Argylle (2024) seems a lot like The Long Kiss Goodnight revisited (1996). This latest offering from Matthew Vaughn, (Kick-Ass, Layer Cake, Kingsman: The Secret Service) felt overly familiar from the get go. It seems that a lot of other films crop up in this film somewhere.
For a start, there was the female writer of adventure stories, aka spy novels. Then Romancing the Stone (1984) overtures with more than a hint of The Lost City (2022) with Sandra Bullock playing the author. There were also those writer interactions with the scenes recently written. The newly created characters speaking to their creator and so on. Nice gimmick, funny and nice to look at but…It has been done at least once before.
Hollywood being the prince of “imitation is the best form of box office success” movie making style is well known for “borrowing” from other films. Plots appear regularly from other and older movies. We refrained from saying better as this is not always the case. Let’s face it The Lost City was just not that good.
It also feels a little like a mash up of Bullet Train (2022) and even, we hesitate to say it, just a bit like Ghosted (2023). *It should be pointed out that neither of these latter films share huge amounts of plot line. They just feel like ethereal relatives.*
Vaughn, however, has a proven track record. Out of the nine films he has directed, only Argylle has been what could be considered a misstep. As a producer, however, his reputation is not as spotless. Kick-Ass 2 for example, was excruciating to watch.
It Ain’t Bad
But honey, it is not real good either. Overall, it should have rocked that casbah. Top names, a great duo; Rockwell and Howard and an interesting plot. However all these separate parts do not add up.
The cat; Alfie seems to get lost midway through the film. This could be down to the teasers about Argylle that ran regularly before its release, it seemed that the cat was going to play a much larger role in the proceedings.
The film is fun. Sam Rockwell and Bryce Dallas Howard make a brilliant odd couple. Casting in this one was pretty much spot on. There is a chemistry between the two leads. We do have to admit, Rockwell has been a favourite since Galaxy Quest; “You have a last name Guy. I do? I do?” This was classic comedy delivered so adeptly it was beautiful.
Other characters, aside from Samuel L Jackson who could have used a lot more screen time, were well presented. Cranston, as usual, knocks his role out of the park.
Things in common
In The Long Kiss Goodnight, Geena Davis plays an amnesia sufferer who has not one clue about who she is or what her part in this world consists of. The opening of the movie has her character trying out different “roles” she may have played before losing her memory.
This kitchen scene is pure poetry. It is funny until it isn’t. Davis plays this whole thing out beautifully:
Elly, on the other hand, just does not remember being a spy.
While both characters share an amnesia issue, Elly has no back story here. No really good reason that she could have forgotten her past. The journey she undertakes with Aidan is not overly funny. Their trip down memory lane is more clever than amusing.
to-may-toe not to-mah-toe
Part of the problem here could be the marriage of American Writer and English Director. Jason Fuchs and Vaughn may have had issues making the two worlds meet. Or, it could well be that there are a lot of movies out there at the moment that feel, for lack of a better word, repetitive. At the very least, overly familiar.
This may not be an issue of to-mah-toe vs to-may-toe at all. Just a case of Hollywood studios running out of original material. Although it seems like Vaughn will be making another of these Argylle spy films later on.
stand out moments
John Cena’s character grabbing Dua Lipa’s fleeing spy off the back of a racing moped.
Cranston’s moment with Clementine.
The whirlybird moments.
Samuel L Jackson.
Alfie going off the roof.
Henry Cavill.
in conclusion
Argylle is fun but not worth the current price of “admission ” $25 to purchase or 20 to rent. It is a Matthew Vaughn film though, so it does entertain. We have given this one a 3.5 star rating (Out of a possible 5.) Have a look at the trailer and see if it is worth waiting for. It made us think of The Long Kiss Goodnight revisited, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
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