From the mind of Matthew Vaughn, famous for his over-the-top spy franchise, Kingsman, comes a new over-the-top spy film that’s… *checks notes*… not Kingsman. Argylle follows an esteemed author whose espionage novels seem to mirror real life so closely that the events in her latest book are coming true in real time.
Let’s get this out of the way, if you’re opting to watch Argylle because you want to swoon over Henry Cavill and his “interesting” haircut, don’t bother. Despite being front and centre in the posters and marketing, he has anywhere from 5-7 minutes of screen time and is entirely inconsequential to the plot. Now let’s move on to the actual movie. If you’re a fan of Matthew Vaughn’s style of filmmaking – the crazy visuals, cartoonish characters and quirky action – you’re in luck, because this has his signature all over it. From the opening sequence his trademark directing style is clear as day, and it only gets stronger and more unhinged from there. In some ways that’s a good thing because it breathes life into a film that was stumbling along, but sometimes it can be a little too much. My biggest takeaway is that this has a very similar tone and feel to Kingsman, which is him at his best, but this isn’t nearly as polished. It’s almost as if the film is relying on Vaughn’s quirky filmmaking to provide entertainment and not worrying too much about what the story is doing. It’s obviously not a spy thriller to be taken seriously, but it’s hard to overlook the narrative woes of its first half.
At nearly 2 hours and 20 minutes long, one thing is painfully obvious in the first half – it’s too drawn out. The first hour drags on for way too long in comparison to how much content it actually delivers, and it’s felt with every minute that passes. The initial concept is fun and unique, but it’s just not interesting enough to sustain even half of film. It’s a hodgepodge of action set pieces tied together by weak and poorly-written story beats. However, everything changes just past the halfway point where the big hook of the film kicks in. There’s a revelation that adds a layer of complexity to the story, turning it into a fresh, fun spy thriller. Before this moment, I was becoming incredibly checked out, but this switch gives the main character a purpose beyond what is offered in the synopsis. From there, Jason Fuchs’ screenplay is actually thoroughly enjoyable. There’s some neat initial twists and reveals that put things into context and make the journey so far a little more rewarding. That being said, it does teeter on the edge of going overboard with its twists. It’s like when brainstorming ideas, rather than whittling it down to a couple, Fuchs just said “all of them” and called it a day. It doesn’t ruin the climax, but it does minimise the impact of earlier moments.
Matthew Vaughn is known for his action sequences that make the use of various gimmicks to make them fun, quirky and different. There’s a decision in the first half of the movie to intercut action sequences with footage of Sam Rockwell and Henry Cavill performing the same stunts. The cuts are lightning fast it hops back and forth every second for the duration of the action. I understand why and I see the vision, but it’s jarring as fuck and makes those moments hard to watch. It worked once – the first time it happens it’s quick, it’s neat and it’s momentarily funny. But then it keeps going and it becomes exhausting. Thankfully in the latter half, that element goes away and it makes way for two pretty notable action sequences that this movie will no doubt be remembered for – they’re creative, vibrant, uniquely shot and a burst of fun. Outside of those two set-pieces, the action is decent… not exactly the praise you want for an action film.
By a long shot, the star of the show is Sam Rockwell. He’s the MVP of every single scene, hitting every comedic and dramatic beat and kicking ass when required. He brings to life this fun, charismatic personality with witty comedic quips that never fail to garner a chuckle. When I think of Rockwell, “ass-kicking spy” doesn’t really come to mind, but he’s such a versatile actor that he sells the role effortlessly. Bryce Dallas Howard takes the lead here, and while I like her as an actor there’s something about this role that feels flat. I believe it’s a combination of the character itself not being written strongly, and Howard being miscast for the role. Paired together, they create a lead who’s not that fun to root for and doesn’t match the energy of the film. Howard does her best and excels in a couple of scenes, but overall the character is just unmemorable. In the ensemble, Bryan Cranston and Catherine O’Hara both breathe life into their respective scenes, leading to a number of thoroughly enjoyable moments that accentuate the ridiculous nature of the film.
In the end, Argylle manages to salvage a serviceable spy thriller out of a lacklustre start. The first half should be cut down to about 30 minutes max, condensing the longwinded setup and getting to the crux of the story quicker. Before that crux, the pace drags and it’s unexciting, whereas afterwards there’s a neat hook and some great fun to be had. While Bryce Dallas Howard’s leading role leaves more to be desired, Sam Rockwell picks up the slack with a performance full of charisma that lifts every scene. It benefits late from Matthew Vaughn’s signature over-the-top action, leading to a comedic climax that hits the spot, despite the overabundance of twists that almost sink it.
6.4/10
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