“Argylle” [Review]

Matthew Vaughn has had quite the history in the film business as a man who can turn any action film into an entertaining and exciting spectacle. He knows how to bring out the humor, heart, charm, and fun of any actor and turn it into a fantastic thrill ride that you want to experience. His excellent Kingsman trilogy of films is pure proof of that (the first Kingsman film being an all-time favorite in his trilogy), along with his incredible action-packed masterpiece Kick-Ass and the beautifully fantastic adventure love story Stardust, two of my other personal favorites. And I was certainly excited to see him take on the idea of a spy action comedy involving a writer with a cat who gets a little too close to the truth.

Elly Conway (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) is a shy, introverted best-selling author of “Argylle,” a fictional book series depicting a handsome spy of the same name (played by Henry Cavill) and his spy partner Wyatt (John Cena) as they are entwined in a double-cross with the very spy organization that they both serve in. Elly is struggling with her newest novel, specifically how to end it. Elly’s mother Ruth (Catherine O’Hara) tells her that she’ll come out to visit her so she can bounce off some ideas. Elly decides to surprise her instead by boarding a train to visit her, with the company of her beloved grey Scottish Fold cat Alfie. There she meets a fan of her book named Aidan (Sam Rockwell) who is a real spy being followed. For you see, unknowingly Elly has been foretelling the events of an actual real-life underground crime syndicate, and they want her. This crime syndicate, called the Division, is led by the notorious shotgun wielding Ritter (played by the incredible Bryan Cranston). They want to know how she can predict their movements and will stop at nothing from capturing her. What follows is a wild ride that only gets crazier as Elly and Aidan uncover this mystery of the Division and the wild revelations that follow. The story itself does go through a lot of twists and turns, so make sure to pay attention, especially in the second act.

Matthew Vaughn truly knows how to make an action into a spectacle. It’s amazing what he can do to turn a regular action scene into something that is wildly creative and colorful. One example that comes to mind was in the third act where Elly and Aidan are cornered and have to fight their way out of a tight jam. What happens next is a parade of colored smoke, fanciful leaps, a ballet of dancing bullets and “Gun-Fu” that was just pure fun to see. It has that uniquely comedic, hokey charm and over-the-top action set pieces that I really love about Matthew Vaughn’s work. There was not a moment that I was bored when watching this film.

The characters were interesting too, with some great development. I really liked how Bryce Dallas Howard plays up the introverted character of Elly Conway, who clearly is in way over her head. As the story unfolds, we see her begin to open-up in unexpected ways as she learns to push her own comfort zone to become a stronger person through the challenges that she faces. I really liked in particular how Sam Rockwell’s character helps to calm her down on a plane by telling her the importance of just focusing on what is in front of you and how to work your way up one step at a time. That was some excellent life advice that I think we can all use when we feel overwhelmed. And the themes of self-discovery and learning to push through your own boundaries, a common theme in Vaughn’s work, are on full display throughout the film and help to elevate the characters in ways that I did not expect. Even taking chances that I did not see coming. I really liked how the character of Elly is a person who lacks confidence in putting herself out there (such as asking to go out on a date with someone), but over time gains it through the dangers that she faces. She’s your classic fish-out-of-water story character and Dallas plays it so well.

The humor of the film is great too. I especially loved how Elly would continuously see her book character of Argylle in Aidan as he fights off spies on the train, at various parts of the film and even in unexpected places. Even the back and forth between Elly and Aidan in London paralleling to her book characters was funny to watch. It was a fresh take that really worked. And many will easily see the parallels to James Bond and other spy thrillers in Argylle. It’s a more fun take on the James Bond spy films of old that not only works, but in certain respects gives a fresh prospective that is enjoyable. Even the cat Alfie is funny, adorable and becomes tangled up in all the action.

I really loved Henry Cavill’s performance as Agent Argylle. His charming personality, his action-packed moves and charisma really shine every time he’s on scene. At times I wish that he was a real character in the story, that’s how much I enjoyed seeing him. And dare I say, that Cavill would be a great choice to continue the James Bond series if chosen for the role at the time of this writing.

Other noteworthy performances go to Bryan Cranstan as the head of the Division. He is so ruthless and at times over-the-top that he does feel like a classic James Bond villain. John Cena as his Argylle’s friend Wyatt was also enjoyable too, especially in the early part of the movie. And seeing Samuel L. Jackson as Alfred Solomon, Aidan’s trusted ally, is always a welcomed sight. You’re always in for a fun time when Jackson dazzles with his personality.

I’ve had this movie on my radar for a while since I watched the first teaser trailer. And it met most of my personal expectations, and surprised me in others. However, I did have two disappointments with this film: them not including David Bowie’s song “Let’s Dance” in the final film, even though it was heavily used in the promotion of it (a personal preference) and that the PG-13 rating did hamper what Vaughn could do with certain scenes. So if you’re wondering why there is not as many headshots (some scenes even alluding to a headshot moment) and toned-down violence moments in this film versus his previous works (Kingsman’s church scene comes to mind), you can blame the PG-13 rating for that. Sadly, this does hold back the film from going full force. But to his credit, Vaughn does push the rating to its limits. More than likely this was a studio mandate to have this film be in the PG-13 bracket to help boost more ticket sales, but that is just speculation on my part.

But otherwise, if you’re looking for a fun time with a top-notch star cast, check this one out at your local theater. And if you do go see it, stick around, as there is a mid-credits scene too, but there is no end-credits scene.

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