Introduction to Argylle
A star-studded lineup, a sky-high budget, and an experienced marketing campaign were not enough to save Argylle from crashing and burning at the box office. Despite featuring Matthew Vaughn’s genre-bending spy thriller with Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and John Cena, the film received dark reviews and a lukewarm reception from audiences, mustering only $96 million worldwide on a reported budget of $200 million.
The Comeback
However, a year later, Argylle is back in conversation. Thanks to a streaming run on Apple TV+, the film has officially re-entered the platform’s top 20 most-viewed titles. With encouraging viewership figures and a 71% public approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (despite the brutal 33% critical consensus), Argylle seems to be experiencing the kind of late-game comeback that only a few box office flops ever achieve.
The Premise
The premise of Argylle remains intriguing. The film stars Howard as Elly Conway, a reclusive writer whose spy thriller novels reflect incredibly real events. Enter Rockwell as Aidan, a shaggy, cat-allergic spy who, along with Elly (and her cat-like Alfie), becomes embroiled in a mission to survive the assassins now chasing them. Cavill plays Agent Argylle, the fictional creation of Elly’s books, who often appears in hallucinations and sound reflections, acting as her inner voice and imaginary hero. As Elly’s fiction blurs into fact, the film explores tropes of identity, memory, and storytelling in a way that only Matthew Vaughn can deliver.
Is Argylle Worth Seeing?
Collider’s Maggie Lovitt gave the film a surprisingly glowing 8/10 review, writing: "Argylle is a lot of film for those who can appreciate its unique style of storytelling, Vaughn’s signature flair. It delivers the full desired B-movie quality, but it’s one of the wildest mainstream action films to hit the big screen in a while." She praised the film’s big swings, including a bonkers fight scene that’s "like a dance, completely choreographed with killer soundtrack." She also highlighted the surprisingly sweet chemistry between Howard and Rockwell and how the film deviates from its spy romance core, feeling far more grounded than most action-time members.
A Unique Experience
And while the film’s flaws are well-documented, Argylle not only flirts with absurdity – it marries it. With hallucinatory cats, figure-scading combat scenes, and a possible connection to Vaughn’s Kingsman universe (eagle-eyed fans will spot a Statesman soda can), it’s clear the director aimed for something wild and strange. And now, people seem ready to give it a try on streaming.
Streaming Now
Argylle is streaming now on Apple TV+. With its unique blend of action, espionage, and surreal humor, it’s an experience that might just find its niche with viewers who are looking for something off the beaten path.
