“Argylle,” promoted as a creation from the ‘twisted mind’ of writer/director Matthew Vaughn, is set has hit theaters this weekend. However, despite Vaughn’s previous successes with blockbusters like “X-Men: First Class” and “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” the film is being characterized as less cohesive and more indicative of his bloated, uninhibited, and excessively self-indulgent tendencies in the later stages of his career. Critics suggest that the movie deviates from Vaughn’s earlier well-constructed and satisfying films, showcasing convoluted storytelling and a departure from previous successes.
In a bygone era, Vaughn crafted tight and thrillingly well-constructed films that left audiences satisfied. However, over his last three films, there has been a noticeable shift toward absurdly convoluted storytelling. “Argylle,” in particular, is criticized for being nearly indecipherable at times, burdened by ever-contradicting twists. Vaughn’s inclination towards a gaudy, digitally-altered visual aesthetic has also intensified, with both “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” and “Argylle” opting for green screen work that fails to create a convincing impression of reality. Additionally, his recent attempts at franchise expansion, including a post-credit scene in “Argylle” and setting up Adolf Hitler as a franchise big-bad in “The King’s Man,” have been deemed classless and in poor taste. “Argylle” is seen as the culmination of Vaughn’s ambitions, showcasing his worst tendencies and resulting in a film that is an absolute slog to endure.
TOP FIVE THINGS ABOUT “ARGYLLE”
5. The Cast
“Argylle” boasts an A-list cast that delivers commendable performances, showcasing both talent and a sense of enjoyment in their roles. Noteworthy mentions include Henry Cavill for successfully pulling off a distinctive haircut, Sam Rockwell for effortlessly embodying an endearing everyman spy, and Bryce Dallas Howard for earnestly selling even the most outrageously ridiculous aspects of the movie.
The cast exhibits strong chemistry at different junctures, leaving one yearning for a scenario where Vaughn allows these characters to truly shine without overshadowing them. Unfortunately, as it currently stands, “Argylle” provides only fleeting glimpses of the potential brilliance that could have been.
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4. Weak Spot: The Action
Matthew Vaughn received acclaim for the action sequences in the first “Kingsman” film a decade ago. The action was praised for its wild and raucous nature, combined with visual clarity and balletic choreography. This was particularly noteworthy during a time when many American action films were adopting the fast-cutting style of Paul Greengrass’ “Bourne” sequels, resulting in incoherent messes.
Regrettably, I watched “Argylle” with a heavy heart and much dismay as its action setpieces fell into many of the same traps that Matthew Vaughn deliberately avoided earlier in his career. Numerous sequences in “Argylle” suffer from staging, editing, and camera movement issues, making them feel messy and lacking in impact. Despite having about half a dozen action sequences, with the exception of a memorable ice-skating bit towards the end, I would struggle to recall a single beat of the action. The visuals are rendered into complete mush.
3. Weak Spot: The Needle Drops
The action sequences in “Argylle” are further confounded by the film’s musical choices. While Lorne Balfe’s score is not the issue, it’s Matthew Vaughn’s frequent and gratuitous use of needle drops that becomes mind-numbing. Every single action sequence features an attempt at an anachronistic needle drop, and it quickly grows old. It seems like Vaughn aimed to draw a connection between these action sequences and musical dance sequences, but the end result feels cheap and haphazard. The songs don’t feel truly integrated into the work but are rather hastily pasted over the top.
Every action sequence in “Argylle” features a gratuitous attempt at an anachronistic needle-drop, and it quickly becomes tiresome. It seems like Vaughn tried to establish a connection between these action sequences and musical dance sequences in the editing bay, but the result feels cheap and haphazard. The songs don’t feel genuinely integrated into the work; instead, they are hastily pasted over the top.
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The most egregious example of these musical choices is the use of The Beatles’ ‘new’ song, ‘Now and Then,’ which plays no less than three times throughout “Argylle” and never once gives even the vaguest impression of feeling like it belongs.
2. Weak Spot: The Twists
What makes a good twist?
With Vaughn’s recent bad takes in the press on “Star Wars,” let’s take a look at twists through the lens of a galaxy far, far away. The big ‘I am your father’ twist of “Empire Strikes Back” works because of the ways in which it completely uproots all of the audience’s and Luke’s understandings. The dividing lines of good and evil have been so thoroughly etched into stone up until this point, and suddenly, Vader’s revelation thrusts the entirety of the story into brand new territory, narratively and thematically.
