Kingsmen: The Golden Circle - Movie Review

When the original Kingsmen dropped, I wasn't sure what to expect. I half expected 007 cum Twilight. While the franchise seems geared toward a modern audience, it is not a cheap knockoff. While there are parallels to James Bond, the concept stands on its own merit. I have been eagerly awaiting Kingsmen: The Golden Circle which I caught at the matinee today. I was not disappointed.

I had apprehension about the original, and couldn't help but find myself wondering if I would enjoy the sequel. Sequels often capitalize on success of original stories without creating any original material. Kingsmen: The Golden Circle accomplishes that feat, introducing a new "private intelligence service" based in America. While laden with stereotypes, the writing is well done. After suffering devastating destruction to all of their agents as well as their support system, the young hero, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) must rebuild with just one remaining Kingsman, Merlin (Mark Strong). Luckily, a new support system was built in as a final protocol. The protocol leads them to their American counterparts, The Statesman, where they team up with Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) and Champagne (Jeff Bridges). They join forces to stop a diabolical plot launched by Poppy (Julianne Moore) who has managed to corner the drug trade. With the unexpected return of a former teammate, the agents travel the globe with plenty of gadgets and high flying action to save the planet.

The thing I like about Kingsmen is that it delivers more than just high paced action. Kingsmen: The Golden Circle continues the high standards of the original, delivering a solid plot, amusing gadgets, heart pumping action sequences and a steady pace. The narrative arc speeds forward to a mildly predictable conclusion (with a kiss to Fargo) delivered by a cast of well-known talent. There are a handful of Oscar winners along with a few lesser known actors. The performances were spot on. The dialogue was sharp, with a couple of memorable lines delivered. Intelligent action films are hard to come by. This franchise is worth a third shot, which it appears to be getting at an undetermined date. Writers Matthew Vaughn (who also directed) and Jane Goldman return for the third installment, so I am definitely interested in seeing where they go with it.

Kingsmen: The Golden Circle has a lot of strong language, some graphic violence and drug use as a major theme. There was also some sexual content, which was a little bit graphic, although there was no nudity. It was certainly enough to earn the R Rating given by the MPAA. This film is primarily an action film. The sexuality, language and violence were all handled contextually but I might still be concerned about younger viewers. I would go with teenagers or above as a rough guide.

Kingsmen: The Golden Circle is an easy recommendation for me. Strong writing, great performances, solid pacing, thrilling action sequences and fresh dialogue equate to an entertaining film. In this case, the movie is a sum of its parts. While I went to see the matinee, I would not have been disappointed had I paid full price. If you miss this one in the theaters, it is definitely one to watch for when it hits the streaming services. I am a fan of this franchise, but well done. 8/10.