Kingsman: The Secret Service/The Golden Circle Review

Kingsman: The Secret Service/The Golden Circle

Release Date: 5th February 2015 - Australia (Secret Service)

21st September 2017 - Australia (Golden Circle)

Production Companies

20th Century Fox

Marv Films
Cloudy Productions
TSG Entertainment (made in association with)

Distribution

20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: MA15+ (Not Suitable for Young Children)

Runtime: 129 minutes 

                  (Secret Service)

                141 minutes 

                (Golden Circle)


Budget: $94,000,000 (Secret Service)
$104,000,000 (Golden Circle)

Box Office Gross: $414,351,546 (Worldwide) (Secret Service)
$410,902,662 (Worldwide) (Golden Circle)

Plot Summaries

THE SECRET SERVICE 
Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, whose
late father secretly worked 

for a spy organisation, lives 

in a South London housing 

estate and seems headed 

for a life behind bars. 

However, dapper agent 

Harry Hart recognises 

potential in the youth 

and recruits him to be 

a trainee in the secret 

service. Meanwhile, 

villainous Richmond 

Valentine launches a 
diabolical plan to solve 
the problem of climate 
change via a worldwide 

killing spree. (Source - Google)

THE GOLDEN CIRCLE 

Gary “Eggsy” Unwin is 

learning what it takes to 

be a true Kingsman from 
mentor Harry Hart. He 
learns nice clothes, fancy 
cars and cool weapons 
help the Kingsman with their 
ultimate goal: to sacrifice 
anything for the greater good.

But when the Kingsman 
headquarters is destroyed, 
Eggsy and Merlin have 
to figure out who is 

responsible. Their research 

leads them to discover an 

allied American agency 
called Statesman 
comprised of Agent Tequila, 
Agent Whiskey and Agent 
Champagne. The two 

agencies decide to band 
together to try to discover 
this new enemy and save 
the world. (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Cast

Talon Egerton - Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin

Colin Firth - Harry Hart/

Galahad

Mark Strong - Merlin
Sophie Cookson - Roxy

Edward Holcroft - Charlie
Samantha Womack - Michelle Unwin

Tobi Bakare - Jamal

Hanna Alström - Princess Tilde

THE SECRET SERVICE

Samuel L. Jackson - Richmond Valentine
Sofia Boutella - Gazelle

Michael Caine - Chester King/Arthur
Mark Hamill - Professor Arnold 

Jack Davenport - Lancelot
Geoff Bell - Dean
Jordan Long - Poodle

Alex Nikolov - Little Eggsy
Fiona Hampton - Amelia
Jack Cutmore-Scott - Rufus Saville

Bjørn Floberg - Scandavian Prime Minister

Lily Travers - Lady Sophie

Richard Brake - The Interrogator
Andrew Bridgmont - Kingsman Tailor

Nicholas Banks - Digby

Tom Prior - Hugo

Jonno Davies - Lee
Theo Barklem-Biggs - Ryan

Morgan Watkins - Rottweiler

Nicholas Agnew - Nathaniel

Rowan Polonski - Piers
Corey Johnson - Church Leader
Anne Wittman - Church Blonde Woman

THE GOLDEN CIRCLE 

Julianne Moore - Poppy

Channing Tatum - Tequila 

Pedro Pascal - Whiskey

Jeff Bridges - Champ

Halle Berry - Ginger
Elton John - Himself

Michael Gambon - Arthur

Keith Allen - Charles

Tom Benedict Knight - Angel

Mark Arnold - General McCoy

Bruce Greenwood - The President
Poppy Delevingne - Clara
Emily Watson - Chief of Staff Fox
Bjorn Granath - The King of Sweden
Lena Endre - The Queen of Sweden
Calvin Demba - Brandon
Thomas Turgoose - Liam
Nicholas Colicos - Very Drunk Redneck
Shannon Bream - FOX News Anchor
James Carroll Jordan - Harvard Professor
Bill Hemmer - FOX News Anchor
Antonio Magro - Confused Guard
Joe Gallina - Poppy's Security Gate Guard
Mingus Johnston - First Burly Guard

Crew

Screenplay/Producer/

Director - Matthew Vaughn

Based on Comic Book 

"Secret Service"/Executive 

Producers - Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons

Screenplay/Co-Producer - Jane Goldman

Executive Producers - Pierre Lagrange, Stephen Marks and Claudia Schiffer

Producers - Adam Bohling and David Reid

Production Designers - Paul Kirby (*)
and Darren Gilford (**)
Supervising Art Directors - Andy Thomson (*)
and Grant Armstrong (**)
Set Decorators - David Morison (*),
Jennifer Williams (*) and Rosemary Brundenberg (**)
Property Masters - David Chessman (*) and Ty Teiger (**)

