Review Of Matthew Vaughn’s (Kingsmen) Latest Spy Comedy
Elly Conway is a lonely writer of spy novels. Her hero Argylle, played by Henry Cavill, is on a mission to dismantle a global spy syndicate. However, when the plots of her books begin to reflect the covert actions of a real spy organization, the line between fiction and reality begins to blur. The writer is pulled into an adventure with Aiden, a real spy, to uncover the truth.
If there’s anything interesting about Argylle, it’s the idea behind it. The premise had all the ingredients to become a good film: an ordinary character on an extraordinary adventure who overcomes their fears and becomes a better person, traveling across the globe, action, romance, funny side characters, a star-studded cast, and a differentiating aesthetic.
Most of the actors, particularly Bryce Dallas Howard, as Elly Conway, deliver solid performances. The two leads, Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell, who plays Aiden, have compelling chemistry. It makes you wonder why so much emphasis was placed on Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa in the film’s promo, when together they barely make it to twenty lines of text. The action scenes are fun to watch and the plot keeps you on your toes.
Sadly, the film does not keep up beyond that. The writing is sloppy, making a mess of the infinite twists and turns in the plot, which quickly gets confusing for the viewer. More than just disorienting, it is oftentimes completely nonsensical, especially when it comes to the main character’s evolution, who just seems to change overnight.
The aesthetic concept behind Argylle is very distinctive of Vaughn’s work. Some visuals are interesting and make this film more beautiful. But despite some well-made scenes, the special effects are completely awful-looking and very poorly made for a film of this caliber.
Overall, the film is disappointing, especially knowing the immense potential it had. It feels like a missed opportunity, like all the talent that went through the film was wasted. Argylle is a fun piece of action, but it fails as the clever thriller it desperately wants to be.
CREDITS: Malena Cortizo A.
