Argylle: between spy parody and metafilm
If his first film, Layer cake (2004), was a small pearl of gangster comedy, worthy of those of his friend Guy Ritchie (whose first films he produced), Matthew Vaughn it later became known thanks to comic book adaptations. With Kick ass (2010), therefore X-Men: First Class (2011), the director reached a wider audience and managed to develop his style. But maybe that’s how it is Kingsman (2015) that the director has definitively put his assets on the line, showing true mastery in staging and pacing. A film (also based on comics) that gave a turning point to the spy genre a pop and crazy style.
After two sequels (2017 and 2021), Matthew Vaughn doesn’t seem ready to really look elsewhere. With Argyle, remains in the same genre, despite changing point of view. Because if it first describes the adventures of a possible stereotypical spy, played by Henry Cavill, the topic is elsewhere. First twist in a long series of twists, Argylle is, in the film, a fictional character imagined by Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), a successful writer who lives alone with her cat.
As she struggles to finish her latest novel, she leaves to join her mother to help her write. That’s right there his fiction meets his realitysince Elly comes across a real spy with a less glamorous style, Aidan (Sam Rockwell, fantastic), who tells her that she is being targeted by a criminal organization. Coincidentally (or not), her novels feature this organization too precisely, and Elly is now in their crosshairs.
Good ideas that are not enough
The concept is not new. Let’s immediately think about the film Chasing the green diamond (1984), in which a novelist meets an adventurer. But also to Death in pursuit (1959) by Alfred Hitchcock, which provided impetus a normal man on a spy adventure. Two references assumed by Matthew Vaughn. On paper, this “diversion” of a spy film had everything to like an exciting meta side.
In fact, the actual novel is at the origin of Jason Fuchs’ screenplay Argyle, by a still unknown author, Ellie Conway. Rather than simply adapt this spy novel, Matthew Vaughn would have preferred to create a fictional version of the writer to make her the heroine of her film and to further confuse the question of her true intentions.
It is therefore there in the very creation ofArgyle something fascinating. But the result is unfortunately below expectations. Matthew Vaughn can only convince half of his work. An effective, fun and well-paced first part, including a good staging idea during Elly and Aidan’s meeting. While the latter fights to save her life, the writer will spend her time having visions of Argylle, before the less sexy and elegant version of her (Aidan) tirelessly brings her back to reality.
Long and visually laborious
It’s fun, during a scene where the action is overall well executed. Except that after this sequence all the others turn out to be the same visually horrible (starting from the prologue), fault of excessive and unnecessary use of digital effects which ruin the potential of Matthew Vaughn’s direction. This is also the great fault of the director, who in most of his works is satisfied a little too much with bad visual effects. However, when a film has a budget of around $200 million, we have the right to demand better visually. With far fewer resources, Guy Ritchie had convinced more Very Special Agents: Code UNCLEanother homage to the genre, less parodic.
From then on we feel deep regret when watching an action sceneArgyle dynamized by smoke bombs, or another totally inconsistent with the oil that doesn’t stain and where everything seems fake, starting with the protagonists. Come later countless twists and turns which unnecessarily lengthen a story that is not at all exciting – and which remains too serious. At over two hours, it’s in there Argyle real lengths that not even its prestigious casting can fill. Especially because the supporting roles, still played by Samuel L. Jackson, Dua Lipa, John Cena, Sofia Boutella and even Henry Cavill, ultimately serve as of figuration within a forgettable filmnot even saved by a post-credits scene that tries in vain to elevate everything.
Argyle by Matthew Vaughn, in theaters from January 31, 2024. Above is the trailer. Find all our trailers here.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