Compare this to any of the dozen twists in “Argylle,” none of which have any impact whatsoever. The film throws twist after twist at its audience without ever taking the time to establish any kind of norm in the first place firmly. The result is that none of the twists feel shocking because we don’t care about these characters or even begin to understand their motivations, world, or stakes. So, instead of ground-shaking twists that fundamentally recontextualize our perception of the story, it all just feels like babbling, incoherent nonsense.
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1. Weak Spot: Numbingly Empty
The cumulative effect of all of these things is that “Argylle” is just fucking boring to sit through. It’s an absolute drag of a film, which is an insane thing to say about a movie this ludicrously over-the-top, but it’s true. By the time the film got to its biggest setpieces, they just washed over me because I was already so thoroughly unmoored by its baffling decisions at every turn. There’s a lot of stuff happening in “Argylle,” but it so rarely feels like anything of any substance is happening at all.
With its many twists, the movie practically conditions its audience to not believe anything it shows you. When paired with its already vapid, surface-level storytelling and grotesquely underbaked visual stylings, it makes for a film that just leaves one entirely numb.
(D+)
By the time “Argylle” arrives at its absolutely eye-roll-inducing tie-in post-credit bit, it’s nigh impossible not to feel like Matthew Vaughn has gotten so lost in his own echo chamber of lunacy that the once vital filmmaker has been diminished to little more than a bad joke.
Vaughn has made quintessential works, and I absolutely believe that he can again. But so long as he’s content to deliver absolute drivel like this and proudly hang his ‘twisted mind’ hat on it, that won’t happen.
Robert Eggers’s take on the 1922 F.W. Murnau film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” has long been a passion project for the director, in various stages of development since he broke out with 2015’s “The Witch.” Now that the film has finally made its way to screens, Eggers has the opportunity to shine. And like any of his films, “Nosferatu” has mood and style to spare.
Eggers’s movies always have great attention to detail, but sometimes the style can outweigh the story and “Nosferatu” is no different. “The Witch” was about setting a moody atmosphere and “The Northman” was about showing off the muscularity in his filmmaking and in between he made arguably his best movie, “The Lighthouse,” which is a bizarre, fever dream kind of experience.
In the first frames of “Nosferatu,” Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) emerges from the shadows with tears running down her face. She is calling out to something, but nothing is there. What is making her body move in such unpleasant ways? Who is the mysterious voice calling out to her? From the shadows emerges a silhouette of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), who is haunting Ellen.
Years later, Ellen is in a relationship with Thomas (Nicholas Hoult, who is having a busy year between “Nosferatu,” “Juror #2” and “The Order”). Thomas is heading to Transylvania to meet with Count Orlock, foreshadowing a great deal of dread in the movie. Back home, Ellen is not doing well, constantly haunted by the looming presence of Count Orlock, who will not let her know peace.
Not only does Count Orlock hang over Ellen’s life, but his existence hangs over the entire movie. Eggers effectively uses the character sparingly, shooting him in shadows and only revealing his face every so often. It’s best to go into the movie surprised by the design, because Eggers certainly doesn’t settle for recreating the well-established imagery from the original film. Skarsgård, who is becoming a horror film regular, is nowhere to be found in his performance, completely disappearing behind the character.
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Depp delivers the strongest performance of her young career, as she is required to run the gauntlet of emotional and physical pain. Her suffering helps bring some emotion to the movie, which can occasionally feel cold and distant in service of emphasizing the film’s craft. Individual moments of dread feel palpable, but the movie goes through plodding stretches (including with superfluous characters played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin; Eggers regular Willem Dafoe also plays a role), where the emotionality of Depp’s performance and the grim appearance of Skarsgård become sorely missed.
Even when the movie is choppy, it’s hard to not get lost in the impeccability of the craft. Egger and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke partially use natural lighting to establish the mood, while production designer Craig Lathrop transports viewers to 1838 Germany. Getting lost in the world of “Nosferatu” isn’t hard — though sometimes being moved by it as a whole is a tough task.
Sudeep in ‘Max’.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Inspector Arjun Mahakshay a.k.a Max takes charge unofficially a day before his suspension ends. A huge blunder inside the station puts Max against powerful men, who come for his life. As he is faced with the improbable task of saving his colleagues and coming out unscathed from the problem, the daring cop pauses to prepare a cup of tea.
