This Kingsman is a bit of escapist fun
Secret Service, a couple of covert British agents join forces with their American counterparts to thwart a nutzoid who plans to monopolise the global drug trade.
The second film is not as much fun as the first. But …The Golden Circle does brim with hyper-kinetic action, subversive humour and enough hi-tech gizmos to turn 007 green with envy.
Returning director Matthew Vaughan (Kick-ass) kicks things off with a bruising brawl in a London cab, followed by the destruction of the Savile Row headquarters, after which the newly minted alpha agent (Taron Egerton) and his tech guru (Mark Strong) must jet off to the US.
Their former colleague (Colin Firth), shot dead at the end of the first installment, has risen like a Phoenix and is alive again. They must all now collaborate with members of the shadowy American organisation known as Statesman, whose operatives are named after the alcohol of their choices — Whiskey (Pedro Pascal), Tequila (Channing Tatum) and Champagne (Jeff Bridges). There are several outlandish twists and turns, and flashbacks to events from the first film, possible to help the viewer keep track of the labyrinthine plot.
Elton John fetches up for an extended cameo that even sees him do some kung fu. The redoubtable Julianne Moore, though, is hopelessly miscast as the sadistic villain whose weapon of choice is a meat grinder.
Recommend only for those in the mood for escapist fun.