“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is filled with bizarre hysterical noise. Elton John as himself in feathered Captain Fantastic wardrobe goes Bruce Lee flying kick on the bad guy. Taron Egerton’s Agent Eggsy places high tech sensor in the cavity of groupie Clara, played by hippie spacey Poppy Delevingne, not the one in her mouth. “Kingsman 2” culminates in the exquisite over-the-top martial arts and gun display with Eggsy and his mentor Harry, played by Colin Firth, at drug cartel headquarters Poppyland in the jungles of Cambodia to the tune of Elton’s “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”.
“The Golden Circle” ironically and touchingly lands in Colin Firth’s soothing gravitas as Harry. Eggsy tells Harry that he fears if they can’t retrieve the villain’s antivirus, his fiancée Princess Tilde, lovely Hanna Alstrom, will die. Eggsy regrets that he fell in love with her; thus, violating Kingsman oath. Harry says, “Having something to lose makes life worth living.” Firth can truly land a line. In “The King’s Speech” when he says, “I have a voice.” he broke my heart. “The King’s Speech” is one of best movies ever made. Clearly, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is not in that company. Contrary to critical mass opinion, “Kingsman 2” is just plain fun. I believe that counts for something.
Writer and Director Matthew Vaughn returns in his sequel of the very entertaining “Kingsman” with a scattered cluster of narratives, mostly outrageous and hilarious. Julianne Moore does her whacked out best as global drug lord Poppy, who single-handedly annihilates the Kingsman. All that apparently remains is Eggsy and his beloved tech adviser Merlin, played by stalwart Mark Strong. Poppy as part of her master plan created a virus that will kill anyone, who uses any of Poppyland’s recreational illicit drugs or associated derivatives. This targets millions of people. This is all part of Poppy’s scheme to extort the United States.
Comical Bruce Greenwood in this satirical incarnation of the President of the United States sees this as the leverage point to “End the War on Drugs”. Without either suppliers or addicts, there is no war. This stark simplicity is part of the warped sense of humor in Vaughn and Jane Goldman’s screenplay.
Forced to regroup Eggsy and Merlin follow their intelligence trail to the American version of Kingsman in Kentucky—Statesman. Channing Tatum is very cool as Agent Tequila, who provides their introduction, and mercilessly kicks both their asses with his martial arts skills. Too bad Tatum is not leveraged more here. Perhaps, in “Kingsman 3”? Statesman Leader Champ, played by laid-back Jeff Bridges, and adviser Ginger, subtly brilliant Halle Berry, reveal to Eggsy and Merlin that Harry is alive, thought shot to death in “Kingsman”. However, death in movies is as we all know: relative. Harry is alive without memory of his Kingsman past.
There are great action sequences like where Agent Whiskey, charismatic Pedro Pascal, kills the army of winter soldiers with six-shooters and a laser lasso. When the noise quiets, “Kingsman 2” meditates its center in the unexpected homage of Eggsy’s mentors: Harry and Merlin. In the most touching scene, Harry tells Merlin, “It has been an honor ” Both Harry and Merlin are the Fathers that Eggsy never had, and they defined the man he becomes. “Kingsman 2” is bittersweet and nice in this acknowledgment.
Besides as my friend Ron pointed out, the f-bomb spewing Elton John in the movie actually might not be caricature. Yeah, there is a lot of weird going on in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. Most of it works, because of talented actors, a sense of humor, and some heart.
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Originally Published on IMDb