Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Dir: Matthew Vaughn

2017

****

Kingsman: The Secret Service was a big hit when it came out in 2015. Only those who read Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar’s comic were familiar with the characters and story, so for the mainstream audience it came as something of a surprise. I think people still overlook the creativity of adult non-superhero graphic novels and comic books, many have been made into films but few have really captured the essence of what makes the original so appealing and enjoyable. Matthew Vaughn gets it, he proved as much with 2010’s Kick-Ass, another Mark Millar comic. His only mistake was that he didn’t direct the sequel, not a mistake he was going to repeat with regards to Kingsman. Early reviews of the 2017 sequel were mixed, most stating that the film doesn’t have the same impact of the first film. A tired argument that all sequels of popular films seem to suffer these days. The first film was closer to the original comics but it was our introduction to the secret organisation, with the origin of each character explored. Now that that is out the way, it’s time for a mission and that is what the sequel is. You could say that it is more of the same but I don’t think you can accuse it of being anything but original and entertaining. It is more of the same in the best possible way, that is, the humour, excitement and inventiveness of the first is very much present second time round. While not based on one of the comics in particular it does make sure to keep with repeated themes seen in Gibbons and Millar’s original. The plot wipes away the Kingsman organisation, so the surviving agents have to seek help from their American counterparts; The Statesman, which adds another interesting level to the series. Instead of tailors, the American secret service are Whiskey distillers. Musch like the first film, the cast is big and impressive. Taron Egerton and Mark Strong return, as does Colin Firth, which was a nice surprise, nicer had his return not been shown in the trailer but I guess the producers’ worried people wouldn’t go and see it without him. The Statesman are made up of Jeff Bridges, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry and Pedro Pascal, with the lesser known Pascal stealing the show somewhat. Edward Holcroft returns from the first film as a bad guy and Sophie Cookson, the Swedish Princess whom Eggsy saved (with great reward) from the first film, returns as his girlfriend in what is quite a refreshingly un-James Bond thing to do. However, as much as the film spoofs 007, I could see Julianne Moore as a Bond Villain. Her 1950s Americana obsessed Drug lord Poppy, is a brilliant contemporary baddie. She also wins for coolest secret lair, a 1950’s themed street right called ‘Poppy Land’ in the middle of the Cambodian jungle, complete with hot dog stand, cinema, salon and diner that is clearly influenced by John Ford’s failed Fordlandia. Her secret organisation ‘The Golden Circle’ is tight-knit and anyone not following orders finds themselves thrown in the meat grinder and made into Hamburgers. Keeping with the original comic’s tendency to feature real life celebrities, Poppy kidnaps Elton John for her own amusement. Elton John is a great sport and pretty much steals the show in an exaggerated version of himself. There are elements of the story that may seem a little samey in terms of sequel. The idea of re-building is fairly familiar, The Dark Knight being the most popular and obvious example of recent years. The cynic in me thinks that maybe Colin Firth shouldn’t have returned, his death in the previous film being a quite the bold move that gave the original the edgy impact that made it so successful. The scenes with Eggsy’s mates could have been cut but I quite liked the balance they gave the film, plus it was good to see Thomas Turgoose on the big screen again. Some of the action scenes were a bit too over CGI’ed, not the big stunts that required it but the small intimate fight scenes that really didn’t. I would have liked to have seen more of The Statesman’s get-up but I’m sure that’ll be developed in the next film. Personally, I was more than entertained throughout the entire film. It was consistently funny, never predictable and I could still see Gibbon’s and Millar’s original concept clear as day. As a huge fan of both film and comics, it is a great day when I see the authentic merger of the two. Seriously, a London Black Cab turns into a submarine, Keith Allan (Lily’s Dad) is turned into a Hamburger and Elton John fights with two robot dogs – what’s not to love about that? James Bond spoofs are a dime a dozen, Kingsman actually gives 007 a run for his money and does so with wit, panache and bucket-loads of charm. It would be nice to see Kingsman have a series as long as Bond's but failing that, I'd love to see Millarworld expanded and a few more of the additions of Mark Millars work meet up on film, starting with Kick-Ass vs Kingman of course.