De Banzie (SUDDEN IMPACT), Dick Durock (SWAMP THING), John Harkins (DARK SHADOWS), and Randi Brooks (MIKE HAMMER: "Dead Pigeon") had memorable moments.

On the other hand, Tom Mason's "Benjamin Kowalski" was the MOST annoying character in the entire film. THIS guy is supposed to represent a modern UNCLE agent? He's even more insufferable here than he was when he played "Archie Goodwin" opposite Thayer David in the 1977 unsold NERO WOLFE pilot.

When Vaughn & McCallum are onscreen, it's not bad, but you get really tired of being reminded every few minutes that they're older, out-of-shape and out-of-place. And Patrick Macnee, one of my all-time favorite actors, seemes even more out-of-place as "Sir John Raleigh", supposedly stepping into the top slot but somehow knowing less about UNCLE than 2 former agents do. The organization has clearly gone to pot.

Even the high-speed camera-pan scene-change visuals got on my nerves here-- as did the music. Those never did on the original show.

I think the thing that puts the final kibosh on it is having Zerbe's main villain ESCAPE at the end. WHAT were they thinking? "He'll come back in the sequel"? Well, there WASN'T one, and looking back now, I can really tell why.

As a parting shot, I'd like to reccomend what I consider the BEST reunion movie I ever saw: GET SMART AGAIN (1989). That one ignored the previous reunion (pretended it never happened, basically), and was a loving tribute to the original show in many ways that this thing simply WASN'T. But, I shouldn't be surprised. I ALWAYS liked GET SMART more than THE MAN FROM UNCLE anyway.

*Spoiler/plot- The Return of the Man from UNCLE: The Fifteen Years Later Affair, 1983. A nuclear warhead is stolen by an international crime ring and UNCLE calls back some of it's older retired spy's to help out with this case. Also the THRUSH spy ring wants revenge on the older spy's and tries to kill them in the ransom exchange.

*Special Stars- David McCallum, Robert Vaughn, Patrick Mcnee, Anthony Zerbe, Keenan Wynn.

*Theme- Old spy's are the best spy's.

*Trivia/location/goofs- Las Vegas and Hoover dam locations. Shot in Las Vegas, Boulder dam. Cameo of 'James Bond' with George Lazenby.

*Emotion- A reunion show idea that doesn't quite excite the fan as the original series. Too many plot points hitting the 'older' spy premise to be enjoyable. There are too many supporting characters of famous actors that have very little to do to tell the story. Another disappointing aspect is that other than vintage pen communicators (not the first communicator- which was a cigarette box) and very little signature weaponry like the UNCLE agents guns or THRUSH insignia were seen in film. This is shell of a reunion film with no spirit or charm even though the film has the original actors.

*Based On- 60's TV spy show, 'Man from UNCLE'.