89. Argylle; movie review

 

ARGYLLE

Cert 12A

139 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, infrequent strong language

The first significant action picture of the year is a giant jumble of a film.

On the plus side, good job to Bryce Dallas Howard. She carries off the reluctant heroine role with great style and conviction.

And while the fight scenes are bloated, they do show considerable imagination.

On the downside, Argylle's plot is almost impossible to follow, and the villains are so stereotypical that I was left wondering whether the movie was a spoof.

Howard plays Elly Conway, author of the Argylle spy novels, in which she imagines Henry Cavill and John Cena as the leads.

Indeed, Cavill's Argylle is akin to an imaginary friend, encouraging her when times become challenging.

She is having writer's block while putting together the final chapter of her fifth novel when she encounters an unlikely real-life spy (Sam Rockwell) on a train.

This meeting is the spark for adventures which are fast-paced and explosive.

Meanwhile, the pair are being tracked down by the mysterious directorate, led by an unhinged leader (Bryan Cranston) with a seemingly endless number of useless troops at his disposal.

There are many mind-bending and often confusing tangents during Matthew Vaughn's film and going any more into the plot would give away some of the surprises.

But I can report there are bit parts for Samuel L. Jackson and Dua Lipa as well as a more substantial one for Catherine O'Hara.

There is also a rather catchy soundtrack, including The Beatles' most recent hit, Now & Then, which I can't get out of my head.

However, none of this can overcome the stilted dialogue and an almost unfathomable storyline.

Reasons to watch: Fast-moving action

Reasons to avoid: Plot is bonkers

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 5.5/10

Did you know? Argylle is named after the limo driver from the first Die Hard movie.

The final word. Matthew Vaughn: "A good spy should be the person you least expect the spy to be and that’s what this movie is all about. It’s like Roger Moore said about James Bond—what sort of spy walks into a room and everyone knows his name and what he likes to drink? It’s ridiculous. We’re having fun destroying these tropes." CBR

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