Kingsman : Le Cercle d'or

The first Kingsman was very good and the second part didn't disappoint either. The action and effects were comparable with the first movie but think the story of the second movie was not that good. The movie had a nice pace of action from start to end and the acting was very good.

In the first movie Samual L. Jackson was outstanding as the bad guy but think this movie lacked someone like that.

First movie was great fun, this one is utterly awful. Rubbish plot, don't get me started with the implantation scene at Glastonbury - wtf? Stupid film, terrible characters and I can't believe I watched it. Do not waste your time.

Read to the end to see my updated thoughts.

'Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)' is essentially all a big joke played on those who took umbrage at the few select sexualised moments from the final act of the first film, a joke whereby everything is consistently ramped up to eleven regardless of its negative impact on the story. This standoffish move is meant to further separate the apparent 'critics' from the so-called 'fans', yet it only successfully provides both categories with a much worse experience. While I and many other 'fans' didn't mind (or at least excused) the passive, clearly satirical crude jests and occasional absurdity of the original picture, we certainly didn't want a follow-up based entirely around what would obviously be considered the weakest aspects of that piece - elements which were only mitigated by the joyous fun found in the brilliance of its subtle yet witty satire and its surprisingly well-developed characters. These pieces of the puzzle are now missing. Though this picture is, at times, passively entertaining, what we're left with is a fairly by-the-numbers 'save the world' plot and a string of odd action set-pieces seemingly incompetently put together. There's abhorrent use of rampant speed ramping that makes things literally look like someone hit the fast-forward button, and haphazardly stitched-together short takes that are supposed to make some sequences look like one fluid shot but instead make them look like cheap cartoons. In his quest to ignore the naysayers, Vaughn disappointingly squanders all of the good will he had built with his predecessor and bizarrely wipes the slate clean relatively early on, wasting time setting up a less interesting new set of characters instead of working with the better characters already expertly established at the end of the prior title. He also reintroduces a previously dead character (seen in the trailers), after making him an amnesiac no less, in a move that should be reserved only for a waning franchise at least five films in that's struggling to maintain its relevancy, not for what was once perhaps the most promising new property in Hollywood.

After revisiting this recently, I can safely say that it's far more fun than I originally gave it credit for. Perhaps it's because my expectations were on the floor, but I really enjoyed the film this time around. Its narrative issues are still present but somehow far less bothersome, while its action is actually really well-achieved for the most part. It leans into its ridiculousness and knows exactly what it is. It's actually a lot of fun. I guess I have to eat the words of my original review (which I'll leave above for posterity's sake), but I gladly will; after all, who doesn't want to enjoy a movie? 7/10.

'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' has everything fans of the first film could have possibly wanted and more. Action, humour and special effects are all in abundance and visually it's very impressive. The plot is decent, especially for a sequel, but it never quite reaches the same level as the first film. The British/American theme works well though and there are some very funny cultural jokes and references.

As someone who loved the first 'Kingsman', I'm pleased that the sequel didn't disappoint. It remains true to everything that made the first film such a success, including taking some big risks and thinking out of the box. The end result is an imperfect and at times messy film, but a rewarding and highly entertaining one nonetheless. 'The Golden Circle' is much better than expected but just not quite on the same level as the first film.

What exactly was so special about Kingsman: The Secret Service to warrant a sequel this overlong, bloated & nonsensical? Sure, the first movie carried a fresh vibe and was amusing & entertaining to an extent but everything that contributed to its success and made it such a fun ride is lost in this follow-up chapter that's purely an exercise in excess. And a terrible one at that.

Set one year after the events of the first film, Kingsman: The Golden Circle finds Eggsy teaming up with the only other surviving Kingsman agent after their headquarters is completely destroyed. As the two head out to find the ones responsible, they stumble upon an allied spy organization & a familiar face, but both agencies must work together if they are to save the world from a new threat.

Co-written & directed by Matthew Vaughn (best known for Kick-Ass & X-Men: First Class), the sequel is an absolute farce from beginning to end that takes the over-the-top action of its predecessor to such levels that it becomes downright ridiculous. The new characters are awfully written & poorly integrated into the story while returning ones have nothing new to offer.

Everything that was fresh & kinetic about the first movie is exaggerated to such extent that it loses its value here. The overly-stylized action itself fails to create the same level of interest and is a tad too cartoonish this time. The story revels in foolishness but crosses that line beyond which things aren't fun but a chore to sit through. And its 141 minutes runtime doesn't help the cause either, for it is severely felt.

Coming to the performances, Kingsman finds Taron Edgerton, Mark Strong & Colin Firth reprising their roles while the new additions include Julianne Moore, Pedro Pascal, Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry & Elton John, and other than Strong, every one of them is terrible in their given roles. The stupidly named characters they play are not at all interesting, and it's clear that they all only signed up for easy money.

On an overall scale, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is an exceptionally inferior entry in the Kingsman series and is one of the worst films of the year. A dumbed down version of the original that doesn't even remember what made its predecessor click and falls flat in nearly all filmmaking departments, Vaughn's latest is a dull, rotten & atrocious piece of work that's too full of itself, and certainly isn't worth your time & money. In a word, forgettable.