Despite being jam-packed with fun, action and Hollywood stars Kingsman: The Golden Circle is easily too long
THE order of the day appears to have been to make this sequel everything Kingsman: Secret Service was but with more stars, stunts, jokes, plot . . . more EVERYTHING.
It’s an approach many films take when trying to capitalise on a success and one that rarely works as well as it does on paper.
While there is lots to enjoy here, it’s so long and baggy it’s hard to tell if Kingsman has its tongue in its cheek or its head up its arse.
Eggsy is now a fully-fledged Kinsgman, which is a good job as most others are indisposed due to a lunatic drug baron holding the world’s addicts to ransom with a blue rash.
A mysterious group in Kentucky called the Statesmen may just hold the solution in the guise of someone thought dead.
But before we get to that bit we need to deal with a Keith Allen cheeseburger, two robot dogs, one laser lasso, the second film to contain both Channing Tatum and John Denver this month, a great joke about bowel movements, the worst representation of Glastonbury you’ll ever see on screen and the best orange velvet tuxedo ever.
If that sounds exhausting to read, just wait until you watch it. It’s breakneck fun, total nonsense and easily 25 minutes too long.
Relentlessly moving from setpiece to exposition and back takes its toll, using up any affection you have for the characters.
While Kingsman has gained confidence from the success of its first outing, the cast is ridiculously large and somewhat unnecessary — rendering talents like Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore moribund.
The Statesmen contingency adds little — making appearances from Bridges, and Channing Tatum, seem unnecessary afterthoughts.
Then you get to Elton John’s cameo.
He grumpily hits the mark more than misses.
But for every knowing riff of his infamous tantrums there is a slow-motion karate leap through the air while mugging to the camera, making you feel this was all a bit of a matey love-in.
There is a really good, taut film in here somewhere: The Golden Circle
But an insistence on hiring the whole of Hollywood, and some really odd scene choices (the less said about Poppy Delevingne’s tracking device, the better), takes the shine off its gorgeous Savile Row Oxfords.
Despite my grievances, this will undoubtedly make people happy and take a shedload of money at the box office.
I very much doubt this will be the last we see of Eggsy and Harry but maybe next time director Matthew Vaughn could leave the kitchen sink at home.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (15) 141 mins
Rating: ★★★☆☆
