London, England – The highly anticipated film “Argylle,” directed by Matthew Vaughn, is receiving mixed reviews. Known for his affinity for James Bond pastiches, Vaughn’s latest film is a Bond pastiche within a Bond pastiche. Starring Dua Lipa, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Sam Rockwell, the film has been described as “shoddy” and “derivative.”
The movie opens with a sequence featuring Henry Cavill’s character, Agent Argylle, meeting a seductive femme fatale played by Dua Lipa on a Greek island. The scene quickly escalates into a machine-gun shootout, rooftop car chase, and high-tech surveillance as they pursue a “master file” that could expose a mysterious crime syndicate.
However, there’s a twist. The Bond-like adventures of Agent Argylle are revealed to be playing out in the imagination of an introverted author named Elly, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. It turns out Elly has written a successful series of spy novels but has yet to see her work adapted for film or TV. The film delves into the finale Elly envisions for her latest book.
Another twist occurs when Elly encounters a stranger named Aidan, portrayed by Sam Rockwell. Aidan rescues Elly from assassins on a train and reveals that her books eerily predict real-life criminal activities. He enlists Elly’s help in acquiring a “master file” that could dismantle a Spectre-like organization.
Together, Elly and Aidan, accompanied by Elly’s cat, embark on a mission to capture the master file before the villains get their hands on it. As the story unfolds, the film blurs the line between Elly’s imagination and reality, resulting in a lack of contrast between the fantastical spy world and the mundane real world.
Critics have pointed out the film’s weak script, generic dialogue, and implausible plotlines. The identity and motivations of the forgettable villain, portrayed by Bryan Cranston, remain unclear. Additionally, the film lacks the usual adolescent offensiveness characteristic of Vaughn’s work, making it feel even more generic and unremarkable.
Despite its flaws, “Argylle” bears the signature style of Matthew Vaughn with energetic fight scenes set to pop music and obscure references to his supermodel wife, Claudia Schiffer. Yet, the film fails to offer anything truly captivating, blending in with a slew of forgettable action-comedy films that have flooded streaming services in recent years.
It is worth noting that Vaughn has additional “Argylle” and “Kingsman” films in the works. As the director’s penchant for Bond pastiches continues, it remains to be seen whether he can breathe new life into the well-worn genre.