- Words Darcy Culverhouse
As we take a first glance at director Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller, we quickly learn that the espionage flick with a star-studded cast has a plot that digs deeper than the surface.
Looking for a spy movie that isn’t just the same old same old of non-stop gun fights and predictable car chases in the latest high-end sportscar? Then look no further than Argylle. The work of the illustrious filmmaker, Matthew Vaughn, the spy thriller promises to upend typical espionage movie clichés made by James Bond, and bring a fresh take to the genre- and what better person at the helm than Vaughn himself?
After a three-year hiatus since his last passion project, Vaughn returns with Argylle in a bid to continue his upward trajectory. With notable action movies like The Kingsman and Layer Cake, under his belt, he now turns his fancy towards reinventing spy movies as we well know it. And it all starts with making the best spy to be the person you least expect it to be.
Whilst playfully subverting spy tropes, Vaughn assembles an all-star stellar cast of Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, Bryce Dallas Howard, and even former WWE legend John Cena. Naturally, this high-profile cast piqued the interest of tech giant Apple, who will exclusively debut the film on February 2, 2024 on Apple TV—the same day it premieres in cinemas.
Initially, it seems like a regular spy film showcasing Henry Cavill as Agent Argylle in a tantalising face-off with a femme fatale portrayed by Dua Lipa. However, we soon learn this snippet is nothing more than a scene from a best-selling novel penned by Bryce Dallas Howard’s character, Elly Conway: an introverted writer with a vivid imagination for intrigue despite being a steadfast introvert.
As fiction and reality collide, Conway finds herself in the crosshairs of a multitude of lethal operatives from the clandestine world of espionage, all because her latest book unknowingly depicts real-life events. As she embarks on her targeted journey, a mysterious secret agent— who defies all classic tropes of spy— becomes her knight in green tartan along the way.
Check out our first look at the film below.