Summary

• Henry Cavill stars in Argylle, a spy movie that looks very different from James Bond. It satirizes spy movie tropes and incorporates literary elements.
• The film pokes fun at other spy movies like Kingsmen and Bullet Train, making it stand out from traditional Bond films.
• It's better for Cavill to play a different spy character than Bond, as it allows him to showcase his talent and create an iconic role of his own.

Henry Cavill stars in the big new spy movie Argylle which, thankfully, looks nothing like it belongs in the James Bond franchise. Cavill has been in the running to play Ian Fleming's famous secret agent for a decade, first when he was too young for the role and now when he would be in his prime to play it. Argylle presents Cavill as a fictional spy, like 007, whose actions are controlled by Bryce Dallas-Howard's author character, whose bestselling spy capers are not only popular but predict the future of top secret missions, which puts her on the radar of Bryan Cranston's villain.

With its striking color palette and polished aesthetic, it evokes strong Man from U.N.C.L.E. vibes, which seemed to definitively point to him being the ideal candidate for Bond until it proved to be Cavill's new movie is a blow to Bond rumors, it could be in his best interest to take risks that lead him away from a tentpole franchise as The Witcher star looks to broaden the scope of his filmography. Given the humor and physicality needed for Agent Argylle, Cavill can distinguish himself as a different sort of spy hero that lets him showcase more of his many talents.

Henry Cavill's Argylle Looks Very Different From James Bond

Argylle uses a blend of humor and action to satirize several spy movie tropes, and while it winks at the James Bond franchise it still looks very different. It also incorporates a few literary tropes from movies about authors like The Lost City, making it stand out from the typical spy caper and action-adventure film. Henry Cavill's Argylle character is an archetype of the perfect spy by being tall, dark, and handsome, but because his actions (and the spy characters around him) are controlled by the author, his personality is based on her capricious whims and therefore more fanciful.

The spy spoof pokes fun at The Kingsmen series with Samuel L. Jackson's character, Bullet Train with Sam Rockwell's character, to name a few, which helps differentiate it from a James Bond film. The humor doesn't stray too far into the ridiculous pantomime of Austin Powers or Master of Disguise, and much like Melissa McCarthy's Spy, has heart, which gives it a grounded emotional tone. It could easily launch a franchise as numerous as the fictional Agent Argylle novels, allowing Cavill to explore a James Bond role without being 007 himself.

It's Better If Henry Cavill's Argylle Is Different From James Bond

While Cavill might seem like the perfect James Bond, it's better if he takes a different approach to this spy character. There have been so many calls for him to play 007 that apeing Bond here would feel too much like he was still gunning for the coveted role. Besides, Cavill doesn't need to play Bond-lite when he can (and should) create a new spy character that can be just as iconic. Playing Agent Ayglle won't likely stop the clamor for him to play Bond, but it'll allow him to do something a bit more unique.

Cavill just finished playing Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, a complicated but emotionally economic character, so it makes sense that he would want to take broad strokes now. He's capable of taking on roles with a little more showmanship, and the few times he did display slapstick humor in The Witcher, he seemed to really come alive. To play Bond now might limit Cavill's natural charisma and aptitude for variety and spontaneity, something Argylle is sure to deliver in spades.