MATTHEW VAUGHN's Argylle keeps the viewer intrigued with one of the most notable phrases in the film.
"The greater the spy, the bigger the lie."
From the start all the way to the end, the quote became the central theme of the film, and this was highlighted with how the film was marketed.
The main posters would showcase Henry Cavill as the main character only for things to reach an unexpected turn.
But this wasn't the only twist as there are others that would keep viewers on the edge.
It likewise helped that the film's comedic tone and Vaughn's signature directoral style has brought a lot of joy to Argylle, making it a thrilling experience for fans of spy films.
Poking fun at the cliches of spy films
Vaughn has been renowned for making fun of the usual tropes in spy films with Kingsman: The Secret Service poking at Ian Fleming's James Bond series.
Argylle manages to follow the trend, though done with a unique perspective as it touches upon a writer's intuition.
It even displayed some level of irony. Most of the spy films we watched would delve into some bada*s level of fiction.
Yet when the main character (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) met Aidan (played by Sam Rockwell), the latter even broke some myths about the espionage scene.
For one, spies aren't always as good looking or as jaw-dropping to look at, as they tend to rely on their disguise as a weapon. Case in point, Aidan's hobo-looking appearance at the beginning of the film.
This scene could force viewers to expect that Vaughn will go for a more toned down version of a spy thriller in his latest film. However, that wasn't the case as it turned out he stuck with his usual over the top formula.
And by doing so he hilariously made fun of other spy films. At one point during the final moments of the film, it was clearly evident that Vaughn drew inspiration from The Transporter and Mr. and Mrs. Smith though he brought his level of flavor that made his scenes an enjoyable feature.
A plethora of twists and turns
While Vaughn's level of humor has been a major highlight in his latest film, one can never deny Jason Fuchs' narrative which also deserves a lot of plaudits.
Argylle isn't just a film that relies on its comedic tone as it also encourages the viewer to look for hints in the narrative and decipher the film's hidden secrets.
For instance, one could raise question marks as to why Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) manages to write the best spy stories and why Henry Cavill's apperances would suddenly haunt her.
As the film reaches its climax, these mysteries will slowly unravel and one also gets a deeper backstory on Conway.
Upon looking at the overall narrative, Fuchs encourages the viewers to act like CIA agents or spies, tasked to decipher the code given the numerous hints depicted.
While it can be argued that the numerous plot twists of the film can be a surprise, it can be said that a deeper look into some context clues would allow the viewers to slowly discover the potential twists.
For instance, I had the feeling that the fan email that Conway received about reviving one of her characters, could lead to something at the end and I turned out to be correct.
In the end, Argylle ended up as a film that perfectly balances its humor and its thought provoking perspective.
A fun-filled spy film
Without a doubt the narratives are the biggest strong points of the film, but one should also acknowledge the efforts of the cast.
It seemed all of the actors had a lot of fun. Henry Cavill had so many suave moments that made me chuckle to eternity, with the action scene inside the train being one of his highlights.
Then there's John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson who despite the limited screen time made a strong impression in the film.
But ultimately both Rockwell and Howard stole the show with their antics. Rockwell's usual chill persona has made him perfect for this film's lighthearted tone, while Howard managed to unload her acting chops whenever she underwent a character change.
And with all of the positives from the film, Vaughn's Argylle manages to leave a strong impression to viewers, and it can be argued that he has innovated from the formulas of Kingsmen: The Secret Service.
Overall it offers a unique take in the genre, making it worth every minute of your time, all the way to the end where one discovers a shared universe in the making.
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