"Argylle" disappointed critics and received a low rating on Rotten Tomatoes

Matthew Vaughn's new spy comedy Argylle debuted on the review aggregator with only 37% approval from critics.

Here's What We Know

Another spy thriller that was predicted to be a success because of its superstar cast, which includes Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, Dua Lipa and Samuel L. Jackson, failed to win over critics. This marks Vaughn's third consecutive failure as a director, following 2021's The King's Man (40 per cent) and 2017's Kingsman: The Golden Circle (50 per cent).

Here's What The Movie Is About

In "Argylle," Bryce Dallas Howard, known for the "Jurassic World" franchise, embodies the character of Ellie Conway, a reserved writer, author of popular espionage novels, who prefers to spend her free evenings at her computer in the company of her cat named Alfie. However, when the plots of her books begin to merge with reality, and the covert activities of a real spy organisation coincide with the plot of her works, the peace and comfort of home is a thing of the past. Accompanied by Aiden, a spy and cat allergy sufferer, Ellie (with Alfie in her rucksack) rushes around the world to get ahead of the assassins as the line between Ellie's fictional world and the real one begins to blur.

Experts unanimously agree that the number of unexpected plot twists in Argylle is unnecessary, and the stylised action sequences typical of Vonn's film come too late.

Here are some already published reviews from popular outlets:

The Hollywood Reporter: "it's entirely possible that the film will find a constituency who will love its mirthless, shouty performances, its tortured random plot twists and its appallingly shonky-looking CGI. But there is also a distinct possibility audiences will turn up their noses at this like it's a fresh litter box deposit... Although allegedly made with a $200m budget and featuring what looks on paper like a fancy-pants cast, Argylle may mark a new low, with jokes that struggle to land; an attenuated running time that tests patience; cartoonish, stylized violence that is, almost literally, little more than smoke and mirrors; and Apple product placement so aggressive it feels like a kind of assault.".

Rolling Stone: "The spoiler is: Argylle is a bad movie. A very, very bad movie".

Empire: "While the director's signature excesses are out, his playfulness remains. As telegraphed by Argylle's unnecessarily convoluted origins (the film is seemingly based on a real novel by author 'Elly Conway', who is actually the film's lead character, played by Bryce Dallas Howard), this is a film that wilfully freefalls down its own narrative rabbit hole, unspooling an array of twists across its runtime while paying homage to the fun, frivolity and fashion of '60s spy flicks.".

The Film Verdict: "The studio has asked critics not to reveal the multiple plot twists. This is unsurprising, since those twists underscore the weakness of the screenplay: It's constantly pulling the rug out from under viewers, only to reveal no floor underneath.".

USA Today: "Matthew Vaughn is a proven commodity in the spy-movie biz with his Kingsman universe, and Argylle boasts a notable cast and a sensational premise that traverses a fine line between what's fiction and what's not. Yet the movie disappoints by fumbling away most of its wins and piling on double- and triple-crosses and other trappings of a bespoke espionage world... Argylle weaves an intriguing narrative until the major twist happens in Jason Fuchs' screenplay when the movie takes a turn for the predictable and muddled.".

Source: Comic Book