The King’s Man movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The King’s Man

This dramatic action movie is now playing in theaters.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 2 hours 11 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

This new addition to the popular Kingsman franchise is nothing like the previous ones. Some fans will hate that; others will welcome it. The story begins in the early years of the 20^th century when the Kingsman agency is formed to stand against a cabal, plotting a war to wipe out millions.

The action flick was directed by Matthew Vaughn. The screenplay by Karl Gajdusek was based on the comic book The Secret Service by Mark Millar. After multiple delays, the movie was finally released in December 2021.

THINGS I LIKED:

Fun fact: Kingsman is based on a comic book series from Icon Comics, which is an imprint of Marvel! That little detail makes the 6^th Marvel film of 2021!
The movie’s working title was “The Great Game”, referring to the political battle between England and Russia in the 19^thcentury.
The all-new cast features Ralph Fiennes. I’ve been a fan for years and it’s so much fun to see him in an action role. He’s a believable fighter!
You’ll learn a few bits of historical trivia and insights about WWI. Not everything represented in the film, however, is accurate.
I enjoyed director Mathew Vaughn’s creative camerawork. The visuals are so impressive. You really should try to see this on the largest screen possible.
Emotional soundtrack by Henry Jackman.
There is some humor, but it’s much more serious than the other films in the franchise.
Rhys Ifans’ creepy portrayal of Grigori Rasputin is extremely entertaining. He steals every scene he’s in.
Good fight sequences. My favorite by far was when Rasputin dances through a sword fight with the trio of leading men.
Really good trailer.
There are some fun cameo performances. Don’t worry; my movie reviews are always spoiler-free!
Beautiful period sets.
Ultimately, the previous Kingsmen movies are outrageously bloody and violent for entertainment’s sake. I liked this movie much better because the violence wasn’t senseless. I love origin stories, especially when they take their time developing characters and their motivation.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Unfortunately, Fox hasn’t done a great job marketing this movie. Also unfortunately, its delayed release of 2 years now forces it to compete against December blockbusters like Spider-Man: No Way Home and The Matrix Resurrections.
Some of the CGI looks fake.
The storyline is pretty heavy and busy.
Many viewers have complained about tonal inconsistencies. They definitely have a point.
Super awkward scene with Ralph Fiennes’ pants off.
Projectile vomiting. Ick.
Some of the accents miss the mark.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Lots of profanity, including many, many F-bombs
Violence with dead bodies
War scenes

THEMES:

Helping others
Safety & protection
Chivalry
Complicated families
Anti-War
Serving your country
Passivism
Courage
Reputation and character

FUNNY LINES:

“It’s not fighting; it’s dying…much like this conversation.” – Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes)
“Why is it boys are always so messy?” – Polly (Gemma Arterton)

INTERESTING LINES:

“The more you fear something, the more likely it is to come true.” – Polly (Gemma Arterton)
“We are Oxfords, not rogues.” – Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes)
“Small things can grow into big problems.” – Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes)
“Reputation is what people think of you. Character is what you are.” – Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes)
“With every man I killed, I killed a piece of my life.” – Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes)
“We can not rely on politicians to do their job properly.” – Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes)