By Ben McEachenWednesday 4 Oct 2017The Big PictureEntertainmentReading Time: 2 minutes
Kingsman: The Golden Circle reunites us with Eggsy (played by Taron Egerton), an English commoner who is now the leading agent for the secret spy organisation, Kingsman. But when the Kingsmen are shattered by the schemes of drug dealer Poppy (Julianne Moore), Eggsy works with an American group of alcohol-fuelled agents to stop her plans for global domination.
RELEASE DATE: Kingsman: The Golden Circle is available in cinemas now
RATED: Kingsman: The Golden Circle is rated MA15+ for strong violence and sex
AUDIENCE: Fans of the 2014 original Kingsman: The Secret Service, which was a surprise hit. The Golden Circle also will appeal to lovers of action-packed spy movies and tongue-in-cheek comic-book adventures.
WHAT’S GOOD: The further adventures of Eggsy include flickers of fresh ideas and some fun. With Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry and Channing Tatum as new inclusions to the cast, this star-studded sequel doesn’t want for big names who are easy to watch. Like the first movie, the villain’s outlandish plot to take over the world comes with unexpected social commentary and impressive ambition (even as it is absurd and over-the-top).
WHAT’S NOT: The second Kingsman is, at best, a disappointing, overlong and forgettable rehash of what came before. Even fans will struggle to really fire up about the lack of spark between old characters, or the overlong movie’s meagre attempts to replay some of the original’s defining moments. Once again, the Kingsman: The Golden Cirlce missions are stuffed with graphic violence and envelope-pushing sex scenes. The Golden Circle continues to unload escapist espionage to challenge your eyes and conscience – you will definitely want to stay home if full-bore cartoonish violence is not your thing – without it being as creative or extreme as the first movie.
SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING: Kingsman: The Golden Circle keeps suggesting that “manners maketh man”, a curious philosophy to live by that seems to suggest that you can be a law unto yourself – provided you are nice and polite. Really? We should be able to determine whatever we think to be right or necessary, as long as we say “please” or don’t put our elbows on the table when eating? Such a simplistic attitude to approaching the complexity of life indicates how the Kingsman franchise actually isn’t extreme enough – when it comes to combating humanity’s problems. While Kingsman: The Golden Circle is fairly tame in its approach of manners and ultra-violence, other famous figures have suggested much more radical courses of action. Take Jesus, as an example. In contrast with Kingsman, Jesus is off the charts when it comes to what he recommends as the best way to deal with the evils of our world.