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Introverted spy novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) becomes an international sensation with her series of Argylle spy novels and is nearly ready to deliver her fifth book. However, she suffers from writer's block while trying to tidy up the book's ending, and she turns to her mother, Ruth (Catherine O'Hara), for assistance. Embarking on a train journey to visit her parents, Elly meets an actual spy named Aidan (Sam Rockwell), who informs her that her novels seemingly predict the future and a villainous organisation, known as the Division, is coming for her. While protecting Elly from waves of armed assassins, Aidan hopes to end the author's writer's block and inspire her to write the next chapter, hoping she will reveal how to stop the Division.
Argylle shows promise in its first 70 minutes or so, with a strong sense of intrigue and thrilling action sequences that demonstrate Vaughn's trademark stylistic flourishes, accompanied by Lorne Balfe's flavoursome original score and a selection of enjoyable songs. (Vaugn even makes heavy use of the new Beatles track, Now and Then.) But a major twist signifies the film's downward spiral at the halfway mark, and the production never recovers or finds its footing. As the screenplay begins doling out endless twists, the movie's spark rapidly dissipates, leading to a tedious and needlessly convoluted second half lacking energy and stylistic vigour. Vaughn normally satirises each genre he tackles, and perhaps satire was the intention here (similar to the heist episode of Rick and Morty), but the lack of meaty belly laughs is a problem, and the haphazard structure ruins a natural, engaging narrative flow. Worse, Vaughn dedicates much of the second act to monotonous exposition to clarify the over-complicated plot.
Although the more down-to-earth action sequences are a highlight (such as an early train fight), Vaughn seems lost when orchestrating the bigger set pieces, which appear unfinished. Stylised visuals are a big part of Vaughn's cinematic voice, with heavy digital effects giving his movies a distinct, hyperreal aesthetic. But the CGI throughout Argylle does not look appropriately stylised - instead, the digital effects just look poor and fake. The extended climactic battle sequence is a key offender, with some of the worst green-screen compositing in a major motion picture this decade. Despite a lofty $200 million budget (Vaughn's largest budget to date), the movie looks too phoney, and it is unclear where the money went. (One supposes that the actors took home handsome bonuses due to the unconventional streaming model, cancelling out the need for continuing royalties.) Normally, a visceral punch elevates Vaughn's movies, with R-rated bloodletting facilitating memorable kills and devilish ultraviolence. But Argylle is a vanilla, PG-13 affair.
Despite featuring prominently in marketing materials, Cavill and Cena do not even play a part in the actual proceedings, as they only represent characters in Elly's book. It's a tragic waste of the spirited performers, especially as Cavill's idealised Argylle character is far more interesting than Howard as Elly. Rockwell does bring comedic energy to the proceedings, showing yet again that he is one of the industry's most reliable character actors, but the material fails to adequately serve him. Especially during the second half, Rockwell has little to do. Elsewhere in the cast, seasoned professionals like Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson and Catherine O'Hara bring appropriate gravitas and make a positive impression.
Overlong and overindulgent, Argylle is a wasted opportunity, representing a rare misfire for Vaughn. It's not awful, but the sense of fun and excitement wanes long before the humdrum climax arrives, and the movie is not nearly as clever as it thinks it is.
5.6/10