Costume Designer - Adrianne Phillips

Cinematography - George Richmond
Aerial Director of Photography - Adam Dale 
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Bradley James Allan
Second Unit Directors - Kenny Bates (*) and
Moumita Moundal (**)

Stunt Coordinator - Adam Kirley

Additional Stunt Coordinator - James O’Donnell (*)
Fight Arranger/Stunt Double: Taron Egerton (*)/
Stunt Performer - Damien Walters
Fight Coordinator - Guillermo Grispo

Skydiving Supervisor - David Emerson (*)

Special Effects Supervisor - Steven Warner
Special Effects Coordinator - Anna Krawczyk (*)

Special Effects Consultant - Neil Corbould (*)

Visual Effects Supervisors - Steven Begg (*),
Matt Kasmir (*) and Angus Bickerton (**)
Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Mark Breakspear (**)
Visual Effects Supervisor: Framestore -
Chris Lawrence (**)

Visual Effects Supervisor/Lidar and Cyber
Scanning Supervisor - Huseyin Caner (*)

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors -
John Paul Docherty and John Bruno (*)
On Set Visual Effects Supervisor - John Haley (**)
Visual Effects Producers - Stephen Elson (*),
Jessica Norton (*), Barrie Hemsley (**) and
Scott Mitchell (**)
Animation Director - Max Tyrie (**)
CG Supervisors - Fabio Zangla and
Jim 'Big Dog' McLean (**)

Film Editors - Eddie Hamilton and
John Harris (*)

Music - Henry Jackman and
Matthew Margeson

Review

I apologise for taking another break as I had to finish my long-term animated project among other things. While taking a trip down to Sydney, I recently come across the Hoyts cinema in Penrith where I saw the second 'Kingsman' instalment 'THE GOLDEN CIRCLE'. Before that, I had watched 'THE SECRET SERVICE' and it was the fourth time that I’ve watched this film. 

THE SECRET SERVICE

An excessively violent spy-fi movie with stylised action sequences that reminisces the classic spy movies from the 1960s and 1970s like James Bond. 'KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE' is a dapper movie with a great sense of humour and action-packed story-line. Matthew Vaughn has never been formally introduced to the espionage sub-genre for a film that’s based on an original comic. Much like his few other films that were previously adapted from comic-books, this movie also has the director’s penchant for gruesome violence and vulgarity. Trust me, this one is completely different to his superhero flicks that were 'Kick-Ass' and 'X-Men: First Class'. This film has very much of the hardcore fight scenes and explosions and speaking of these two, the church scene and the pub-fight are absolutely two of the best moments and the part of the exploding heads is to die for.

Taron Egerton was warmly welcomed as the new star in a much-deserved role as Eggsy, a young man who desires to do good in his life. Colin Firth was even a suitable British actor when he is fantastic as Harry Hart who trains Eggsy to become a proper English gentleman spy. Hollywood’s living legend Samuel L. Jackson has had a dazzling opportunity to do an over-the-top portrayal as the lisping villainous businessman named Richmond Valentine. Mark Strong was the director’s frequent collaborator and is once again working with him in a supporting role as Merlin. Sofia Boutella was ideally chosen in her debut role as the deadly henchwoman Gazelle.

This movie may be horrifying for some with graphic violent scenes and crude language, and don’t mind the campiness that hasn’t been used before in a recent spy movie. I appreciate the level of enthusiasm that has been brought to 'THE SECRET SERVICE' and is properly envisioned as the year’s ultimate action-packed blockbuster. If you are old enough to see it, just buy it or rent it elsewhere in online and retail.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

It seems that the wait is over as the first 'Kingsman' movie’s helmer Matthew Vaughn is back for its newest chapter to revisit the glamorous but violent style of espionage. Unfortunately for him, he’s forgotten what he had promised us, more genuine class in the sequel. 'THE GOLDEN CIRCLE' was twice as big as the original film but rehashes everything that was done in its predecessor. There are a few grating plot-holes that were noticeable enough to derail the film off its corners. Nevertheless, the new characters were added to the plot like those from the Statesman agency plus the violence and action sequences are still intact but remained as over the top and edgy. 

It was truly unexpected to see Colin Firth return in a screen combination with the main lead actor Taron Egerton. Actress Julianne Moore does a great performance as the smart and cunning villainess who has a secret motivation that doesn’t involve world domination or doomsday cataclysm. Pop musician Elton John was no actor but rather than a cameo, he outplays himself as being in a supporting role. Halle Berry was sweet as the American female counterpart of Merlin. Jeff Bridges was a bit of a dandy as the head of the Statesman agency. Channing Tatum was good but I felt his character Tequila could have had more screen-time, if he was featured in the rest of the movie for more action. 

'THE GOLDEN CIRCLE' is somewhat decent but it was an instantly forgettable continuation and some believed it was being put upon for the sake of the style. There is still much fun going on with just this film to get the 'Kingsman' saga going until the next instalment is unveiled..

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie 

Back to Home