Movie Review: ‘Argylle’

Review by James Lindorf

Three years after “The King’s Man” underwhelmed fans, director Matthew Vaughn is back, introducing us to Agent Argylle and a new world of spies. This time, he has partnered with screenwriter Jason Fuchs, who has worked on notable projects such as “Ice Age: Continental Drift,” “Pan,” and “Wonder Woman.” Initially announced in June of 2021, Apple TV+ quickly purchased the film for $200 million, and a massive ensemble cast was announced in short order. Covid allowed Vaughn and Fuchs to focus on developing “Argylle.” However, the pandemic and its restrictions also added difficulties once production was underway at sites and green screens around Europe. No streaming date has been announced, but “Argylle” is currently playing in theaters everywhere.

Agent Argylle (Henry Cavil) is the perfect blend of debonair and deadly, making him the greatest spy in the world, at least the one created by author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard). The author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, Elly’s idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie. Her ability to research sets her books apart, but when her plots begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Her unwanted adventure guide on a race around the world is the cat-allergic spy Aidan (Oscar® winner Sam Rockwell). If she wants to survive, Elly must write her last book on the fly, find the “master key,” and stop the Division and its ruthless Director Ritter (Emmy winner and Oscar® nominee Bryan Cranston). The supporting cast includes John Cena (Fast X), Oscar® winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Grammy winner Dua Lipa (Barbie), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), comedy icon Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), and the legendary Samuel L. Jackson. Alfie the cat, played by Chip, is the real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Schiffer, Vaughn’s wife for the last 22 years.

After introducing new characters and working with a new team of actors in “The King’s Man,” Vaguhn returned to the comfort of actors with whom he established an excellent working relationship. He worked with Cavil back on his second film, “Stardust,” while Jackson and Boutella co-starred in his biggest hit, “Kingsman.” Vaughn has only worked with Howard as a producer for “Rocketman,” but with his close ties to Elton John and Taron Egerton, it is hard to believe he didn’t spend time on set around Howard. With them as the core, he filled out the cast with talented actors, Rockwell and O’Hara, and charismatic figures Cena and Dua Lipa to craft one of the best ensembles in years. Rockwell and Cranston are the real power behind the film after it turns out that Cavil will only be a recurring character at best, and Howard struggles in some aspects of the role. She excels as the meek writer, but when Aidan tries to get her on board with being an active participant in her survival, her performance starts to show cracks. O’Hara also gives a fine performance but is given the least to do out of the four central characters, lessening her impact on the film.

“Argylle” features the best and worst of Vaughn as a director. It has excellent action, witty dialogue, poor CGI, and absurdist humor. An early scene that introduces Elly and Aidan showcases some of the best stunt work this side of the John Wick series. It is well done in every facet: choreography, cinematography, sound design, and acting. But it gets a boost from some of the best editing in recent memory to be the kind of action scene that makes a whole movie worth rewatching. There are varying reports that “Argylle” was made with the full $200 million Apple paid for it. Still, others say it came in around the $75 million mark. After seeing the film, that second number is much more believable unless we are going to see arguments that Vaughn was trying to be subversive by making the ordinarily slick action scenes look so obviously staged. With more money, this could have been this year’s height of escapist film because it has so much fun to offer and will fall short because of funds and a recurring problem for Vaughn.

Vaughn again struggled to find the balance of action and absurdity that made “Kingsman” such a hit. Again, he chose to overload on the kind of silliness that makes you roll your eyes and not laugh out loud. The movie could have been greatly improved in tone and running length with the complete excision of a figure skating scene. While it sounds exactly like something he could make work on paper, its length and proximity to another unbelievable action scene do nothing but weigh on the film. Combined with Howard’s inexperience and inability to produce credible action, any scene with her at the forefront should have been reconsidered. “Argylle” slots in around the level of “Kingsman 2” in Vaughn’s spy filmography, barely beating out “The King’s Man” and a long way off from the original “Kingsman.” Although it is ultimately disappointing, between Vaughn’s directing flair and the talented cast, I would welcome another entry in this series. However, just how many spy universes does one creator need? We know there are plans to add to “The King’s Man” prequel series, but I believe a return to Eggsy and the creation of a shared spy universe is the way to go, and how Vaughn could find that perfect balance again. “Argylle” may be Conway’s best-seller, but it only manages 2.5 out of 5 from me.

Rating: PG-13 (Strong Violence and Action|Some Strong Language)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Mystery & thriller
Original Language: English
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Producer: Matthew Vaughn, Adam Bohling, David Reid, Jason Fuchs
Writer: Jason Fuchs
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 2, 2024 Wide
Runtime: 2h 19m
Distributor: Universal Pictures