ANOTHER real spy movie?

This review contains spoilers. 
 "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" is directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) who also has a writing credit alongside Jane Goldman (The Woman in Black, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children). The sequel stars Taron Egerton (Eddie the Eagle, Sing), Colin Firth (The King's Speech, Love Actually), Mark Strong (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Imitation Game), Julianne Moore (Still Alice, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay), Channing Tatum (Magic Mike, Dear John), Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water, True Grit), Halle Berry (X-Men, The Call), Pedro Pascal (Narcos, Game of Thrones) and a cracking cameo from the legendary Elton John. "When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, the Kingsman's journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US. These two elite secret organizations must band together to defeat a common enemy". With such a large cast, will "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" play like a balanced ensemble or is it just too crowded?

"Kingsman: The Golden Circle" is actually pretty good. The film has been receiving mixed reviews from most critics and I think they are being quite unfair. It's hard not to like this film. It's fun, entertaining and a satisfying sequel to a flawed yet pretty good predecessor. There may not be an action sequence quite as memorable as the infamous Church scene in "The Secret Service" and it may not make as much clever commentary on the spy genre as the first but there's still lots to like. I would recommend you see it, simply for the fact there hasn't been a decent action film out in almost 2 months. 

If I'm being honest, I thought the first act of the film was quite weak, it had me worried for what was to come. Everything just seemed very un-Kingsman. For instance, there's a scene where Eggsy (Egerton) is hanging out with his friends having banter, drinking and inhaling substances. This felt incredibly out of character- Eggsy has supposedly snapped out of this behaviour since joining the Kingsman. It's as if the film blinked for a second- it jumps from an action sequence to this weird 'lads' scene back to Egerton in Kingsman attire. I wasn't quite feeling it and it made me like Eggsy less. The action towards the start of the film was fine but it was nothing too memorable. I found it hard to believe that the taxi could go underwater and that Eggsy was able to hold his breath for as long as he did. The Prince soundtrack did redeem it slightly. Something about the first act just felt very sloppy. I don't know if that's because there wasn't a clear narrative at the time but it was certainly the weakest part of the film. 

Everything picked up though as soon as the villain was introduced. Julianne Moore's Poppy was in my opinion, way better than Samuel L. Jackson's Valetine in "The Secret Service". I think that's mainly down to my increasing dislike for Jackson as an actor but Poppy seemed more evil, had a clear motivation that some would actually agree with and had some crazy quirks. I just wish she was given the same amount of screen-time as Valentine was in the first film. Why were Poppy's scenes likely cut down? Because this film is majorly overcrowded. Some could say that there is too much going on. In one film, "The Golden Circle" kills off some characters from the first film, introduces us to a new villain and save-the-world situation, introduces us to The Statesmen, finds a way to make Colin Firth return and inserts an unnecessary but genius Elton John cameo. There's so much going on that I suppose some Poppy scenes had to go. I guess we do have a good idea of what her plan is so anything extra would have been further character development which wouldn't take priority over further narrative developments.  This didn't just happen to Poppy, all of the new characters felt like they could have done with more screen-time but they all ended up cancelling each other out in the cutting room. Luckily, the film still operates in a smooth and coherent manner but it was certainly a risky move for Vaughn and Goldman to have so much going on. They pull it off...just. 

Speaking of the new characters, The Statesmen are great additions to this world. Not only does the idea make perfect sense but all of their characters, including their hilarious names are all great and unique in their own ways. I'll try not to mention the overcrowded-ness of this film again but I really hoped to see more from these characters. Due to their lack of scenes, Jeff Bridges' Champ is the most forgettable and considering he should be the equivalent of Colin Firth's Harry Hart, that was quite disappointing. Pedro Pascal's Whiskey is actually quite an important character. It was so refreshing to see a latino character represented as part of the American community...without any mention of their race or ethnicity. There was no hidden agenda, he was simply part of the team. However, Whiskey does end up being sexist and a false-hero so he's not too likeable. Channing Tatum's Tequila is the stereotypical representation of middle America and it's hilarious. It was also believable and fitting that he became infected due to drug use. I wish we got to see more of Halle Berry's Ginger but I liked how at the end, she became the new Whiskey and finally achieved agent status. As for their performances, all of The Statesmen do a nice job. Tatum doesn't add too much range to his portfolio with this entry but he does what he's good at. Berry adds another good performance to her filmography which is always handy. Sadly, Pascal won't get more work from this franchise due to his definitive death but he certainly made an impression. From their bottle-shaped buildings to their fun personalities, The Statesmen proudly represent America. 

