Argylle Review

Okay Squirrel friends, I don't have any documentaries written or a series but here’s another film featuring Henry Cavill, but don’t worry, he’s only in it for about 11 minutes. “Argylle” is a spy action comedy that centers on Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), a reclusive spy author finishing her fifth book series about Aubrey Argylle (Henry Cavill). Argylle is basically a James Bond-like character she dreamt up and fell in love with. Honestly, this one wasn't too flattering out of all the Cavill films I’ve seen; that buzz cut was definitely not it.

Elly hits a wall with writer’s block and, after getting no help from her mom, decides to take a train trip to visit her parents. On the train, she’s ambushed and saved by an actual spy, Aidan Wilde (Sam Rockwell). Aidan tells her that an organization called the Division is after her because her novels seem to predict the future. They head to England, hoping her next chapter will reveal how to stop the Division. At this point, I’m debating whether to keep watching or just push through to see if Cavill makes another appearance.

When they reach London, they search for a Masterkey that could expose the Division mentioned in Elly’s novels. Elly calls her parents for help because, well, that’s what you do when you’re attacked by random assassins and forced to travel with a strange man who claims he’s “trying” to protect you. She doesn’t trust him at all, and honestly, I wouldn’t either.

Guess what happens next? Her parents, Director Ritter (Bryan Cranston) and Ruth (Catherine O’Hara), show up. But surprise—they’re not friends, they’re foes! Aidan and Elly have to fight them off and flee because, plot twist, her parents are operatives from the Division.

Aidan and Elly escape to France, where Elly learns from former CIA deputy director Alfie Solomon (Samuel L. Jackson) that Argylle is real. And guess who it is? It’s Elly! She’s actually Rachel Kylle. She created Argylle from her name, R. Kylle. Turns out, she was captured and brainwashed by the Division about five years earlier and made to believe that Dr. Margaret Voeler/Ruth and Director Ritter/Barry were her parents. Yeah, I need a flow chart to keep up with these characters.

Elly’s stories were real because they were suppressed memories with some alterations. The latest novel reveals the location of the Masterkey. Aidan and Elly travel to the Arabian Peninsula to retrieve it but get cornered by the Division and taken back to their base.

Elly/Rachel is exposed as a double agent and one of the Division’s loyal assets. At this point, my attention started to drift; the fight sequence was lackluster, even Elly’s cat got involved. I was just ready for the movie to end. Eventually, Aidan and Elly escape to a cargo ship, which is an external facility of the Division.

The Masterkey is uploaded to a satellite, Alfie receives it, and Aidan detonates the Division’s oil tanker headquarters. After that, Rachel resumes her fake life as a novelist and publishes her final Argylle novel. After her reading, the man who was the prototype for her Argylle character reveals himself, leaving her shocked. There’s a mid-credit scene showing Argylle as a Kingsman agent, which the first novel is based on.

So, do I recommend this? Not really, but you might like it. I’m a fan of spy movies like the 007 and Jason Bourne series, and that’s pretty much it. Maybe I’m just not into spy thrillers, which could be why I wasn’t too invested in this movie. Overall, it had some fun scenes but not many. They had a great cast—Samuel L. Jackson and Bryan Cranston, how could you go wrong?

I give this movie 2 out of 5 acorns.