Weekend Watch - Argylle

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week we take a look at a new piece of film or television media and give it a rating, review, and recommendation. This week’s topic, as voted by the blog’s Instagram followers, is Matthew Vaughn’s latest theatrical release, Argylle. The film, written by Jason Fuchs and directed by Vaughn, follows a spy novelist as she discovers that her novels have been predicting real events in the espionage world and that opposing forces are after her latest manuscript to get ahead in the game. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, Richard E. Grant, John Cena, Catherine O’Hara, and Samuel L. Jackson. The $200 million film opened this weekend to the worst critical reviews for any of Vaughn’s films but still looks to win the weekend box office. Let’s get into it.

Letter Grade: C+; this movie should be so much worse than it actually is, and for that, I’m giving it a passing grade.

Should you Watch This Film? If you’re looking for an easy watching piece of pure entertainment at the movies, I don’t know that there’s any film currently out that will scratch that itch more than this one, so probably yes.

Why?

                The bad action movie is back with a vengeance! Argylle builds on the long tradition of Lethal Weapon, Charlie’s Angels, and even Vaughn’s own Kingsman films with a completely contrived, convoluted, action-packed mess of an action film that will still leave you smiling when you leave the theater. The cast’s commitment to the many bits of this film is what should make it a lasting success in the proverbial Spike TV movie specials (I guess it’s probably FXX now or something along those lines). The crossover of Elly Conway’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) fictional universe and the real-world spy action makes for some really fun rug pulls, and there’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Is it the most cohesive or clean or grittily real spy thriller ever made? Absolutely not, and it’s not going to floor you with anything groundbreaking, but it is fully committed to its own bit, and that’s incredibly refreshing in a big budget studio film.

                All of the main cast feel like the right fit for their respective roles. Bryan Cranston looks and acts the part of shady spy corporation head, channeling just a bit of that old Heisenberg into a few of his scenes, while also getting to show off some of his comedic timing as well. Catherine O’Hara is the perfect skeptical mom, giving plenty of iconic reactions to her daughter’s increasingly ridiculous involvement with her work. Henry Cavill (even with one of the worst haircuts I’ve ever seen) plays the part of Bond knock-off excellently, nailing the physicality and suave that his role demands. It’s always fun to see John Cena and Dua Lipa in cameo roles that fit them, and that’s no different here as they bring just the right amount of star power to the film’s wild opening, mirroring the L.L. Cool J cameo in the start of Charlie’s Angels (2000). Bryce Dallas Howard brings a commitment to the role of unwilling protagonist, nailing the cat lady forced into espionage that the role demands, giving us a fun take on the reluctant hero in the process. The person most at home in his role has to be action-comedy veteran Sam Rockwell (Charlie’s Angels and Mr. Right). He again brings that unassuming charm and hidden action hero style to his role as the real-life spy who tasks himself with keeping Elly safe from the more sinister elements that are after her.

                Of course, the action sequences have the requisite Matthew Vaughn flair for the unrealistic with colorful and ridiculously high-paced action that may or may not be everyone’s cup of tea. There’s one particular sequence involving ice skating that feels so ridiculous that you can’t help but marvel at the director’s willingness to try new things (even when they’re so ridiculous in their execution). Unfortunately, the flipside of Vaughn’s films is their story struggles, and with Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman and Pan) taking on the writing duties this time, the story feels even weaker than usual. An abundance of twists and turns keeps the story engaging, but most of its reveals and surprises feel more unearned and heavy-handed than actually well-choreographed and satisfying. In recent years, it’s become popular to say that certain big budget films are good as long as you can turn your brain off while you watch it, and I’ve never seen that sentiment so blatantly on display as it is in Argylle.

