The reviews for Argylle are in: A fun caper with too many twists?

The first reviews for Argylle are in and the general consensus is that Matthew Vaughn's new spy caper is a damn fun time at the cinema.

The official premise of the movie reads:

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'Elly Conway, an introverted spy novelist who seldom leaves her home, is drawn into the real world of espionage when the plots of her books get a little too close to the activities of a sinister underground syndicate. When Aiden, a spy, shows up to save her (he says) from being kidnapped or killed (or both), Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing, and no one, is what it seems'

It features an all-star cast that includes Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Rather amusingly, Vaughn recently had to debunk the theory doing the rounds online that Taylor Swift actually wrote the novel the movie is based on using an alias, Elly Conway.

There is mystery surrounding the movie and indeed the book, as nobody knows who Conway is, while the book hasn't been released yet.

2.56 (208)

Argylle (2024)

Argylle, the world's largest spy with amnesia, is tricked into believing he is a successful spy novelist. After his memory and deadly abilities return, he sets out to take revenge on the shadowy organization he worked for, the Division.

Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell and Henry Cavill

Argylle first reactions

A select few critics and notable figures have seen the movie ahead of the theatrical release this week. Here's what some of them had to say.

"Family and I just back home from the Argylle premiere and I have to respect the embargo on reviews until next week, but 1/ the movie is awesome and 2/ It has a VERY SUBTLE 'SEINFELD' JOKE nobody except maybe 5 people will have noticed. Let's talk again after release!" - Comic Book writer Mark Millar.

"So the Argylle movie was fantastic! It's got more twists and turns than an overly designed roller coaster! Go in as blind as possible and enjoy the ride! Thanks to Universal and Empire Magazine for the evening! And Matthew Vaughn for the insightful interview afterwards!" - Matt Harris of Getyourcomicon.

"Argylle is a fun time with the style and ridiculousness of Matthew Vaughn, reeled in a bit from his recent films. Sam Rockwell is exceptionally entertaining. It’s a fun, slick, wild ride that runs a little long, confidently reliant on its excessive, ambitious twists." - Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com.

"Argylle is a lot of fun & a bit of a throwback. It’s the perfect blend of action, comedy, music, and espionage. This cast in absolutely incredible & their energy come through the screen.  The action, twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat. Watch it on a big screen!" - Joel Deckelmeier of ScreenRant.

"Argylle is a fun, highly kinetic spy action throwback that runs long, is unexpectedly softer than his previous efforts, and has too many twists for its own good. Still, it's colourful, vibrant, and has fun blurring the lines between real and fiction." - Michael Lee of Geeks of Doom.

"Argylle is fascinating because it’s a good movie wearing about four other movies worth of baggage. There’s a super fun energetic scene followed by a huge lull, a great twist followed by a long exposition, etc. Wildly uneven, much too long, but still enjoyable enough." - Germain Lussier of Gizmodo.