The returning cast do a good job. Taron Egerton blinks at the beginning with his performance as he comes across forced and a little too pouty. However, he grows into the role as the film progresses and his performance reaches the levels of the first film. Egerton does have lots more pressure this time around as it's now his film as Firth takes a backseat. He gives it his best shot. Only time will tell whether it was good enough...will Egerton land a role in a future blockbuster? As for Colin Firth, I thought the way they explained how Harry survived made sense despite how far-fetched it seemed. The writers did a good job convincing the audience. It was frustrating that Harry's injury changed the character completely though- it meant Firth had to be more clumsy in the action sequences and quite slow with the dialogue. Harry Hart may be back but he's certainly not the same Harry Hart from the first film. Firth still gives a good performance but he's just not as dynamic and captivating as last time due to the way his character has changed. Mark Strong as Merlin gets a bigger role this time around and does a really nice job. It was sad to see his character bid farewell but he goes out in a memorable way. Strong's rendition of 'Old Country Roads' is definitely a highlight from the entire film. The star of the show was definitely Julianne Moore. I loved her performance! Not only does she play a great character but she delivers everything so well. I'd definitely award her MVP for this film. There's also a brilliant cameo from Elton John- he's hilarious and all of the jokes are clever and witty. One of the best cameos I have ever seen. 

There isn't an action scene as clever and memorable as the Church scene but they do come close. The film moves at such a fast paced, it surprises me looking back that "The Golden Circle" doesn't have that many action scenes. There's the taxi chase, the Italy snowy mountains and Poppy-land. If there were any other ones, they clearly weren't that memorable. My favourite sequence of action scenes took place in Poppy-land during the final act. They were brilliant. This was when the characters cleverly utilised what was around them and showcased the cool technology the Kingsman have access to. The soundtrack for this sequence and the entire film was cleverly chosen and everything matched really well with what was occurring on-screen. Poppy-land was my favourite location in the entire film so that may explain why I enjoyed the action there most- it was at the place I wanted to spend more time in the whole film! The scene in the cable car was thrilling and a pure adrenaline rush. The visual effects were done really well. If you want to see "The Golden Circle" for more R-rated, fun, enjoyable, violent and clever action then you will be satisfied. 

After this film, I think it's clear that what sets this franchise apart from other spy films is that they are willing to tackle real life tabu topics. The first commented on societies obsession with phones and celebrities. This one comments on drug use and it actually gets quite political. Poppy has poisoned all of her drugs which will kill anybody who has used them. Poppy has also produced a cure but her proposal is that the president should legalise drugs (so she can maximise on profits legally) for her to release the cure. This is actually a discussion that people are debating in real-life politics. I think it could actually lead to the audience being divided as to whether Poppy is actually that villainous after all. However, Vaughn cleverly keeps Poppy as the antagonist by adding another level to her evilness- for fun, she likes to throw humans into the mincer and turn them into burgers. Is this necessary? No. But it's shocking and it was a 'fun' choice...if that's the right word. I was planning on having burgers the night of my screening, dinner plans were changed once I left the cinema. I liked how the film tackled a real-life debate and didn't just go with a villain who has an absurd generic masterplan. What I don't like about the morals of these films though is their respect for women. There is yet to be a great female character in the series (other than Poppy who is an antagonist). In this film, they kill of their closest thing to that- Roxy- after her debut scene. Ginger sits in the background but hopefully she will get to excel if a third film happens. There's an un-needed and extremely graphic sexual moment between Eggsy and Clara (Poppy Delevingne) where she is simply used for sex and Eggsy is also cheating on his girlfriend...all for work though right? I hope they take Ginger in the right direction as the series is in need of a positive female character.

"Kingsman: The Golden Circle" is a satisfying sequel to the surprise 2015 hit. It brings back all of the fun, thrill and violence that made the first so good. Even though this instalment is overcrowded and has lots more story to handle, the writers do manage to just pull it off. Some extra character development would be appreciated but Vaughn has said there's a 3 hour+ director's cut somewhere which we may get to see one day? All of the cast do a nice job, even if Firth's Harry Hart isn't quite the same. Julianne Moore is a brilliant villain, it's one of my favourite performances from her. "The Golden Circle" tackles a tabu subject in a clever yet light way. This isn't just a brainless popcorn movie, it will get you thinking...even if that thinking is questioning the film's morals. Everything is pretty much on par with the first film and I really enjoyed watching it. The Kingsman, The Statesman...I wonder what other secret spy groups are to be revealed in this exciting world?