Kingsman: The Golden Circle, directed by Matthew Vaughn, comes three years after its predecessor Kingsman: The Secret Service. With how well-received the first one was, it’s natural to be wary of whether a sequel could recapture what made the original great, while not just being a simple retread. Well, the Kingsman sequel lived up to the hype and has left fans excited and confident about the continued quality of the franchise.
The series continues to bring back the fun and excitement to the spy genre which has moved in a more serious and gloomy direction in recent years. However, the new twist in this one is that the Kingsman need to reach out to their American counterpart, Statesman, for help stopping the diabolical plan of the villain, Poppy Adams, played by Julianne Moore.
The movie jumps into the action straight away in the first scene. Car chases, shootouts, and hand to hand fights set to pop music are just some of the great action this movie provides. But it’s not all action, as the movie allows itself to slow down at points to bring in emotional moments that help keep the film balanced. The story is told in a way that will keep audiences engaged and wanting to see what comes next.
The film does a good job referencing events from the first Kingsman without inundating the audience with “previously on Kingsman.” The writers wove in enough contextual clues for people who may have forgotten plot and character details during the franchise’s 3-year hiatus, and this was particularly helpful surrounding some of the film’s more dramatic moments that required context. Especially with some of the films more dramatic moments, it’s nice to weave in some context.
Taron Egerton, who plays Kingsman agent Eggsy in the film, once again channels the confidence and charm of early Bond films. But this time, the film provides Egerton some really nice emotional moments that help show some growth to Eggsy. The rugged and brash American Statesman agents Tequila, played by Channing Tatum, and Whiskey, played by Pedro Pascal, also played really well off of the refined British gentleman.
Julianne Moore is delightfully evil as Poppy Adams. Just as Samuel L. Jackson did in the previous film, her eccentric villain comes with a secret lair, cyborg henchman, and plan to bring the world to its knees. All of this just helps to add to the whole fun, irreverent James Bond vibe of the series.
If you loved the first Kingsman film or just enjoyed its fun, modern take on the spy movie, I would highly recommend Kingsman: The Golden Circle as a worthy successor to the first and just an overall entertaining and enjoyable experience.
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‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ Review: Featured image courtesy of 20th Century Fox
