Kingsman: The Secret Service was an unexpected hit in 2015 and paved the way for R-Rated comic book adaptations like Deadpool and Logan. The news that a sequel was in the works was met with a widely positive response, especially as Matthew Vaughn confirmed that he'd be returning to take the helm of the movie. Unfortunately, reviews are clearly mixed based on this first wave of verdicts.
While it definitely sounds like the sequel is fun, Vaughn has clearly upped the amount of lewd humour and over the top action sequences and that's something which hasn't sat well with many critics.
It's going to be interesting seeing how much of an impact this has on Kingsman: The Golden Circle's box office performance. While it's easy to imagine moviegoers flocking to see the sequel on Friday and Saturday, that could soon change if word of mouth isn't good. What do you think of these reviews?
As ultraviolent as the first film, and as ultrasmutty, The Golden Circle will leave the Kingsfans grinning, even if its characters have less growing to do this time around. [4/5]
SOURCE: Empire Online
The Golden Circle has a few of the comically brutal spasms of action that gave the first film its caffeinated energy, but they don’t have the same bonkers Oddjob kick of Sofia Boutella and her lethal legblades. Instead, there’s just more of everything else, including Vaughn’s leering boys-will-be-boys humor. If the first Kingsman, at its best, felt like a dry martini of a joke, then this one is more Jack and Mountain Dew — unsubtle, unrefreshing, and unnecessary. [C-]
SOURCE: Entertainment Weekly
Still, there are lessons to be kept in mind: Except for the water-logged Thunderball, all the Connery Bond films ran less than two hours and were better for it, while the initial Indiana Jones and and first two Star Wars chapters were kept within a couple of minutes of two hours either way. If they can do it, future Kingsman outings certainly can, too, and would be better for it.
SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter
Kingsman: The Golden Circle is as cheeky, cartoonish, and crazy as its predecessor, but it’s also commendably unafraid to demolish what had come before it if it’s in service of the story. The new dynamic between Eggsy and his team is great, and the Statesman prove amusing counterparts to these gentlemen spies from across the pond. [8.5/10]
SOURCE: IGN
Firth, while sidelined for way too much of the film, is as game as ever, and Egerton continues to be a capable leading man, even if his arc is less fleshed-out here. As minor entertainment, it’ll do, but it’s not a slam-bang sensation like the first. If KINGSMAN comes back for another romp, hopefully it’ll be with the same sense of energy and danger the first had. [6/10]
SOURCE: JoBlo
It’s best to think of Kingsman: The Golden Circle as less of a sequel, more an American remix. It’s still a thrilling ride with action sequences unmatched in their high-velocity blasts, but the new additions struggle to conceal the familiarity beneath this secret service. [3/5]
SOURCE: Metro
Despite a whole lot of bet-hedging, there’s still a lot to enjoy about Kingsman: The Golden Circle, including a very hilarious extended cameo and some suitably bombastic set pieces. I’d certainly be happy with more Kingsman movies, because Egerton is a winning leading man and Vaughn’s action direction remains fantastic, but this movie feels like a victim of its unanticipated success. If the first Kingsman left you going “Wow!” this one leaves you saying “Hmm…cool.” And while it doesn’t reach the same hyperbolic heights as the first film, there are certainly worse things than being entertained for two hours. [3.5/5]
SOURCE: Nerdist
Vaughn’s film is overflowing with big set pieces, but all those epic action sequences amount to a running time clocking nearly two and a half hours – and not much else. Like fireworks, they’re awe-inspiring while you’re watching, but there’s little left to marvel at after the show’s over. [B-]
SOURCE: The Playlist
As for the Bond-homaging, a ski-resort interlude tugs its forelock towards the great 007 snow-scenes of yore, but ends with a runaway cablecar sequence that’s straight from the Die Another Day school of leaden, low-stakes CGI. Kingsman: The Golden Circle might stop short of rolling out an invisible car, but you wouldn’t put it past the next one. [1*]
SOURCE: The Telegraph
It’s not like anyone has ever accused James Bond of being realistic, but the “Kingsman” series has gotten so outlandish that “Moonraker” suddenly looks plausible by comparison.
SOURCE: Variety