Great spy movies depend on two things to keep the audience engaged: is there suspense if the agent(s) will complete their mission? And is there some surprise in how the mission unfolds? Despite its chaos, Argylle thankfully has both.
Argylle is a slick, surprise-filled and surprisingly sweet action story about runaway spies trying to predict the end of a mission racing to find a file of deep government secrets. Its starry cast are clearly having lots of fun telling the story, even if the mystery might have one too many layers.
Ellie Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) is an introverted author who’s created a popular book series featuring secret agent "Argylle", who unbeknownst to her in a Stranger Than Fiction twist, is a real secret agent - and whatever she writes in her novels is somehow happening in her real life.
The giddy premise sets up an interesting spy mission at the start, but oddly it’s the middle hour of the movie that proves to be the most action-packed and plot forward. Several twists and surprises in Ellie’s quest to get back home safely in the middle of the story prove to be the most satisfying for the audience to watch.
What also helps keep Argylle equally light-hearted and fast-paced is the phenomenal casting and lead pair of Howard’s Ellie and Sam Rockwell as her guide agent Aidan. They have outstanding chemistry and character commitment that make them extremely likeable heroes we want to watch save the day.
The rest of the cast is equally committed as the ensemble of various agents: Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Ariana DeBose, John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson are all great in their parts. There are a few other surprise agents who show up, but I'd be doing you a disservice by naming them here.
There are more than a few nods to director Vaughn’s best known Kingsman spy movie franchise, though unlike those films Argylle is decidedly more PG rated, with less gratuitous violence and excess. It’s less grounded and harder to take seriously as a real, high-stakes mission, but it’s also less grotesque to general audiences.
Writer Jason Fuchs has crafted a great, unique story and clean screenplay, but the let down comes from the overlong and over complicated ending. Too many minor, last minute surprises and plot elements complicate the much tidier first 90 minutes.
Even though there’s just an okay ending to great first half, this is still the most fun I’ve had at an action movie in several months. Between this and January’s The Beekeeper, 2024 is so far off to a great start with the action genre.
Great novels and movies alike deserve great stories. That’s exactly the easy-going order agents Ellie, Aidan and Argylle deliver.
Argylle
8 out of 10
PG, 2hrs 19mins. Spy Action Adventure Comedy.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn.
Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Catharine O’Hara and Samuel L. Jackson.
Now Playing at Film.Ca Cinemas, Cineplex Winston Churchill & VIP and Cineplex Oakville & VIP.
