Argylle

Matthew Vaughn comes back with Argylle, a spy thriller. The director of KINGSMAN uses his usual recipe: action and humor, from a clever scenario where fiction and reality intertwine, with #girlpower a heroine over size 8. Review without spoilers.

“The better the spy, the worse the betrayal.” The screenplay is adapted from the mysterious Elly Conway's first novel of the same name, written while she worked evenings as a waitress in a restaurant. In production, we find the team behind the Kingsman franchise. With this film conceived and written during Covid, the director and his screenwriter Jason Fuchs wish to offer the viewer a solid story and adventure in the four corners of the world. The bet is successful, with this film with multiple twists and turns. Even if there are some lengths, they are offset by good action scenes.

The film is dedicated to Bradley James Allan, stunt coordinator who supervised the stunts on all of Matthew Vaughn's films. He had begun designing the action scenes for this film when he passed away in August 2021. His team then took over and took on the challenge of producing these daring action scenes. The sequences are successful. Towards the end of the film, two of them are innovative.

The casting is up to this challenge. The novelist Elly Conway, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, and the spy Aidan, Sam Rockwell, are the opposite of the archetypes of the spy film. Their tandem works. Henry Cavill humorously pastiche the hero Argylle, James Bond from the 80's, with the famous hairstyle. In the role of the villain, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) is perfect. These main roles are well surrounded by supporting roles like Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, John Cena, Samuel L Jackson, and Ariana DeBose, without forgetting the cat Alfie, a Scottish Fold, played by Chip, the cat of Matthew Vaughn's daughter, because the cast professional cat proved uncooperative.

As in his previous films, music plays a central role. For this feel-good movie, Matthew Vaughn chose the vibrant world of disco. Lorne Balfe, composer of the film's score, incorporated into his score a title that Beatles fans will recognize: Now And Then.

Argylle is a feel good movie, to be enjoyed on the big screen, with the pop-corn.

Argylle
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Written by Jason Fuchs
Produced by Matthew Vaughn, Adam Bohling, David Reid, Jason Fuchs
Starring Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson
Cinematography : George Richmond
Edited by Lee Smith, Tom Harrison-Read
Music by Lorne Balfe
Production companies : Apple Original Films, Marv Studios, Cloudy Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures, Apple TV+
Release date : January, 31 2024 (France), February 2, 2024 (United States)
Running time : 139 minutes

Seen January 23, 2024 at Publicis Cinémas

Sabine's Mark:

Matthew Vaughn, the genius behind the successful Kingsman saga, had raised expectations with his latest opus, Argylle. Unfortunately, the end result proved to be a disappointing experience, far from the tantalizing promises of its trailer. Less eccentric than expected, the film struggles to find its identity between the spy genre and comedy, leaving viewers with a feeling of dissatisfaction and confusion.

From the very first minutes, audiences are confronted with a script that seems to have been recycled from numerous spy films, including the James Bond classics, Renny Harlin's The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), and even Knight and Day (2010). These borrowings, which are all too visible, do the film a great disservice, giving the impression that the screenwriter is sorely lacking in new and original ideas to captivate the audience.

The initial idea of an author of spy novels, Elly Conway (played by Bryce Dallas Howard), finding herself immersed in the plots she writes was promising. However, the film quickly loses its way in a labyrinthine, unoriginal script. Incessant mise en abyme and pointless twists and turns end up stretching a narrative that could have been more concise and captivating. While directors such as James Cameron brilliantly blended comedy and espionage with True Lies, Argylle leaves a taste of real dissatisfaction.

In addition to the script's shortcomings, Bryce Dallas Howard, in the female lead role, sorely lacks the glamour needed to embody a convincing spy heroine. Her performance fails to bring Elly's character to life, straying from the bold charm one might expect from a protagonist in this kind of film. On the other hand, Sam Rockwell excels as the bumbling spy, adding a touch of levity to the film.

The action scenes, normally the strong point of Vaughn's films, suffer here from moments of unfinished special effects and chaotic editing. The absence of the director's characteristic long sequence shots is particularly disappointing, leaving the viewer with action scenes that lack the usual sparkle. Although the train scene unveiled at last October's New York Comic-Con aroused enthusiasm, the end result disappoints, and even the scene during the credits, a nod to the Kingsman saga, fails to raise our opinion of the film.

As for the supporting cast, some performances stand out. Although only briefly present, Dua Lipa brings a certain charm to her character, suggesting that she would have been perfect in the female lead role. Likewise, Henry Cavill and Bryan Cranston excel, suggesting that the former would be ideal to reprise the role of James Bond, or even to launch a new cinematic spy saga.

Argylle turns out to be a semi-deception for Matthew Vaughn. Despite some entertaining moments and commendable individual performances, the film suffers from an overly muddled script, obvious cinematic borrowings and a lack of originality. Having successfully explored bold territory in the past, the director seems to have lost his way in a bewildering mishmash of recycled ideas. Argylle is likely to leave audiences wanting more, probably hoping for a strong comeback from Matthew Vaughn in future projects. We're a long way from the quality of his memorable masterpieces such as Kick-Ass and the first two Kingsman installments.

Argylle turns out to be a semi-deception for Matthew Vaughn. Despite some entertaining moments and commendable individual performances, the film suffers from an overly confused script, obvious cinematic borrowings and a lack of originality. The director, having successfully explored bold territory in the past, seems to have lost his way in a bewildering mishmash of recycled ideas. Argylle is likely to leave audiences wanting more, probably hoping for a comeback in Matthew Vaughn's future projects. It's a far cry from the quality of his best films, the memorable Kick-ass and the first two installments of the Kingsman saga.

Argylle
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Written by Jason Fuchs
Produced by Matthew Vaughn, Adam Bohling, David Reid, Jason Fuchs
Starring  Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson
Cinematography : George Richmond
Edited by Lee Smith, Tom Harrison-Read
Music by Lorne Balfe
Production companies : Apple Original Films, Marv Studios, Cloudy Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures, Apple TV+
Release date : January, 31 2024 (France), February 2, 2024 (United States)
Running time : 139 minutes

Seen January 29, 2024 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 12 seat A19

Mulder's Mark: