The King's Man (2021)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them.
21 connections found
View:
21 films that influenced The King's Man
What critics say influenced The King's Man
Moments like these are exactly what fans of these films come to see, as it reminds of the all-time greatest cinema sword fights, namely in The Mark of Zorro between Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone, where the way the camera moves is perfectly asymmetrical to the zig zagging movement of the actors doing battle.
Ifans’ performance, which channels that of Tom Baker from 1971’s Nicholas and Alexandra (with a little swordplay stirred into the mix), brings a manic energy to the first third of The King’s Man.
The film’s one good history joke—the casting of Tom Hollander in the triple role of King George V, Tsar Nicholas II, and Kaiser Wilhelm II—turns out to be a squandered stunt; a scene in which a horny, bisexual Rasputin (Rhys Ifans) tongues the pantsless Oxford’s war wound plays like a bizarre tribute to David Cronenberg’s Crash .
Don’t expect more oomph in the same manner as the playful spy adventure energetically captured in “Kingsman: The Secret Service” in 2014 — and less so in “The Kingsman: Golden Circle” in 2017, because it only feebly imitates some of that style and cheeky fun.
The series has inspired two movies, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014) and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017).
All of which could be part -- but not all -- of the reason I enjoyed "The King's Man," the third film in the Kingsman franchise that started with 2014's "Kingsman: The Secret Service" and continued with 2017's Kingsman: The Golden Circle."
Both “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and its sequel “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” revel in an obnoxious combination of mid-century British aesthetics with new school juvenilia.
Both “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014) and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017) were notable for over-the-top and often violent action scenes, as well as a mix of quirky comedy and the participation of some topflight actors.
There was a time when “Kingsman: The Secret Service” slapped a giant smile on my face because it not only introduced the world to Taron Egerton, but had fun with its graphic novel inspired premise.
After the Elton John-infused excess of 2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle, it was hard to know how creator Matthew Vaughn could top – or even match – that anarchic action-comedy sequel.
Both “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and its sequel “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” revel in an obnoxious combination of mid-century British aesthetics with new school juvenilia.
Both “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014) and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017) were notable for over-the-top and often violent action scenes, as well as a mix of quirky comedy and the participation of some topflight actors.
While 2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle was a bit of a letdown, it still felt akin to its predecessor.
The sequel “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” was more of the same and now we have a prequel in “The King’s Man” which takes us all the way back to the origins of this top-secret British intelligence agency.
The series has inspired two movies, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014) and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017).
The director, Matthew Vaughn, who in 2004 made “Layer Cake” (a movie sharp enough to have won Daniel Craig the role of 007), looked for a while like he might be a true suspense-film artist, but he turned out to be a glibly talented purveyor of hyperbolic stylish kinetics.
The Brit producer and filmmaker Matthew Vaughn (“Kick-Ass “/”Layer Cake”) directs the 2021 prequel with some foolhardy fun and lots of goofy mayhem, but there’s an underlyng call to say it’s better to be a pacifist than a hawk.
Vaughn ("Kick-Ass," "Layer Cake") is a slick and stylish director and he stages several wild action scenes, including a showdown with Rasputin (Rhys Ifans, rendered unrecognizable under a rat nest beard and caked-on goth eye makeup) set to Tchaikovsky and a sequence with Oxford attempting to parachute from a plane as it dives headfirst toward the ground.
As a director, Vaughn has delivered “Layer Cake,” “Stardust,” “Kick-Ass,” “X-Men: First Class” and the “Kingsman” films, and while almost all of them have some bungled plot point or missed opportunity for an exciting sequence, they also have some visually impressive scenes and emotionally affecting moments.
Advertisement
At times it is perhaps too comic; Tom Hollander's sneering Kaiser Wilhelm is like something that snuck in from the Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker spy spoof, "Top Secret!"
Indeed, Vaughn seems to have made two movies at the same time: a slick franchise-friendly prequel and a gnarly riff on Sam Mendes’ 1917, or maybe even Lewis Milestone’s All Quiet on the Western Front.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The movies in this franchise are kind of like the Mission: Impossible s if they were more British and more boring.
It’s only getting released now because Disney is obligated to do so; much like when Disney released George Lucas’ Strange Magic in early 2015 after buying out Lucasfilm.
Advertisement
Yes, they’re spy spoofs, but they’re spoofs of the sillier Bond movies, a harder-edged Austin Powers with more visual verve.
Supplied Despite Ralph Fiennes’ best efforts of derring-do, The King's Man is caught somewhere between being an Austin Powers-esque parody and a 1917-esque drama.
It’s such a shame, because The King’s Man does so many things right; it’s certainly bold and refreshing in its choice of subject matter, how it joyfully lays ruin to typical action movie tropes, and its wonderful, “big adventure” feel, evoking the old school wonder of classics like The Man Who Would Be King or Lawrence of Arabia .