Matthew Vaughn’s new twisty spy comedy, Argylle, is set to hit theaters this week. The film sports an all-star cast and features Vaughn’s signature off-kilter style that ran rampant all over his other spy series, Kingsman. The trailers already take audiences on a fourth-wall-breaking journey that deals with Bryce Dallas Howard’s Elly Conway character having to come face-to-face with the very espionage that she writes in her books. However, it also leads to a mysterious reveal of the real Elly Conway, who is assumed to be played by an uncredited star. Matthew Vaughn says he has plans for two sequels, but he’s waiting to see how the first is received. If early reactions are anything to go by, there is a lot of potential for success.
The movie has premiered for audiences and early reactions are hitting social media. And the consensus looks to be that the movie is a fun time. Certified critic Dave Lee tweeted a post that read, “ARGYLLE is a super fun, slick, subversive action romp. Never taking itself seriously, its fantastic cast absolutely let loose. Great twists & turns. Much of it predictable, but pulled off masterfully. Absolutely joyful. The kind of movie audiences are BEGGING FOR!!! #argyllemovie”
Film Optix Podcast tweeted, “#ArgylleMovie embraces its identity without no regrets. It’s extravagant & dramatic. But trimming off 30 minutes could have enhanced the overall experience. Nevertheless, I found it enjoyable! The action scenes were fantastic & the cast had great chemistry. It’s a hell of a time.”
Griffin Schiller of Film Speak says, “Matthew Vaughn takes self insert to a whole new level in #ArgylleMovie. An explosive, absurd, personal, AMBITIOUS spy fantasy about the stories & characters that shape us & the ways in which we take ownership to find ourselves. A wild ride, bit overlong, but a HELLUVA good time!”
Film reviewer Tyler Disney (relation?) writes, “I absolutely adored and loved Argylle so much, it’s a fun thrill ride at the theater with lots of crazy twist and turns and a mind-blowing mid credit scene. #ArgylleMovie”
Luiz Fernando wrote a full-on review in his post, which you can check out fully below, but his first impression shows that while he enjoyed it a lot, he still thinks it’s uneven. “So yeah, I’ve watched #ArgylleMovie last week and I had a fun time. It was an uneven, full blowout party! #MatthewVaughn mastered the art of being brutal and having fun at the same time.”
Demetri Panos brings up the “WTF” factor that Vaughn is usually good at, but also illustrates that he does not push the limits of PG-13 as one would think, “#ArgylleMovie is absurd fun. Director, Matthew Vaughn goes PG13; No raunch or bloody violence so he really leans into the WTF! It’s Romancing the Stone meets James Bond with a dash of Mission Impossible. Henry Cavill is everything you’d expect in a suave super spy!”
Scott Menzel, a member of BAFTA, would go on to write, “ARGYLLE is an absolute blast from start to finish. Matthew Vaughn ditches the blood and violence for color filled action sequences instead. Henry Cavill is so damn charming as is Sam Rockwell but it is the incredible Bryce Dallas Howard who absolutely steals the show! Can we also talk about how refreshing it is to see a beautiful curvy woman in a role like this? ARGYLLE is destined to become a cult classic. A great way to kick off 2023. #Argylle”