Directed by:
Matthew VaughnCinematography:
Ben DavisCast:
Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode, Harris Dickinson, Djimon Hounsou, Tom Hollander, Rhys Ifans, Daniel Brühl, Charles Dance, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Set during WWI, The King's Man tells the exhilarating origin story of Kingsman, the world’s very first independent intelligence agency. As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gathers to plot a war to wipe out millions across the globe, one man must race against time to stop them. (Disney / Buena Vista)
Videos (6)
Reviews (12)
If you don't want to proceed sequentially, a prequel (almost) always seems like a fresh idea, and the third Kingsman bets on that. Setting the story in the First World War was good option, given the nature of the film, and Matthew Vaughn took it on with vigour. The King’s Man is definitely not for fans of accurate history – which I am thankfully not. It features a number of historical figures, but they take on a whole new dimension (I could go on at length about Rasputin) and Vaughn mostly manages to make humorous use of even their unconventional concepts. The identity of the main villain is clear almost from the start, but this is offset by the rather unexpected death of one of the main characters. The film does have a few spots that push the envelope too much, but I still had fun in the cinema and watched the beginnings of the modern-day "Knights of the Round Table" with excitement. PS: Some of Ralph Fiennes screams reminded me of Voldemort destroying the defensive shield of Hogwarts.
()
Matthew Vaughn is, in a word, a unique director! His films are instantly recognizable from miles away; his style is that distinct. I welcomed the return to the First World War era with open arms, as films set in this historical period aren't very common. From an acting perspective, I have no complaints—Fiennes in the lead role is brilliant. I admit that the style of jumping between locations in the story doesn’t always work, but for the most part, it doesn’t detract from the overall experience. The individual scenes are perfect, whether it’s the mythical Siberian figure Rasputin (played flawlessly by Rhys Ifans) or the luxuriously shot action, especially the trench scene with knives, axes, and hammers (which I absolutely loved). The film also includes a shocking twist that almost knocked me out of my seat (no one could have seen that coming). It’s definitely not perfect entertainment (even within the Kingsman universe, it doesn’t rank as the best installment), but it still has a lot to offer. Vaughn is far from running out of creative steam. For me, it’s 8/10.
()
The somewhat misleading trailers, Matthew Vaughn's reputation, and especially what he did in the first two films, set the stage for another frantic action flick, just set a hundred years earlier. But there was a surprise in the cinema – a very pleasant one for me. Apparently, Vaughn decided that the story of the birth of the Kingsman Agency would be just as much the birth of his unmistakable directorial style, and that's a million dollar idea. This makes The King's Man a surprisingly subdued film for a good while, one that cares about the characters, and when it comes to action, it's good but deliberately keeps a low profile. Vaughn seems to be discovering that frantic style himself with each passing scene, while the heroes unravel a giant conspiracy in a story full of twists and turns (including a truly shocking one) and gather typical Kingsman attributes to become the King's Men in the final three-quarters of an hour. Vaughn got unleashed, started slowing down shots, put the camera on wings and swords, fiddled with shots (my favourite is the duel of silhouettes against the backdrop of the movie screen with the turmoil of war) and simply kept giving the audience what they were waiting for. For some the wait will be long, but others will be royally entertained.
()
I'm somewhat puzzled about my rating for this movie because there are a few potential reasons behind it. It could be that I wasn't in the right mood, or perhaps Matthew Vaughn isn't what he used to be (though I'm reluctant to believe that), or maybe the spy genre is just becoming a bit worn out. Whatever the case, this third glimpse into the world of the most secretive of secret services didn't quite captivate me as its predecessors did, and the third star was mainly earned by the stellar cast. I did find it amusing how the plot included numerous historical figures, but the story itself felt afflicted with acute clichés and excessive melodrama. The main plotline was painfully predictable, and the film's runtime seemed overly long for what it offered. I found myself getting quite bored during some stretched-out parts; even the highly anticipated sword-fighting at the end felt like it could have been trimmed down. Overall, I was left wanting more from this movie. / Lesson learned: There's always a Scot behind everything. 3*-
()
The King's Man is nothing more than a series of random scenes in a very vague parallel to historical events. Some scenes give the viewer enough visual enticements and WTF moments. Plus, I would rather not think about how pointless the storyline is and how it does not really make any sense. Plus, the big revelation of the bad guy, delivered as a huge twist (which the viewer had already figured out after five minutes of watching this movie), could not possibly have been something Matthew Vaughn was serious about.
()
Ads