Movie Review - Kingsman: The Golden Circle

A year after successfully thwarting Richard Valentine's attempt at world domination (with a pinch of genocide), Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and the Kingsmen are attacked by an unknown and well funded organization. The subsequent attack leaves many Kingsmen dead or in hiding. The only two known survivors are Eggsy and his trainer and tech support Merlin (mark Strong). In the smoldering rubble of Kingsmen HQ, the duo launches the Doomsday Protocol, which leads them to sister secret spy organization in Kentucky: The Statesmen. With their lucrative cover business as a Kentucky bourbon brand, the Statesmen and their vast resources manage to source the culprits behind the attack on the Kingsmen; a rarely seen criminal enterprise known only amongst a few as The Golden Circle.

For what it's worth, I hated the first film. The Red Bull fueled spy comedy was a very hyperactive one trick pony. The tongue-in-cheek script the weaved in and out of frenetic action sequences in a way that James Bond never could. For me, a lot of the first film didn't work. Jokes missed the mark, the story felt too similar to the best in the genre and the action was cartoonish and messy. But, what do I know; The Secret Service made over $400m worldwide. With that much money in play, a sequel is naturally going to follow. Unfortunately (for me) the sequel The Golden Circle, doubled down on its previous success, touching on more of the same highspots of the previous film.

Ultimately, The Golden Circle is a lot more of the same, supercharged spy hijinks that made the first one a success. Everything about the film seems bloated to the point of superfluousness. With an expanded roster of noteworthy cast members, a lot of talent is left with little to do. The passive aggressive jabs at U.S. policy were amusing, but film at near 2.5 hours dragged on for far too long. The Golden Circle does little more than pandering to those who really liked the first film, which is to say: if you liked the first, you'll like this installment. If you're like me and found more enjoyment in 2.5 hours of folding socks than watching The Golden Circle then, avoid this film at all costs.

Verdict: F

Rated: R @ 144 mins

NOTE: In IMAX where available