Kingsman: The Golden Circle has been released into theaters and is once again directed by Matthew Vaughn, who is also responsible for directing the first “Kingsman” as well as a plethora of other good films. Based on “The Secret Service” comic book series by Mark Millar, the film serves as a sequel to 2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, which was a huge hit with both critics and fans of the action/comic book movie genre (myself included). Even one Hillgrove student said it was “Good. Very good.” With that success came both anticipation for the sequel, which was scheduled for release in 2017, as well as the question of whether or not the sequel would be just as good as the first movie, if not better. The answer to that question, for the most part, is yes.
The plot follows newly appointed Kingsman agent Eggsy (played by Taron Egerton) as he finds out that his rival from the first film is back for vengeance, with a robotic arm to boot. Things get worse when the leader of a high-tech drug cartel (played by Julienne Moore) uses her resources to heavily cripple the Kingsmen, effectively destroying all of their bases and killing most of the agents. To combat this new threat, Eggsy and his fellow agent Merlin (played by Mark Strong) make their way to the USA to enlist the help of the Statesman, the American equivalent of the Kingsmen. Once there, they discover that Eggsy’s former mentor Harry (played by Colin Firth) is alive after being presumed dead. With the help of the Statesman and his old ally, Eggsy must now find a way to stop both his former rival-turned-assassin and the cartel from controlling most of the world.
The film itself is directed fantastically, with plenty of amazing set pieces, colors, and cinematography. This makes sense as Matthew Vaughn has directed a fair share of other comic book movies, such as X-Men First Class. The acting is also on point, with great performances coming from the likes of Julienne Moore as the villain and returning actors such as Taron Egerton and Mark Strong. Joining the existing cast are stars like Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, and Channing Tatum, who also turn in a good job. However, in terms of the plot, the film does leave a bit to be desired.
The film’s main problem is that it simply has way too many subplots. At first, it starts out straightforward and evenly paced, but as the movie goes on it starts to introduce several other elements to the plot that are occasionally entertaining but do feel a bit tagged on. One particular part of the story involving the President of the USA came almost out of nowhere and felt completely unnecessary. On top of that, the tone can also be a divisive aspect for a lot of people. While the first film had a consistent serious tone with jokes mixed in, the sequel uses a lot more comedy, which is still funny, but may throw people off.
However, the film more than makes up for it shortcomings with its terrific action sequences. While they don't quite measure up to the first movie’s church fight, the action scenes are exciting, well-shot, and very creative. The climax of the film is especially satisfying with plenty of great moments and even Elton John(do not ask). The action will also satisfy plenty of rated-r fans as it provides lots of violence as well.
Overall, while Kingsman: The Golden Circle may not be as well-polished as the first film, but it does continue the story in a satisfying way and leaves fans with an entertaining action film nonetheless. If someone is looking for a mix of “Archer” and a comic book movie, then this is the perfect movie to fit that description. Just be sure to turn your brain off for a few scenes and you'll have a blast throughout.
Final Verdict: B+
picture: www. movieweb.com
The plot follows newly appointed Kingsman agent Eggsy (played by Taron Egerton) as he finds out that his rival from the first film is back for vengeance, with a robotic arm to boot. Things get worse when the leader of a high-tech drug cartel (played by Julienne Moore) uses her resources to heavily cripple the Kingsmen, effectively destroying all of their bases and killing most of the agents. To combat this new threat, Eggsy and his fellow agent Merlin (played by Mark Strong) make their way to the USA to enlist the help of the Statesman, the American equivalent of the Kingsmen. Once there, they discover that Eggsy’s former mentor Harry (played by Colin Firth) is alive after being presumed dead. With the help of the Statesman and his old ally, Eggsy must now find a way to stop both his former rival-turned-assassin and the cartel from controlling most of the world.
The film itself is directed fantastically, with plenty of amazing set pieces, colors, and cinematography. This makes sense as Matthew Vaughn has directed a fair share of other comic book movies, such as X-Men First Class. The acting is also on point, with great performances coming from the likes of Julienne Moore as the villain and returning actors such as Taron Egerton and Mark Strong. Joining the existing cast are stars like Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, and Channing Tatum, who also turn in a good job. However, in terms of the plot, the film does leave a bit to be desired.
The film’s main problem is that it simply has way too many subplots. At first, it starts out straightforward and evenly paced, but as the movie goes on it starts to introduce several other elements to the plot that are occasionally entertaining but do feel a bit tagged on. One particular part of the story involving the President of the USA came almost out of nowhere and felt completely unnecessary. On top of that, the tone can also be a divisive aspect for a lot of people. While the first film had a consistent serious tone with jokes mixed in, the sequel uses a lot more comedy, which is still funny, but may throw people off.
However, the film more than makes up for it shortcomings with its terrific action sequences. While they don't quite measure up to the first movie’s church fight, the action scenes are exciting, well-shot, and very creative. The climax of the film is especially satisfying with plenty of great moments and even Elton John(do not ask). The action will also satisfy plenty of rated-r fans as it provides lots of violence as well.
Overall, while Kingsman: The Golden Circle may not be as well-polished as the first film, but it does continue the story in a satisfying way and leaves fans with an entertaining action film nonetheless. If someone is looking for a mix of “Archer” and a comic book movie, then this is the perfect movie to fit that description. Just be sure to turn your brain off for a few scenes and you'll have a blast throughout.
Final Verdict: B+
picture: www. movieweb.com