When it comes to movies that start the year, Hollywood distributes films they do not think will make much money. Rarely do they send out films that are made with a higher budget and need to make money to break even; take “Deadpool,” for example. This time, Apple Studios took a $200 million risk with “Argylle,” an action romantic-comedy about an author who sees her work come to life in the form of an espionage scheme. Unfortunately, the film takes its convoluted story too seriously and jumps the shark a few too many times to be enjoyable.
Director Mathew Vaughn is no stranger to making ridiculous action films, and despite his many flaws as a director, he knows how to entertain an audience one way or another. One of the positives about the film is how Vaughn makes excellent use of color. There is a wonderful vibrancy that is always on screen. Another thing that he is fantastic at is action, which, despite being implausible while watching, is fun nonetheless.
However, “Argylle” ends up having more negatives than positives. One of the biggest is that the film is constantly throwing twists at you. In a good film, this can be engaging, as it constantly keeps the audience guessing, but here it just comes off as being a desperate attempt to fool the audience. Another great con would be the computer effects, which hinder a lot of the action scenes by making them less believable, constantly making the audience wonder where the $200 million went. It is a shame because the cat used in the marketing looks cute in all the posters and trailers, but when watching the movie, the effects on the feline look so bad that it looks more like roadkill reanimated like a puppet.
The film could be a good time for those who want to turn off their brains and enjoy goofy espionage, or for those who want to find a way to kill two and a half hours. But for most, it is just a film that leaves you wanting more.
