Warning, spoilers ahead…

In 2015 a new and refreshing take on the spy genre arrived with Kingsman: The Secret Service. It was so good that it even made my Top Ten for that year. Now comes the highly anticipated sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle once again directed by Matthew Vaughn.



What made The Secret Service so fun with it’s over the top violence, stylized fight sequences and gadgets galore that would make 007 giddy, is ever-present in The Golden Circle. That’s the good news. The bad or more accurately disappointing news is that the sequel falls a tad short on the charm and originality that made the first film such a standout.

After all the Kingsman are wiped out by a missile attack from drug lord Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore), lone survivors Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Merlin (Mark Strong) set out to regroup and find out who is behind this attack. Using the Doomsday protocol Eggsy and Merlin turn to their American counterparts in Kentucky called the Statesman. There they find an old friend, Harry (Colin Firth) thought to have died during the first film but was saved by the Statesman and nursed back to health. Joining the trio is Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry and Jeff Bridges. With the exception of Berry and Pascal, Tatum and Bridges are not given enough material to shine. Speaking of not given enough to shine, Moore’s villainous Poppy Adams is slightly under used which is shame because she is scary good when she is on-screen. She even kidnapped Elton John who by the way provides some of the best comedic moments in the film.

As far as sequels go, The Golden Circle definitely has enough highlights and spectacular effects for one to enjoy and with it enough to call for a third film that will most likely be hitting theaters within the next couple of years. Always remember, Manners Maketh Man.

Directed by: Matthew Vaughn.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Mark Strong, Edward Holcroft, Pedro Pascal, Hanna Alström, Halle Berry, Elton John, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Poppy Delevingne, Bruce Greenwood, Emily Watson.

R 141 mins

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRC LE – *** (out of 5 stars)

May the Dork be with you,

JPB

The Dork Knight

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