The latest instalment in The Kingsman franchise, aptly named The King’s Man, transports audiences to the founding days of the organisation, conveying the events preceding its inception. The film offers a slightly altered take on history than the one viewers will be familiar with, and in doing so cements the spies as playing an essential role in the conclusion of the first world war.
Actors Ralph Fiennes (Red Dragon, No Time To Die, Spectre) and Harris Dickinson (Beach Rats, The Darkest Minds, Maleficent 2) team up with Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans, Runner Runner) and Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy, Blood Diamond, Gladiator) to save the world from a prevelant threat.
The narrative does a good job of establishing the organisation audiences are familiar with, however this doesn’t make it perfect. Disappointingly, the story’s efforts to keep the identity of the Shepherd a secret in order to make a shocking reveal at the end, just doesn’t come off as planned. The identity of the mysterious Scotsman is glaringly obvious because of some suggestive dialogue at the beginning of the film. While this has an obvious impact on the shock value later on, it doesn’t really detract from the engaging nature of the film until that point.
This is mostly due to the fitting and encapsulating fight choreography implemented during the action scenes. The action scenes are what is to be expected from a Kingsman film, and while they aren’t necessarily of the standard shown in prior entries, a few definitely make their mark. While one of these is due to the unsettling and downright bizarre nature of the interactions, there are certain fight scenes that are definite standouts, utilising both great choreography and storytelling to keep the eyes of the audience fixed to the screen.
A highlight of the film is the depiction of the front lines in the first world war, especially the trench sequences where arguably the best fight scene of the film takes place. The film doesn’t hold back in its portrayal of the violence and devastation caused on the battlefield, making for some of the more memorable scenes of the film. This segment is full of shock, horror, action, death and destruction, and the film is all the better for it.
The cinematography is one of the film’s stronger attributes, amplifying great moments while also somewhat diverting attention away from not so great elements too. A particularly notable case where the cinematography plays a key role, is the trench sequences. The lighting and colour grading help to accurately convey the depressing reality of war which helps to keep the audience engaged, and therefore maintains the illusion that this alternative history is real.
The characters in the film are all well written and present unique attributes that keep each core character interesting and unpredictable. The relationships make sense and are well explored. In the case of Conrad and his father, their scenes together are touching and relatable, with the added bonus that the audience can understand and empathise with both parties and their reasons for their actions.
The dynamic between The Duke of Oxford and his allies makes for some of the more humorous moments in the story. The humorous attention to detail in regards to how certain characters are portrayed is also impressive. For example, all three of the royal cousins being played by the same actor, Tom Hollander, (The Night Manager, Us, Bird Box. The supporting characters, particularly Poly and Shola are interestingly written, holding their own and helping to engage the audience during scenes where the main few are absent. They do not feel out of place, contributing a lot of skill and humour to the team, ensuring that the mission is a success.
After 8 delays, the film then had the gruelling task of competing at the box office with not only the latest Sing instalment, but also the fourth entry to the Matrix franchise, which unsurprisingly led to it underperforming. That being said, for fans of the established franchise, this film serves as an enjoyable and action-packed look at the Kingsman’s bloody beginnings. The film boasts a strong character selection and a number of references to past entries, while also managing to maintain an element of individuality.
With Kingsman: The Blue Blood set to be released in 2023, and continuing the story of Taron Egerton’s Eggsy, the series appears to be in good health!
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