                There’s enough creativity in the action sequences and commitment from its star-studded ensemble to help Argylle overcome its vast screenplay shortcomings to be an entertaining, if not overly substantial, time at the theaters. It’s definitely not a waste of money at the theaters because of how ridiculous and over-the-top it is, which works well on the big screen, but I don’t know that I’d call it a must-see film. It’s more of a solid excuse to go to the theaters if that’s something that you’re looking for.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week we take a look at a new piece of film or television media and give it a rating, review, and recommendation. This week, in solidarity with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, I’ll be refraining from giving any actual recommendations, and just stick to reviews and ratings. The topic this week, as voted by the blog’s Instagram followers, is the latest in Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible franchise – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – which opened this weekend in theaters. The film stars Cruise, joined by his usual gang of Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg alongside returners Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Henry Czerny from previous films in the franchise. Newcomers to the film’s ensemble include Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Greg Tarzan Davis, and Shea Wigham. Dominating this weekend’s box office and receiving high praise from critics and fans, it looks like Cruise and McQuarrie have another action hit on their hands. Let’s get into it.

Letter Grade: B+; while not the worst film in the franchise by any stretch of the imagination, this feels like a clear drop-off from the past few entries.

Review:

                Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is a “part one” in so many frustrating and endearing ways. On the upside, none of the great action sequences feel rushed to get to a conclusion, allowing the audience to experience them in their fullness. For this, the film’s near-three-hour runtime doesn’t end up feeling nearly that long, and you’re left with a really fun theatrical experience. On the flipside, the film struggles to tell a complete story with compelling characters and stakes, which is something that the past few M:I’s have done incredibly well. Dead Reckoning Part One’s villain has what feels like a shoehorned connection to Ethan’s past to try to force the audience’s rooting interest, but it never really works since his motivations are left fairly ambiguous – both in the past and the present. Also, as a part one, the audience can tell that everything is building to what is going to be some sort of cliffhanger, and in this particular one, we’re left feeling that the stakes of the whole film were fairly small because of how it all ends up. Yes, you want to know how it all ends up, but not because of some looming threat to the heroes (which is a bit overplayed, I’ll grant you, but it works), rather because the audience has to know whether this whole film was actually worth the effort – is “the Entity” truly as devastating and world-threatening as the film would have us believe through exposition?

                Don’t get me wrong, the technical aspects and stunts of this film are excellent, and anyone saying otherwise probably walked into the wrong film (Sound of Freedom if I had to hazard a guess). It’s clear that McQuarrie has learned from the successes of Fallout and Top Gun: Maverick, utilizing some truly excellent visuals and camera work in all of the big action sequences to truly give the audience that feeling of being part of the action. It’s thrilling in the best way possible, and knowing that most of them are real stunts done by real performers just makes it that much more impressive. Cruise’s requisite highlight stunt in this film might not quite be as insane as his hanging off the side of a plane from Rogue Nation, but it still impresses as he jumps off a cliff on a motorcycle in the film’s climactic sequence. It’s fun and over-the-top in a way that reminds you of how great these films can be when firing on all cylinders.

                In terms of performances, none stand out as truly excellent, but none are terrible either. Cruise gives one of his more dynamic turns as Hunt, giving some humor in the midst of his single-minded dedication to the mission and his team. Atwell is a welcome addition to the franchise as career-criminal “Grace”, bringing a freshness to the film that is much needed even if her start is a bit slow before stepping into her own in the back half of the film. Rebecca Ferguson is a great actress, but she is tragically wasted in this film, serving more as a plot device than character, a disappointing deviation from her past roles in Rogue Nation and Fallout. Vanessa Kirby again holds her own as the White Widow, playing the role with all the charm, confidence, and menace that she did last time around. Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis bring a fun buddy comedy energy to their roles that fills in for the noticeably lessened roles of both Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames.

                Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One feels in many ways like a return to the median for the espionage thriller franchise, giving great action sequences and visuals with a less-than-compelling story, passable acting, and stakes that feel like they should be higher to set up for a truly satisfying conclusion in Part Two. There’s no denying the fun factor of Dead Reckoning, but its other entertainment pieces could definitely have been better executed, leaving it as a bit of a question mark going forward to its second half.