So Mathew Vaughn is back with a follow up to his 2014 hit Kingsman: The Secret Service. This time it's Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Last time it was a silly, misogynistic spy caper. This time it's a silly, misogynistic spy caper.
Colin Firth seems to be the only one enjoying himself and has his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. The rest of the cast; Mark Strong, Taron Egerton, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges and star of Narcos, Pedro Pascal take it all much too seriously. At least Channing Tatum has the decency to spend more than half the movie on ice.
You may be saying to yourself, hang on a minute, didn't Colin Firth's character die in the last film? Yes he did. However thanks to a blob of some miracle gel and mumbo-jumbo about nanites, he's back. It's not a spoiler. He's in the trailer and on the posters. So now we know we are plumbing the depths of silliness.
If this were a Bond movie, think Roger Moore at his most ridiculous and you have the tone of this film. Whereas Moore never explored the misogyny of the Bond character, Mathew Vaughn has no problem with it. The first Kingsman film ended on a deeply misogynistic note. This film has it early on. They signal what they are about to do. You think to yourself; nah, they won't film that. And then they do. And people complain about mother!?
If you are looking for a silly lad movie with lots of explosions and high tech gadgets that treats women poorly, then this is the film for you.
You'll note I've not mentioned Julianne Moore, a famous and talented actor who is simply dreadful in this. She should have known better.
I sincerely hope Mathew Vaughn has gotten whatever it is out of his system.