Review of Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) by Compi24 — 25 Sep 2017

As with a lot of other cases of "sequelitis," "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" doubles down on developing the plot and world at hand, in effect mishandling some of the more desirable elements that the 2014 predecessor possessed.

Certain elements/characters from the first film are rightfully re-introduced, only to be immediately nixed from the plot five seconds later. Other, lesser elements/characters from the first film are re-introduced that I honestly could have done without.

Certain seemingly important elements/characters are introduced in this film that immediately go away. Other seemingly less important elements/characters are introduced in this film and are given way too much screen time.

Obviously, a lot of this can't be talked about without getting rather spoiler-y, so just know that there's a bit too much to be juggled this time around, and the narrative's integrity suffers because of it.

However, while this is without a doubt a crystal clear case of "sequelitis," I didn't say it wasn't an enjoyable one. Being a fan - but not necessarily a huge devotee of - Matthew Vaughn's "The Secret Service," there was still a whole lot for me to enjoy here.

From the always frenetic action sequences, to the charming lead performances, to the cheeky style of humor, there's enough here to get the job done. And while a few creative decisions here and there either left me scratching my head or feeling cold, the overall product is still wild, Matthew-Vauhgn-esque entertainment in its purest form.