Delivering excitement, laughs and action from the opening sequence to the closing shot, Argylle is a tonne of fun, featuring an unbelievably star-studded cast, a satisfyingly twisty superspy narrative, and some of the most visually inventive action sequences of recent years.

Premise: Agent Argylle (Henry Cavill) and his spy team (John Cena and Ariana DeBose) are the creations of best-selling author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) – but Elly finds herself the target of real-life assassins when she learns that her espionage novels appear to predict actual events, and she has to go on the run with a mysterious stranger (Sam Rockwell) and her cat, Alfie.

Review:

I’ll start by saying that Argylle is one of those films where the less you know going in, the more rewarding the viewing experience will be – so rest assured, this is a spoiler-free review, and I’ll avoid discussing any plot elements that haven’t already been revealed in the trailer.

So plot-wise, the set up for Argylle has elements of Romancing the Stone (which director Matthew Vaughn had confirmed was an inspiration for this film) and even 2022’s The Lost City, insofar as it involves a lonely author – Elly Conway, played by Bryce Dallas Howard – getting drawn into an adventure reminiscent to those of her fictional creations – superspies Agent Argylle (Henry Cavill), Wyatt (John Cena) and Keira (Ariana DeBose). Along the way, she meets Aiden (Sam Rockwell), a man who claims to be a real-life spy, despite being the polar opposite of the characters that feature in Elly’s books.

“…the cast list that Matthew Vaughn has assembled is an embarrassment of riches…”

This synopsis may sound fairly familiar – but it barely scratches the surface of where the film goes, but to say any more would be to enter spoiler-territory, and as the tagline for the film says: “Once you know the secret, don’t let the cat out of the bag”. What I can say is that even if the opening premise for Argylle may sound familiar, the way in which it’s executed is unlike anything else in this sub-genre – and it’s really just the starting point for a globe-trotting, twisty-turny, superspy action adventure that takes that initial premise and then runs with it.

The cast list that Matthew Vaughn has assembled is an embarrassment of riches – the fact that someone like Richard E. Grant just pops up for a 30 second cameo gives you an idea of how packed with talent the cast list is. I won’t say who they’re playing, but the cast includes previous Matthew Vaughn collaborators like Samuel L. Jackson and Sofia Boutella, as well as acting legends like Bryan Cranston and Catherine O'Hara. Argylle also marks the acting debut of singer Dua Lipa (not including her tiny cameo in Barbie), and she more than holds her own in her scenes, displaying a willingness to engage in the playfully over-the-top tone of the movie.

“…unashamedly trying to deliver fun, crowd-pleasing entertainment…”

And this is, first and foremost, a playful and fun film. Matthew Vaughn has said that he wanted to make something for the 12A/PG-13 age range, as an “antidote” to the Kingsman films and their more adult, cynical sense of humour. I loved the first two Kingsman films, but they’re certainly not in any way family friendly – and I was less keen on The King’s Man because (as a result of having to address the real-life horrors of WWI) it had much less comedy and exuberance – but Argylle is unashamedly trying to deliver fun, crowd-pleasing entertainment, by it with the intentionally cliched scenarios in Elly Conway’s novels, or the over-the-top, stylised action sequences in the real world.

Speaking of the action sequences, anyone who’s seen Matthew Vaughn’s previous films knows that he has a real talent for shooting kinetic, stylised action sequences like no other – and Argylle certainly doesn’t disappoint in that respect. An early extended action sequence on a train (shown in the trailers, so not a spoiler) masterfully combines expert fight choreography with laugh-out-loud comedic moments, while the third act has two inventive action sequences unlike anything I’ve seen on screen before. The movie is dedicated to Bradley James Allan (Matthew Vaughn’s long-time collaborator who had been his stunt co-ordinator on all his films since Kick-Ass and who had progressed to second-unit director on the Kingsman films), who died aged just 48 while prepping the stunt sequences for this film – and the finale of Argylle serves as a wonderful memorial to his legacy.

“…the heart of this movie is the performances of Bryce Dallas Howard & Sam Rockwell…”

But to bring things back to where they began, the heart of this movie is the performances of Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell, two actors who are consistently fantastic and yet who often either seemed overlooked for high-profile roles or who are underserved by some of the material they have to work with. This script gives Bryce Dallas Howard plenty to sink her teeth into, and Sam Rockwell’s infectious energy and easy charisma in this role makes you wonder why he’s not offered more parts like this.

Argylle really is a breath of fresh air in market dominated either by big-budget sequels or by po-faced ‘awards-bait’ films – it’s an original film that wants nothing more than to deliver two hours of escapist, fun entertainment that the whole family (if they’re old enough for a certificate 12A movie) can enjoy together. Highly recommended.

Oh, and there is a mid-credits scene, and although it’s arguably inessential, it does hint at what Matthew Vaughn may be planning next…