Towards the release of Kingsman: The Secret Service, writer Mark Millar, and director Matthew Vaughn said a sequel might happen. Thankfully, the film grossed over $400 million worldwide on a budget of $81 million and received unanimous praise. Following the success, Fox announced that a sequel was in development, but it was unclear if Vaughn would be directing. However, in June 2015, Vaughn announced that he’d be returning to write and direct the sequel. There were concerns about Taron Egerton returning since he signed on to star in Robin Hood, which caused scheduling conflicts. Luckily, Lionsgate agreed to film after Egerton wrapped the Kingsman sequel and principal photography started in May 2016. Much of the original cast returned, alongside series newcomers Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, and Pedro Pascal. Three years after the original, Kingsman: The Golden Circle hit theaters in September 2017.
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Synopsis
Following the first film, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is now a full-fledged Kingsman living with his girlfriend Tilde (Hanna Alström). Unfortunately, after an attack by rejected Kingsman Charlie Hesketh (Edward Holcroft), The Kingsman headquarters and several agents are destroyed. The person responsible for the Kingsman’s destruction is Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore), a drug kingpin based in Cambodia. Her ultimate plan is to poison people who’ve been using her drugs and holding the world ransom. Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong) discover The Statesman, the American counterpart to The Kingsman, and ask for their help. They meet with agents Champagne (Jeff Bridges), Tequila (Channing Tatum), Whiskey (Pedro Pascal), and Ginger Ale (Halle Berry). While at Statesman headquarters, Eggsy and Merlin discover that Harry Hart (Colin Firth) survived his fatal wound. With several of their loved ones dying, Eggsy must get everyone together to save the world once again.
Review
As far as sequels go, Kingsman: The Golden Circle continues what worked in the first film, for better or worse. It doubles down on what made the original work but lacks the first film’s spark. While the first film had several over-the-top action sequences, it still took time to give the audience breathing room. Here, there’s an action sequence almost every five minutes, and it gets chaotic and distracting after a while. The action is well-choreographed and well-edited, but they happen in such quick succession that it gets tiresome. Also, there are so many new characters introduced that it can be hard to keep track of them all. Still, the further worldbuilding is exciting, and it helps show that the Kingsman goes further than just a tailor shop. Admittedly, the nearly two-and-a-half-hour runtime makes it feel much more overwhelming.
Still, plenty of aspects elevates the film from a decent sequel to a solid action film. For one, the cast all do a terrific job, both the returning actors and the newcomers to the series. Taron Egerton has fully evolved into a gentleman spy while still retaining his streetwise persona. Mark Strong gets a much more significant role, and having Colin Firth’s character start over is fascinating. While not as memorable as Samuel L. Jackson in the original, Julianne Moore makes a quirky yet sociopathic villain. The other American actors, particularly Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, and Pedro Pascal, are good despite lacking screentime. Also, even though his part is an extended cameo, Elton John is hilarious and has a decent action sequence. Overall, Kingsman: The Golden Circle doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor, but it’s still a decent watch.
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