The dreaded sequel!
Sequels rarely live up to their predecessors. Men in Black, Legally Blonde and The Hangover are just a few of the many examples of comedies where the second instalment has been dramatically inferior compared to the first.
I have a real soft spot for 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service. It was one of those rare times where the movie was actually better than the trailer. The action/comedy was visually inventive and was a comic-book adaptation that felt like an actual comic book coming to life.
The moment I heard a sequel was in production, I was worried that it would be destined to be amongst the flops listed above.
Is that the case?
The first film introduced us to Kingsman – an independent, international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion, whose ultimate goal is to keep the world safe. When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and his fellow Kingsman team up with a similar organisation in the US called Statesman – featuring the likes of Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry and the ridiculously underused Channing Tatum (who has much less screen time than the marketing would have us believe).
The film starts off strong with a creative and gravity defying action sequence, much like the ones we know and love in the first. Eggsy is battling a former rival (now with a robotic hand) and the two battle it out in a speeding taxi. After this heart-pounding intro, the film takes a dramatic U-turn and starts taking itself way too seriously – becoming the very type of spy film that the series was designed to mock.
Other flaws include pacing issues (mostly due to the unnecessarily lengthy running time) and Colin Firth’s character (yes, he’s back) being turned into a feeble burden – making me mostly feel sorry for him. Again, why so serious?
Overall, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is perhaps a victim of its own success. With the first being such a triumph and breath of fresh air, it was going to take something truly incredible to top it. This is sadly not that film.
Mikey Clarke
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Genre: Action & Comedy
Running Time: 2hrs 21mins
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Written by: Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Julianne Moore, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal and Elton John (yes, you heard me right!)
See Kingsman: The Golden Circle and much more at Showcase Cinema, Peterborough. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas UK’
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