Kingsman: The Golden Cirlce: watching the same magic trick for the second time

I truly enjoyed the first Kingsman, but that would lift my expectation for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. And as expected, it fell into the common pitfall for all sequels. Come to think about it, no matter how good most first movies were, most sequels just fall flat despite following back the same formula.



That is just the problem. Recycling the same formula. The first Kingsman work because it never take itself seriously, and dare to kill off one of the main character. The first movie, despite being predictable, works because of the Englishman charm and suave. Following the same formula, Golden Circle tried to double the effort in pursuing the same formula. It still never take itself seriously, but the excuse for the villains (yes, plural there) is just pathetic. The action is stylish, but having locations in different part of the world did not add to the charm. Bringing Colin Firth back from the dead is just.... not exciting. Dead character should stay dead. The only thing that still work is the suave and stylish action sequence.



The plot is full of holes. The main villain, Julianne Moore tried to hold the world ransom to expand her drug empire. Her plan began with taking out the whole Kingsman agency. Part of their backup protocol, Kingsman sought the help from their American cousin, the Statesman. There is a glaring plot hole here whereby how the villain did not target the bigger and much more resourceful American Statesman spy agency but instead went to UK instead.

The chemistry between the leads are still fun to watch, the humour still abundant. To be fair, it is still a fun movie to watch, as long as leave the brain at home before entering the cinema. However, watching it felt like watching a great magic trick the second time. It is still a great trick, but all of us know the ending, expected the climax, and left nothing for surprise. The same trick, is simply just not exciting anymore. If they do not improvise or improve, it will be mundane by the third outing.



ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: Channing Tatum is just a guest star here.