Matthew Vaughn has developed a signature style throughout his filmmaking career, typically culminating in an infectious concoction of action sequences filled with quirky characters. From exploding onto the scene with X-Men: First Class to then helming two Kick-Ass films to then igniting the Kingsman franchise, which led to a sequel and prequel both co-written by him, Vaughn has built quite a name for himself with a hungry fanbase. Despite Kingsman 3 being in the early works, Vaughn has focused on establishing a new franchise in recent years, resulting in his latest spy-centric action comedy, Argylle.
Written by Jason Fuchs (Pan, Wonder Woman), Argylle centers around reclusive author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), who is the humble and anxious creator of the best-selling spy series named after its titular fictional character, Agent Argylle (Henry Cavill). With the fourth Argylle novel now on bookshelves just waiting to be purchased, Elly swiftly refocuses her attention on finishing the manuscript for the next one. Little does she know that her writing is about to shake up the real-life world of espionage.
When a sinister global spy syndicate, known as “The Division,” gets its hands on her manuscript which is puzzlingly similar to actual events that are currently unfolding, they attempt to capture Conway. However, their plan is soiled by Aidan Wilde (Oscar winner Sam Rockwell), a real spy working for the mysterious Alfred Solomon (Samuel L. Jackson) who ends up getting to Elly first. The pair and Conway’s cat Alfie (played by supermodel Claudia Schiffer’s cat, Chip) then embark on a globetrotting mission to locate the sought-after master file before The Division can get their hands on it.
It’s no secret that Argylle boasts a killer cast ensemble littered with star power, not to mention some surprise cameos as well. At the film’s very core is Bryce Dallas Howard, who has balanced acting with directing as of late, having helmed multiple episodes of The Mandalorian on Disney+. Howard delivers an entertaining performance as spy novelist Elly Conway, capturing the uneasiness that comes with being unexpectedly thrust into a world of immense danger. Sam Rockwell is her main scene partner for the majority of the movie, and while their dynamic is serviceable, it could have benefitted from a more elevated level of chemistry. Bryan Cranston plays Ritter, the leader of The Division, who is disappointingly the least quirky and gripping of Matthew Vaughn’s spy villains.
Argylle criminally underutilizes the majority of its stellar cast. Popstar Dua Lipa shot her scenes as the spy LaGrange in Argylle before her small part in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which could technically make this her acting debut. Unfortunately, the entire capacity of her character was already revealed within the movie’s trailer despite the marketing making it seem like she would have a substantial role. The same goes for Ariana Debose and John Cena as Agent Argylle’s sidekick Kiera and “man in the chair” Wyatt, both of whom are easy to forget are in the movie.
Henry Cavill, having recently said goodbye to playing both Superman in DC films and Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, gets his moment to shine in the opening sequence, and that’s basically it. He only makes brief appearances as the fictional Agent Argylle in intercutting scenes where Elly sees the real events unfolding in front of her through the lens of her fictional characters. While this aspect of the story is sometimes fun, it leaves so much more to be desired.
Sharp-eyed fans will be able to spot several Kingsman references throughout the film. Not only are they woven into the very fabric of Argylle through Lorne Balfe‘s original score and some visual similarities via cinematographer George Richmond, but they are also seen in physical props. This further emphasizes the shared universe that Matthew Vaughn is trying to build across his different franchises. Kingsman: The Secret Service is known for its beloved needle drops ranging from Dizzee Rascal’s “Bonkers” to KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Give It Up.” Thankfully, Argylle boasts a handful of funky songs within its soundtrack as well, which is a testament to the watchful eye of Vaughn’s frequent collaborator, music supervisor Ian Neil.
The needle drops in Argylle are often paired with an eccentric action sequence. Admittedly, the film packs a few too many of these sequences within its 2-hour and 20-minute runtime, yet they are usually fun to watch nonetheless. Stylistically, Argylle relies heavily on visual effects, making the few scenes shot on location stand out among a slew of poorly rendered CGI backdrops. For some frustrating reason, Vaughn suddenly employs awkward orientalism for a segment toward the end of the movie that not only doesn’t make much sense but is also just wildly unnecessary.
Perhaps the most gripping aspect of this entire project is the mystery behind the tie-in “Argylle” novel, which was only just published earlier this month. The enigma that is the seemingly uncontactable author Elly Conway makes for an easy rabbit hole to fall into. The memes surrounding who the real Agent Argylle is have given some additional help to the film’s marketing too. It is practically unheard of to have a debut novel’s rights be bought based on an early manuscript copy alone, making it seem as though this could all be a rouse for a reveal further down the line if Matthew Vaughn actually gets to make an Argylle trilogy as previously planned and further suggested by a mid-credits scene here.
This first installment, however, provides no clarification as to the actual identity of Elly Conway in this real-life mystery. In the lead-up to the release of both the Argylle film and novel, online theories proposed that Conway could be a pen name for none other than superstar musician, Taylor Swift. When Vaughn denied these rumors, some readers went on to speculate that it could be the first published book to be written by artificial intelligence or perhaps even an established author, with Terry Hayes (I Am Pilgrim) being a commonly thrown-around name.
Even though everyone loves a good plot twist now and then, such a reveal has to feel warranted to pay off. Some of the twists in Argylle do work, but others cause over-complication, resulting in a convoluted plot that makes it difficult to pin down a linear and plausible timeline within the narrative. This then creates a tendency to fall into a sluggish pace due to loads of exposition, making Argylle feel longer than it already is. While not completely uninspired or tedious, the film does come off as rather lackluster and artificial. The charm that usually exudes from Matthew Vaughn’s other works is just not present here, which could be a result of him opting out of co-writing duties on this occasion. Ultimately, Argylle is average on nearly all fronts.
