The King's Man

If you don't want to proceed sequentially, a prequel (almost) always seems like a fresh idea, and the third Kingsman bets on that. Setting the story in the First World War was good option, given the nature of the film, and Matthew Vaughn took it on with vigour. The King’s Man is definitely not for fans of accurate history – which I am thankfully not. It features a number of historical figures, but they take on a whole new dimension (I could go on at length about Rasputin) and Vaughn mostly manages to make humorous use of even their unconventional concepts. The identity of the main villain is clear almost from the start, but this is offset by the rather unexpected death of one of the main characters. The film does have a few spots that push the envelope too much, but I still had fun in the cinema and watched the beginnings of the modern-day "Knights of the Round Table" with excitement. PS: Some of Ralph Fiennes screams reminded me of Voldemort destroying the defensive shield of Hogwarts. (01/07/2022)

I'm somewhat puzzled about my rating for this movie because there are a few potential reasons behind it. It could be that I wasn't in the right mood, or perhaps Matthew Vaughn isn't what he used to be (though I'm reluctant to believe that), or maybe the spy genre is just becoming a bit worn out. Whatever the case, this third glimpse into the world of the most secretive of secret services didn't quite captivate me as its predecessors did, and the third star was mainly earned by the stellar cast. I did find it amusing how the plot included numerous historical figures, but the story itself felt afflicted with acute clichés and excessive melodrama. The main plotline was painfully predictable, and the film's runtime seemed overly long for what it offered. I found myself getting quite bored during some stretched-out parts; even the highly anticipated sword-fighting at the end felt like it could have been trimmed down. Overall, I was left wanting more from this movie. / Lesson learned: There's always a Scot behind everything. 3*- (03/01/2022)

It's far from the genius of the first one and it's not as megalomaniacal or over-the-top as the second one, yet still is overwhelmingly a disappointment. It's crazy fun at individual points (the bit with Rasputin and the trench sequences are pure delight), but the whole comes across as rather wild and disorganized (not in a good way, unfortunately). It is, of course, absolutely flawlessly and confidently filmed, but what does it matter when it still turns out to be the weakest installment in the series. Gemma Arterton was great and woefully underused. I expected a lot more and even IMAX didn't save it. [65%] (01/17/2022)

If all those amazing visual ideas, the surprisingly resolved situations and the sweetly over-the-top humour were wrapped in something called a meaningful plot and not a twisted alternate reality pulled out of someone’s ass like from the pen of a drunken Vondruška, I'd be happy. Give Vaughn the next Bond movie, really, the guy's got it. (03/31/2022)

I freaking loved it! I finally got to see the film and after the mixed reviews, I have to say that I am absolutely satisfied and with only minor reservations. The first Kingsman is one my top 10 movies of all time, so of course I love the whole franchise, it's pretty close to my heart and setting it in WWI was a great idea. Matthew Vaughn is a director with a distinctive style and I enjoy his playful and creative direction immensely, definitely the direction I would go in if I were a director. The characters this time may not be as likable as in the original, Harris Dickinson is no Taron Egerton, and Ralph Fiennes is not as good as Colin Firth, but I could live with that. Visually, the film is again driven to technical perfection and absolute refinement, Vaughn's alternate history fascinated me (despite being obviously fiction, it felt believable and entertaining and the cameos by well-known historical figures were great). You have to wait a bit longer for the action, but once it comes, the director once again had me wrapped up around all his fingers. The action is always varied, well shot, insanely stylish to the point of being luxurious, and I'm tempted to do it all again after watching it. A crazy dance with Rasputin, a downright delicious fight with various combat weapons in the trenches (that had me screaming like a bitch), one of my new favorite action scenes, and then of course the half hour screaming finale that has everything I expect from a proper ending. It's a little disappointing that this time Vaughn tamed the gore and didn't add much humour either, but he pretty much made up for it with an uncompromising twist that no one expects. The villains also deserve praise (Rasputin was brilliant) and I found the whole spy story against the backdrop of WWI very entertaining and thoroughly developed. A few people complain about how slow it is, but I found it more brisk and action packed than The Batman, so high satisfaction for me, I could handle an extra 30 minutes. Story 4/5, Action 5/5, Humor 3/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 5/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 4/5. 9/10. (03/14/2022)