Argylle’s Dismal Rotten Tomatoes Score Breaks Unwanted Record for Matthew Vaughn

Argylle, the latest offering from director Matthew Vaughn, made a strong impact with its initial teasers and trailer, but the enigmatic spy movie may be proving too unique for its own good. Vaughn’s movie, which is based on an unreleased novel by an author that, technically, doesn’t exist, looked set to wow with a cast to die for and an intriguing meta take on the genre. However, the first reviews have arrived, and the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score does not paint the movie as being one of Vaughn’s greatest.

Known for his previous movies, including X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass, Vaughn brings his unique style to the spy thriller and there are apparently already plans in place for two more movies in the franchise. The director has also hinted at a possible crossover in a shared universe with his Kingsman franchise. That, though, could all rely on Argylle being a hit, and on that score things are not looking too good.

The film boasts an unbelievable ensemble cast, featuring Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and Bryan Cranston among others. The story revolves around author Elly Conway (Howard) who is drawn into a web of espionage and intrigue, which begins to reflect the plots of her novels. Cavill’s portrayal of the titular character, and Rockwell’s performance as Aidan have gained notable praise, but the movie as a whole has only managed a lowly 37% Tomatometer score.

Some critics have praised the film for its entertainment value, calling it a fun throwback and applauding its blend of thrills, mystery and twists. The movie’s action sequences and the soundtrack have also received plenty of accolades, with the song ‘Electric Energy’ by Boy George and Ariana DeBose (who also appears in the movie), rocketing up the charts thanks to the recent release of a fun music video. However, there are plenty of other areas that have let the film down.

What Is Wrong with Argylle?

Despite Argylle’s high points, the execution of the film has led to its downfall as far as most critics are concerned. It has been criticized for an inconsistent tone, with a shift from color to black and white that “detracts from the experience”. The film’s attempt to balance seriousness with almost parody-level humor hasn’t sat well with some reviewers, with the film seemingly unable to decide what it wants to be – a serious spy movie with humor, or an all-out parody of one. Even the action scenes have been described as lacking the impact that Vaughn is known for, and others have commented that many of the big names in the film just don’t seem to be able to maintain their enthusiasm throughout a lengthy runtime.

Argylle

2 /5

Release Date

February 2, 2024

Runtime

2hr 15min

Studio

Apple Original Films, Apple Studios, Cloudy Productions

Despite these critiques, Argylle’s audience reaction could save the film, especially considering how many times the two scores have been at completely different ends of the spectrum in the last few years. Vaughn certainly has his own style, and fans of his other movies will possibly find plenty to like about Argylle. However, the film is currently projected to take just $20 million domestically, which would be enough to win the weekend box office, but will make it a struggle for the film to be the kind of hit that can easily make back its $200 million budget.

Its position as the potential start of a new franchise is not yet confirmed, but stranger things have happened. With a lot of intrigue around Argylle’s mystery author, and the lack of real competition at what is expected to be a quiet box office, the film is almost guaranteed to hit the top of the cinema charts this weekend.

You can check out MovieWeb’s Julian Roman’s thoughts on Argylle in his review here.