Argylle Movie Review - A Rip-Roaring & Mindbending Spy Caper
On the surdata-face, Argylle appears to have a straightforward plot: anxiety-prone writer Elly Conway (Bryce dallas Howard) lives a tranquil existence while penning her series of spy books about Agent Argylle (Henry Cavill), which uncannily reflect real-world espionage incidents. When her newest work becomes too close, Elly is hunted by Ritter (Bryan Cranston), a guy who resembles the bad character from her tales. Aidan (Sam Rockwell) rescues her and takes her to see alfred Soloman (Samuel L. Jackson), revealing the true identity of Agent Argyle.
From then, Argylle becomes increasingly intricate, with several twists and turns that may make it difficult to follow. With a script by Jason Fuchs, who penned 2015's Pan and contributed to the tale of 2017's Wonder Woman, Argylle gets off to a good start, introducing Elly Conway and the universe she's built in her books.
However, as the first major shock is revealed, Fuchs' screenplay delivers more and more at breakneck speed, to the point that all of the primary characters become little more than confused messes of standard spy tropes. By the third act, the film has abandoned character development totally in favor of stylized action scenes, making it impossible to remember who the characters are in the aftermath of the twists and turns, let alone care about them.
That's not to suggest Howard and Rockwell aren't as endearing as Elly and Aidan; they have some engaging moments. The film is nearly totally on their shoulders, and they try their best to sell the notion, despite its ridiculousness, and are, to a point, effective in carrying off Argylle's bombastic components. The remainder of the cast is shamefully underserved, with little to do but play one-dimensional characters. Fuchs' Argylle narrative is smart for the sake of it, while Vaughn's directing focuses on sleek style and explosive action scenes, resulting in an entertaining experience.
Despite its problems, Argylle is a fun film. It'll probably be more entertaining for those who love Vaughn's directorial style and quasi-serious spoofs on the espionage genre, but Argylle isn't quite as snappy, funny, or imaginative as Kingsman: The Secret Service. Still, it's entertaining enough to keep you interested throughout the two-hour-plus length, though it could have used fewer turns and tighter pace.
Argylle may not be Vaughn's best work, but its thrilling action sequences and near-constant surprises will keep spectators interested.
From then, Argylle becomes increasingly intricate, with several twists and turns that may make it difficult to follow. With a script by Jason Fuchs, who penned 2015's Pan and contributed to the tale of 2017's Wonder Woman, Argylle gets off to a good start, introducing Elly Conway and the universe she's built in her books.
However, as the first major shock is revealed, Fuchs' screenplay delivers more and more at breakneck speed, to the point that all of the primary characters become little more than confused messes of standard spy tropes. By the third act, the film has abandoned character development totally in favor of stylized action scenes, making it impossible to remember who the characters are in the aftermath of the twists and turns, let alone care about them.
That's not to suggest Howard and Rockwell aren't as endearing as Elly and Aidan; they have some engaging moments. The film is nearly totally on their shoulders, and they try their best to sell the notion, despite its ridiculousness, and are, to a point, effective in carrying off Argylle's bombastic components. The remainder of the cast is shamefully underserved, with little to do but play one-dimensional characters. Fuchs' Argylle narrative is smart for the sake of it, while Vaughn's directing focuses on sleek style and explosive action scenes, resulting in an entertaining experience.
Despite its problems, Argylle is a fun film. It'll probably be more entertaining for those who love Vaughn's directorial style and quasi-serious spoofs on the espionage genre, but Argylle isn't quite as snappy, funny, or imaginative as Kingsman: The Secret Service. Still, it's entertaining enough to keep you interested throughout the two-hour-plus length, though it could have used fewer turns and tighter pace.
Argylle may not be Vaughn's best work, but its thrilling action sequences and near-constant surprises will keep spectators interested.
Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