One quick glance of the Argylle trailer and you could be forgiven for thinking that the film stars Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and John Cena (Suicide Squad) alongside Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World: Dominion). Well, that is the first surprise you will get when you start watching the film because the stars here are actually Howard and Sam Rockwell (Seven Psychopaths), and if you thought that was a big enough surprise there are plenty more to come.
To keep those surprises in check all you really need to know about Argylle is that it is about a spy literature writer, named Elly Conway (Howard), who has created a successful franchise revolving around a spy named Argylle (Cavill).
However, Elly’s novels have become too good at predicting the future, so much so that the head of an evil organisation, Director Ritter (Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad), feels that she is revealing their secrets and wants her silenced. In response, Aidan Wilde (Rockwell), a rogue spy who was once part of that organisation, decides to protect her and bring down his old employers at the same time.
It is here where the twists and turns soon start to reveal themselves but the key to enjoying Argylle is to be patient. There are times when the film is going to annoy you. Vaughn has deliberately made the opening of this film cheesy and predictable. Seasoned cinema fans will realise that early on this film heavily borrows from the plots of films like Romancing The Stone and the more recent The Lost City, and that is not Vaughn and screenwriter Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman) being lazy, that is them highlighting the fact that Elly writes trashy pulp. It is also the reason why some of the surprises that reveal themselves in the film will leave the audience suitably impressed. And yes, in case you are wondering, the cat is very much part of that crazy cheesiness.
Once the film shakes off those deliberate cheesy shackles, Argylle becomes a very different beast. As you watch the film you suddenly realise that there is no way that you can possibly pick where this story is going – and that is exactly the way that Vaughn wants you to feel. It is just a shame that somebody at the studio decided to include the character of Alfie (Samuel L. Jackson – Pulp Fiction) in the trailer because that should have been another reveal that was kept under wraps until the right moment.
The changing of styles that Vaughn implements all throughout this film means that the cast have a field day. The stars that the genre-changing affect the most though are Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell. Howard has to find the right mix of drama, comedy and action star to make her role work and she does it with surprising ease. Then there is Rockwell, who just as he did with the brilliant Mr Right, once again reminds Hollywood why he is the perfect actor to pull off both comedy and action in a role. When you consider Rockwell is also an actor who shone in films like Moon, The Way Way Back and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, you begin to realise that he may well be one of the most under-rated actors of our generation.
There is no doubt that Argylle is not as good as some of the films that have made Vaughn a household name. Films like Kick-Ass and Kingsman: The Secret Service have rightfully seen Vaughn labelled one of the best current directors, and to be honest Argylle is well and truly beneath them. Having said that though, with its genre jumping and constant well-hidden surprises Argylle is a film smarter than what many will expect. It is well worth a look if you enjoy films that constantly keep you guessing and you are smarter enough to realise that sometimes things are made deliberately cheesy.
Argylle is currently screening in Phuket and is rated ‘13’
3.5/5 Stars
David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He is also an accredited reviewer for Rotten Tomatoes. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus