Argylle Movie Review

“Argylle” is an action-packed spy thriller, where the only one without multiple undercover identities is Alfie – the Scottish Fold cat. As the movie trots across the globe, there are mysteries uncovered and sinister plots revealed. All these twists and turns come at a break-neck pace. But there is a goofy sense of fun so that it all works out in the end.

Elly Conway (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) is a single lady with her single cat, Alfie — and also with millions of adoring fans. Elly is the creator and writer of a series of spy novels that feature an agent of a super-secret intelligence agency. Agent Argylle (played by Henry Cavill) is a dashingly handsome fellow who just as home in using hand-to-hand combat as he is in the sheets.

Argylle, with fellow agent Wyatt (played by John Cena) and field support agent Keira (played by Ariana DeBose), is on the trail of a wily woman with a weapon. But this woman, named LaGrange (played by Dua Lipa), has a weapon that is classified data. The Directive is the spy agency that Argylle works for. And there is a list of corrupted agents in an encrypted file.

But that is where Elly has left off in the story. She has almost completed writing the fifth book, and she has come to a screeching halt. She does not know where to go next with the story. Elly packs some things, and her lovable cat, and gets on a train to visit her mother Ruth (played by Catherine O’Hara). Ruth always has ways to get Elly back into the story and finish it.

On the train, there are the normal ‘Argylle’ fans. But one guy looks like a real unwashed bum and sits down across from Elly. He explains that his name is Aidan (played by Sam Rockwell) and he is there to rescue Elly. But that does not make sense, because she is on her way to see Mom…

She is confused until several ‘fans’ turn violent and try to kidnap Elly. Aiden is ready to take on all of them. During the entire fight, Elly sees ‘her Argylle’ in place of Aiden. Is she going crazy, or does this frumpy-looking Aiden have the same skills as a super-secret agent?

Aidan and Elly make it off the train in one piece. He tells her that her ‘novels’ are tracking to true events that happened for real in the actual ‘Directive’. There is an encrypted list of corrupted agents, and it has gone missing. Elly will need to write the next chapter to unlock the secret of the current location.

The current Directive has a ruthless leader — Director Ritter (played by Bryan Cranston). Ritter is going to track Elly and Adian so he can locate that dastardly list. He does not want to be exposed as one of the corrupted agents. Ritter knows that Aidan is working closely with the former Assistant Director, a squeaky-clean fellow named Alfred Solomon (played by Samuel L. Jackson).

Aidan and Elly escape to London – so they can pick up on the trail of “Argylle”. Elly finds that she has sleuthing skill as good as any Secret Agent. There are gunfights in corridors and dangerous stunts that get them away from danger. Elly finds out that she might have been tricked about some close relatives. Elly and Aidan scoot out of there and get to France.

She meets Alfred Solomon, and discovers that her lovable Scottish Fold was actually named after somebody after all. Director Ritter will stop at nothing to get Elly, and Alfred — along with Aidan — will make sure she is safe. But they need that file to make everything right.

Alfred sends them off to the next contact in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Solomon has some advice. Get the secret encrypted file and send it back to me. And when you go, don’t get caught by Director Ritter.

And if you do get caught by Director Ritter — don’t try to have a knife fight while ice skating on an oil slick in a boiler room. And if you ice skate — then don’t also have a perfectly choreographed fight scene in the hallways with colorful smoke bombs and automatic weapons. Well, maybe Alfred Solomon did not give Elly that specific advice. But it was probably implied.

Not to spill any legumes here — the tricky plot twists will still keep coming for the rest of the movie. Some pretty gnarly fight scenes come along, and even Alfie the Scottish Fold cat gets a piece of the action.  The cat is normally very well tempered, but he can dish out a bad case of cat scratch fever when it is required.

For a while, the fictional Agent Argylle — along with Wyatt and Keira — are all back on duty. They are all fighting for the side of goodness and right — or maybe for the side that will provide better weapons. They all make a good team, with Elly and Aidan, along with Alfred – and the fictional crew – they all intend on coming out on top.

“Argylle” has a wonderfully outrageous mess of a plot, glued together with superb casting and acting. Bryce Dallas Howard is terrific as the hapless writer who is in over her, but still manages to come up with super skills. Sam Rockwell is also a great addition as the protective Agent with some secrets of his own. Bryan Cranston is there to chew up every piece of scenery as the ultimately evil Director.

The movie gets in all sorts of weird plot twists and reveals, Some work better than others, but it makes the run time a wee bit longer than it might need to be. The fight choreography and the way those scenes are filmed are excellent. The action is fast-paced and never dies down. Everyone seems to be having a great time in the movie.

The movie director, Matthew Vaughn is known for getting action-oriented movies up to a higher level. It seems he was able to do that also with this latest effort. The casting is spot on, with Henry Cavill, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena, and even Catherine O’Hara creating some interesting characters. You know O’Hara – Kevin McAlister’s mom…

“Argylle” is a plot-thick action movie with more plot spins and twists than the Gran Prix. The results are a very entertaining mosh pit of Spy Movie tropes, all flipped upside-down — done with style.