SOUNDBITE: ‘Kingsman: Golden Circle” brings spy adventure to America
image courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
After I watched The Golden Circle, I suddenly got the feeling that I could rule the world with nothing more than an umbrella, a fancy pair of glasses and a knife hidden in my shoe.
This kind of empowerment can only be created by the film industry.
Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a sequel no one knew they wanted, yet everyone had to have when marketing began.
The Kingsman films follow the difficult life of Eggsy (played by Taron Egerton, the voice of Johnny in Sing) from childhood to his trouble-making young adult life. While Kingsman: The Secret Service gives you the nice, meaty backstory to Eggsy, you’re not totally lost if you don’t see it prior to watching The Golden Circle. The film is the sequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service and follows the adventures of Gary “Eggsy” Unwin played by Tarin Eggerton (Eddie the Eagle).
The opening sequence is enhanced through spy glasses and includes a chase scene. Snooze fest, I thought, but what action-thriller flick doesn’t have at least one car chase? However, I didn’t expect the twist that comes to wreck Eggsy’s world.
The plot surrounds the Doomsday Protocol, which made me mad, but I will not reveal its meaning here. What kind of dumb, irresponsible cruel joke!?
The story takes the heroes through an adventure in Kentucky where we meet a gunslinging Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), a hardcore Statesman agent named Tequila. The British Kingsmen have code names relating to the knights of old, but their American counterparts’ code names refer to alcohol.
Mixed into this Statesmen bunch are Halle Berry as Ginger (Storm in any of the X-Men movies) and Jeff Bridges as Champagne or ‘Champ’ (Obadiah Stane, Iron Man). Although I detest villain monologue. Julianne Moore (President Coin in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2) as archnemisis Poppy, who wants to legitimize the drug trade, breaks the cycle of meaningless banter. By the way, I don’t think I’ll be able to eat a hamburger for a while. Thanks, Mr. Vaughn.
The Golden Circle breaks protocol for a typical spy movie several more times. When ever did Mr. Bond call his girl back home or ask permission to sleep with someone? Overall, I was impressed. Spy flicks are so easy to make these days. All you need is a young, gorgeous female companion, a scumbag bad guy and some half-decent training montages. Kingsman: The Golden Circle follows this simple checklist, yet still delivers a fun, mostly family-friendly, action-packed good time. I give it three out of five stars..