Director Vijay Kartikeyaa’s debut project is driven by a protagonist who keeps you guessing about his next move. Even if Max aims to provide unhinged ‘masala’ entertainment, the movie’s leading man isn’t a one-note character. Since the events unfold during one night, and he has limited time to cross a series of hurdles, Max puts his sharp brain to quick use. And once he enters the risky zone of facing the criminals head-on, he unleashes the beast inside him.
Storyline: A day before reporting for duty after a two-month suspension, inspector Arjun Mahakshay faces an unexpected situation. Can he save the day?
Max is a celebration of Sudeep, who oozes style in his aggressive portrayal of an all-conquering officer. If you saw him as a subdued yet classy cop carrying a deep pain within him in Vikrant Rona (2022), Sudeep cuts loose in Max to cater to his fans, who were hungry for ‘mass’ moments involving their favourite star.
The one-man show is great fun to watch to an extent. Director Vijay scripts an old-school world where the hero emerges as the ultimate saviour of distressed people. However, as a whole, Max leaves you wanting more as you expect the protagonist to face the heat of a mighty antagonist.
Sunil, essaying the main villain, is undone by a toothless character. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar’s character of a cop with a negative shade shows promise early on but gets fizzled out eventually as she fails to make any difference to the plot. Right from the beginning, it’s apparent that both the characters are bracing for an inevitable onslaught from Max.
It’s also quite shocking how Max has an almost incompetent team. When they aren’t blindly following the instructions from Max, the junior-level officers are scared and clueless. Ilavarasu, playing an experienced officer, delivers a measured performance. The rest of the cast, including Uggram Manju, Samyuktha Hornad, Sukrutha Wagale and Vijay Chendur, are too loud in their respective portrayals.
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One can’t blame the actors as their characters are designed to artificially amp up the tension. With a highly dramatic plot in hand, the director’s decision to showcase stronger emotions than what’s necessary dents the film.
ALSO READ:‘UI’ movie review: Upendra’s political commentary is a one-of-a-kind experience despite its flaws
The core idea of Max might remind you of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Kaithi (2019). With so much happening in a short span of time, it’s tough to emotionally invest in the proceedings. On the other hand, Max’s racy screenplay keeps you curious about the events on screen. A superb fusion of Chethan D Souza’s action choreography and Ajaneesh Lokanath’s ensures an adrenaline-pumping experience.
Max is a star vehicle with admirable experiments from the makers. With Vikrant Rona and Max, Sudeep has deviated from traditional commercial films. The big stars of Kannada cinema are seeking change, and that’s a good sign.
Mollywood icon, Mohanlal has now ventured into the director’s chair and his directorial debut film Barroz has made its theatrical release today, December 25, 2024. The Malayalam fantasy movie, within hours of release, has gotten some vivid reviews from fans, who have highlighted their opinions on social media.
Well, it seems that Barroz has received mixed opinions from some fans, who have significantly highlighted how the film has not lived up to the expectations considering it being the senior actor’s directorial debut.
Fans have expressed disappointment at the fact that the film’s storyline is weaker, and it is only the specialised use of VFX that has been pulling it all together.
On the other hand, some other fans have appreciated the impeccable acting chops of Mohanlal himself, with special mention to the excellent 3D presentation appealing to mass audiences for more than one reason.
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There have been specific references to a few underwater scenes, which have been touted as an epitome of masterclass cinematic presentation, not to forget how it would not hit as a mass entertainer.
Check out the fans’ reviews about Barroz on Twitter:
Mohanlal has left no stone unturned when it comes to the jam-packed promotional spree for Barroz. The film’s cinematography has been done by the talented Santosh Sivan, while the musical score is handled by Mark Killian.
Coming to the plot of the film, it is said to revolve around the conquest undertaken by Barroz, the guardian of a treasure which has been hidden for over 400 years. This wealth has been trusted to only a true descendant of Da Gama.
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It is inspired as an adaptation of Jijo Punnoose’s novel Barroz: Guardian of D’Gama’s Treasure. However, the scenes were rewritten by Mohanlal and Thazhathupurakkal Karunakara Panicker, including characters and locations, leading to the exit of the novelist, forfeiting his credits.
Speaking of the cast of Barroz, besides Mohanlal, it stars Maya Rao West, Cesar Lorente Raton, Kallirroi Tziafeta, Daniel Caltagirone, Aadukalam Naren, Tuhin Menon and others.
ALSO READ:Nayanthara enjoys ‘best holiday’ in Europe with Vignesh Shivan and twins; sunsets, long walks and Eiffel Tower sum up her travel diaries; PICS
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