Argylle (2024)

 

Genre: Action/ Thriller

Time: 2h 19mins

Director:  Matthew Vaughn

Quick Summary: A reclusive author who writes espionage novels about a secret agent and a global spy syndicate realizes the plot of the new book she's writing starts to mirror real-world events, in real-time.

Boy, this really likes its twists, doesn't it?

I will fight for this as it was incredibly fun. It was poking fun at how awful and predictable some Spy films can be. It's silly and keeps you laughing throughout various events that are just pure shenanigans. It's as cheesy as it can be as a choice. 

Sam Rockwell was awesome and made up for most of the comedic moments. Pure Liquid Gold. I could have just watched him for the entirety of the film. Bryce Dallas Howard, I did prefer in the first half of the film, but after a certain twist, she loses me a bit sadly. But they work together brilliantly and are such a fun duo. My favourite part of them together is when she was imagining him to be the character that she had created for her book all while he's fighting off bad guys to disco music. These scenes flick between his sort of clumsy fighting them off to her character flawlessly sliding around the room and man it is entertaining.

Speaking of twists, I think I counted almost 12 twists. I kid. I think. But this film has a lot of twists, and at some points, it's a twist after a twist. You lose sort of what's happening because of this, and you're fed up by the end whilst it's still pulling them out of its ass. The first couple were genuinely good twists! I feel like they had a lot more thought put into them, but once it hits the halfway point it's a free-for-all all with surprises. 

The music was great too! It matched the fun energy of the story. Filled with Disco, upbeat, and pure cheese. There is one with "Run" by Snow Patrol in which they have a dancing duet with coloured smoke bombs while fighting off bad guys, and honestly that is a mega highlight of the film because of how fun it is. Really it's one big visual spectual. 

Sadly though, because of all the twists and the middle losing its footing, this is because you struggle through that middle bit. You're not really sure what's going on, the twists are everywhere, and it's difficult to understand certain characters' behaviours. This felt a bit too long I'll admit, maybe if they cut off twenty to thirty minutes, that middle bit would have been sped up a bit more. Sure, we all like fleshed-out stories, but maybe not this one. Keep it fun and light.

That aside, it is still very much enjoyable! It's there to have fun with. It's heavily flawed, sure, but it keeps you laughing. 

7/10

"The cats supposed to be in a hat not in a backpack"

"Weapons are not allowed but sleeping aids are totally acceptable"

"You missed. I think."