ARGYLLE

UK/US, 2024, 140 minutes, Colour.

Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara, Arianna DeBose, Dua Lipa, Richard E.Grant, John Cena, Samuel L.Jackson, Sofia Boutella, Louis Partridge, Ben Daniels.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Has there been any research done about film fans who decide that they are against a film before they see it, still determinedly actually pay for their ticket, then spend a great deal of their time lamenting about the time wasted in watching the film and devoting more time and energies to badmouthing it, especially on social media, and on movie blogging sites? The immediate response to Argylle would be a good case in point. A great deal of social media time and space devoted to lambasting it.

The accompanying question for discernment would be: why not look at the cast and the director, discern that it would be an action show, espionage, probably a lot of spoof, and, with the history of the director, lots of colour and over the top action: give it a try. There would be quite a number of things to enjoy. And, that is probably the point, Argylle was made for enjoyment rather than for minute critical analysis.

Matthew Vaughn has had an interesting career, from the gangster Layer Cake, X Men, Kick Ass, the Kingsman series. And, this time he has had a $200 million budget. A lot of it up there on the screen in colour, special effects, spectacular action sequences.

The basic idea is enjoyable, Bryce Dallas Howard is Elly Conway, a rather mousy writer of spy thrillers. After a signing she is actually whether like Frederick Forsyth, John Le Carre, she is a spy herself!  But, soon she does get herself into spy situations, a scruffy fan on a train, Aidan (Sam Rockwell enjoying himself all the way through) revealed through as many fight variations you can have on a moving train, to be a spy, reader of all Elly’s novels, out to protect her.

We have already seen part of one of her novels in action, with Henry Cavill as her muscular hero (despite that awkward Mohawk hair style), in action in Greece, with his tough associate, John Cena, an agent killed, and an unsatisfactory to Elly’s novel. And, Argylle will reappear throughout the film, in Elly’s eyes alternating between Argylle and Aidan.

While Elly’s mother, Catherine O’Hara, is keen to help her daughter with her writing and plot development, we discover the malevolent influence of the renegade Directory the, Bryan Cranston. Plenty of star power in this film, including Oscar-winner Arianna DeBose as an IT expert spy, Samuel L.Jackson as the retired head of the CIA, Sofia Boutella as an exotic mastermind.

Maybe by about a third of the way through or more, there is the temptation to think that this is perhaps a bit more routine than hoped for. But, then the twists start. And then twist on twists! And, the spending of the budget on big action sequences, the audience thinking that one that involves all kinds of smoke and technicolour clouds isn’t bad, but then there is the ice-skating on an armaments floor covered in gasoline, a number of the spectacular leaps and action shots during the skating, some tension in the revelation of who is spying on whom, and a desperate fight interrupting the sending of an important file, a surprise rescue and a final explosion.

This is rather a different role for Sam Rockwell and he seems to relish it. And, a bit more admiration for Bryce Dallas Howard by the end – and, as she grows older, she will enjoy sitting down with her grandchildren to watch it again!

1. The films of Matthew Vaughn? Heroes and superheroes? Reality and fantasy? Action? Colour? Effects, action?
2. The big budget, the strong cast, the action sequences, choreographed, the special effects, extravagant? The overall effect? “Mindless entertainment”?
3. The introduction, the episode in Greece, Henry cavill as Argylle, in action, in the club, the dancer, seductive, explosions, the revelation about controls and the Directory, the glimpse of the Director, the death of the agent in the car, and the dancer scooped by John Cena as he drank his coffee?
4. And the revelation that Argylle was a character, Elly Conway as the author, the series of books over five years, bestsellers, the book signing, the fans, asking whether she was a spy like Frederick Forsyth and John Le Carre? Her being quiet and demure, mousy?
5. Her relationship with her mother, the phone calls, the discussions of the plot, the mother’s contributions, wanting to come to see her to discuss the developments?
6. The train sequence, Aidan sitting in the seat, hair, suspicious, reading Argylle, the discussions, his being a spy, the consequent mayhem, the fights all through the train, rescuing Elly?
7. The revelation of the Directory, Rogue agency, Ritter as director, his manner, treatment of his underlings, his rifle, shooting? His wanting to get Elly? The revelation about Elly, the stories paralleling reality?
8. The narrative of the plot, comic book, images of Argylle mixing with Aidan during the fights? Argylle and his advice to Elly?
9. The importance of Alfie the cat, his appearance, bond with Ellie, her carrying him everywhere, his being in danger, Aidan’s allergy? His part in the heroic action? The discovery of the actual Alfie, in France, Samuel L.Jackson, the visit, the explanation of Pinot Noir, yet his complete set up in France, in the past with the CIA? His determination to unmask and capture Ritter?
10. The twists? Dramatically effective? Tantalising? A further twist and revelations? Aidan telling Elly that she was a top agent, her disbelief? Gradual returning of memories? Her mother’s arrival and the truth about her mother, psychologist, the capture of Elly, transforming her character? Her father, Barry – and his threatening Elly, Ritter and his control?
11. Ritter and his staff, interrogations of the Elly, discovering where Alfie was? Elly rediscovering her past skills?
12. Aidan, his roles in the past, his love for Elly, overhearing him, sense of betrayal? Issues of trust?
13. The visit to the Keeper of Secrets, the background of Bakunin, his code, Ritter wanting it, the killing of Bakunin, the interaction with the Keeper of Secrets, her court, socials, Aidan and Elly dancing, not drinking, having possession of the code?
14. The buildup to the confrontation, Ritter and his forces, Elly, in the dress, her wig, transformed? Going into action, the gasoline on the floor, the troops, the memories of her skating, the accident, but her skills, getting the knives escapes, the choreographed skating, the aerial manoeuvres? The buildup with the smoke, the variety of colours, a technicolour extravaganza?
15. The irony about the psychologist, Aidan shooting her, the bullet proof vest, her reappearing, Aidan and Ellie trying to transmit the code to Alfie, his watching the sports, the interrupted transmission, the fight, the psychologist and her control, Ellie trying to defeat Aidan? The arrival of the agent (in the background story of the experiments, trajectory of bullets, life saved)? Her getting rid of the psychologist? The successful transmission?
16. Argylle and his reappearance? In the novels? His being a James Bond style character? The atmosphere of this kind of international espionage throughout? The irony of the transformation of the mousy author into the super agent? And the romance? And the books?