Kingsman The Golden Circle
A royal treasure to the lucky few
‘Kingsman The Golden Circle’ is the continuation of ‘The Secret Service’, the 2014 surprise hit that both parodies and renews the the gentleman spy genre in a brighter, R-rated light. For the second installment our charismatic spies travel to Kentucy to meet up with their American counterpart existent of modern cowboys to take down an underground drug ring of global concern.
This new flick certainly stirred up a fuzz as a heated debate over the quality of the film ensues only two days after its release. The New York Times calls it “an emotionally sterile lark” while screenrant mentions it “adds enough fresh and fun elements to provide an exciting sequel”. Rotten Tomatoes is of no help either as the films sits comfortably at a completely neutral 50%.
I don’t know what to say. I’m outmatched by professional critics with complicated words and loud opinions. I could sit here and talk about how I believe ‘The Golden Circle’ surpassed its predecessor in terms of style, extravagance, and ridiculousness, but the truth is it’s all just a matter of taste. Matthew Vaughn’s taste be precise.
Vaughn is doing what he wants with his beloved Kingsman film-turned-franchise, making what he thinks is entertaining without bothering himself with audience expectation. For those of us who can appreciate Vaughn’s instincts, the return of the Kingsman is a treat, but for those who’s preference does not align with the directors personal taste, the film can easily become tedious after some time into its so-called “lengthy” run time of 141 minutes, something which completely passed me by.
The film trades in reason for style and logic for humor, resulting in characters called tequila and whiskey going up against brutes with electric whips and deadly lasso’s. A hyper violent and outrageous spectacle of smooth style and smart-ass humor held together by a decent enough plot and a damn good villain (let’s face it, Poppy > Valentine in every way). Personally I would call this a win, though others are not so eager.
Not that it matters, since Kingsman isn’t trying to sell itself, it exists independently from the hype of the first movie and even from the first movie itself. Any preconceived notions about this film might as well be dismissed now, because ‘Kingsman The Golden Circle’ will not be what you’re expecting. Much more animated and bright than its counterpart, and ten times more violent, it completely renews its brand.
That being said, there are those factors that you can count on to be worthwhile. Namely the performances. Taron Edgerton returns as the heart of the franchise, as his character doesn’t change but rather grows in the second installment, retaining that familiar Eggsy charm in his new life as a gentleman spy. Futhermore Edgerton and Colin Firth are perfectly in sync, moving as one and the same person, only of different age. Finally you can trust on Mark Strong, Jeff Bridges, and the rest of the cast to deliver Vaughn’s sharp humor perfectly and integrate well with the style.
Much is left undiscussed, and how I would love to jump into Julianne Moore’s character and her 50’s nostalgia paradise, or the political undertones on the war on drugs, or Eggsy’s fairytale ending. However, as the jury is still out on the worthyness of this sequel, I suggest you discover this story in your own time, on your own terms.
I could use the most luxurious words to describe the feeling this film brings up, but I’ve been away from writing too long to jump back into my trying-so-hard way of choosing words, so I’ll just leave you with my simplest, sincerest thoughts. This movie is the most entertaining bit of unfiltered fun I’ve seen in a long while. It’s not for everyone, but I personally love it, and I appreciate the style. The only thing you can really do is see for yourself.
