Manners... maketh... man. Want me to translate that for ya?" Kingsman: The Golden Circle is as bombastic as its predecessor. Prodding the line of incredulity at an alarming rate, Matthew Vaughn continues to demonstrate his talent for action flare and relentless comic humour. Whilst maintaining the British image of etiquette and a good dress-sense, the introduction of an American equivalent makes for a series of new jokes, predominantly aimed at the Anglo-American relationship. The tie-in music sums up that partnership beautifully as we traverse between Britain and the US, making fun of both nations with equal sincerity. What makes the Golden Circle even more relentless than its predecessor though is its scope and breathtaking cast. Without the astonishing calibre of cast, I highly doubt this feature would've got off the ground.
What the film does well is setup another world-threatening power by almost completely wiping the slate on Kingsman. Pretty much everyone who was part of the team initially is blown away in the first twenty minutes of the movie, leaving you feeling a little shell-shocked. But, Vaughn has enough class and skill to keep you laughing, even in its darkest moments. Dinner with the Swedish royal family is particularly a high-point in the comedy spectrum as Eggsy attempts to progress his heated relationship with Princess Tilde. But this passionate relationship is threatened when the world is struck by a strange epidemic and Eggsy and Merlin, last remaining members of Kingsman, are forced to adhere to their American cousins, the Statesman, and form a lasting bond to defeat the new rising menace. That menace is in the form of Poppy, a nostalgic psychopath who harkens to the 50s era. Played indescribably by Julianne Moore, there's no doubt you're in for a wild portrayal early on, especially as she's taken Elton John captive as part of her 50s entertainment. Moore's performance balances a creepy love for the old-fashioned landscape with a dark and deluded love of bloody violence as she churns up a former member of the Golden Circle in a meat grinder. Vaughn never shies away from the gritty violence and sometimes needless gore, but it helps to portray Poppy as the maniacal power that she is - devoid of conscience or mercy. Her pet robotic dogs are evidence enough of her sheer strength and intelligence. The story is widespread that it can sometimes veer wildly around the world to separate locations. But, as it progresses, it never fails to keep the past in mind. Colin Firth's welcome return as Harry Hart is explained succinctly and well, even if extraordinary technology plays a part in his revival. His obsession with butterflies is great way to show how amnesia has affected his mind. It takes Eggsy's fake attempt to shoot a puppy to recover his sound intellectuality in the agent field. His contribution in the film is immense, and the film is written so well, that even as the break-neck speed of the plot continues, character development is never let down. Eggsy and Harry's relationship continues to blossom as if they had never been separated. Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges are also welcome additions to the world of Kingsman, even if their roles are short-lived. Tatum brings a typical American character and adds an ounce of comedic license to his performance, just for show. Bridges may be playing a character he's played many times before, his screen presence never falters though. Halle Berry's appearance may be underused, but the script has enough space to give her a chance to shine alongside Mark Strong, and hopefully her legacy will continue in a third film. It's Pedro Pascal who makes a large impression in the film though, playing a supposedly good Statesman, known as Whiskey, on the outside, but with an alternate motive inside. He provides a lot of laughs throughout, and his skill with a "skipping rope" make him almost the action anti-hero. I'd like to pinpoint Mark Strong as a highlight in the film who plays Merlin with just as much class and well-mannered integrity as in the first. As a good friend to Eggsy and a stalwart and loyal member of Kingsman, his brains are often the only way of escaping trouble. His final scene is possible the highlight of the film, in which he sacrifices his life after Eggsy mistakingly steps on a mine. His rendition of Take Me Home, Country Roads will always be remembered as one of the greatest send outs for a character ever. Considering all the losses Eggsy had in this film, I'm surprised he wasn't even more emotionally degraded by the end. Action plays a prominent role in Vaughn films and this no exception. Nothing beats Colin Firth's church scene in the first Kingsman, but there are so many battles to watch, one even in the first minute of the film, that it's like one long rollercoaster. The expert camerawork is like a piece of art - the way he can visualise an action scene simply through the perspective of weapons and constantly rotating around the fight makes you feel completely exhilarated. As usual, there's no holding back on the violence as people are impaled by giant scissors, thrown through car windshields, split in half by robot dogs and a lasso, not to mention shot, shot and shot again. Even the end result of the potion from the drug misuse is pretty gory to see. In terms of missteps, the only thing that I perhaps riled over was the perhaps mildly misogynistic scene in which Eggsy sexually implants a tracking device inside a woman at Glastonbury. In a film as busy as this, it's extremely impressive that there was a chance for Elton John to gain the crown for most hilarious character as he swore in abundance, high-kicked a security guard and squashed the head of a robot dog with a bowling ball. The writers even had a chance to jibe at the President of the United States by having him impeached. Poppy's demise may have been anti-climactic, but by then you're so satisfied with the story up until then that it becomes null and void. The most satisfying thing is that the end of the film teases a possible further sequel as Tequila arrives at Kingsman in London, possibly to pick up a new assignment. Whilst it doesn't quite make the comedy genius and timing of the first film, the Golden Circle is most definitely still up there with one of the great action flicks. Holding up with the visually breathtaking special effects, it's beautiful to watch and gains a lot of praise for its balance of relentless action with emotional interactions. In my opinion, another win for Vaughn, and another additional flick to add to the collection of great films this year. With Get Out, The Circle, Logan, It and Wind River, they're mounting fast. Nothing has come close to Dunkirk though. 8/10
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AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
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