kingsman movie review 2022

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‘The King’s Man’ Review: Suiting Up and Shooting Down

This prequel to the “Kingsman” series presents the confusing origin story of the elite British spy agency, founded by Ralph Fiennes (naturally).

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By Jeannette Catsoulis

Any movie that lists “Rasputin dance choreographer” in the credits deserves at least a look. And, to be fair, “The King’s Man” — a prequel to Matthew Vaughn’s jacked-up series about elite British spies headquartered in Savile Row — has more than a gyrating monk up its impeccably tailored sleeve.

Mainly, it has Ralph Fiennes to ensure that the center holds. As Orlando, Duke of Oxford and the spy agency’s founder, Fiennes might read more cuddly than studly, but he lends a surprising gravitas to this flibbertigibbet feature. Try doing that when you’re being head-butted by an angry goat.

Set during World War I, as Orlando and his allies race to prevent a nefarious cabal from erasing Europe’s ruling class, “The King’s Man” leads us through a dense thicket of violence to present the origin story of an agency whose raison d’être, we are told, is world peace. (A mission apparently concealed from the characters in the two previous films.) International skulduggery fills the frame, the hopelessly convoluted screenplay (by Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek) swerving from loony (a mountain lair guarded by the aforementioned livestock) to reverent (an impressive battlefield rescue, realized without digital assistance).

Buffering the gobsmacking action sequences, Ben Davis’s stately, wide-screen images allow our eyes to refocus. Gusto performances, including Gemma Arterton as a nanny running a secret network of servant-spies, help atone for the plot’s nuttiness. The franchise’s always-simmering homoeroticism, though, boils over whenever Rasputin (an ecstatically demonic Rhys Ifans) is around.

“Take your trousers off and sit down,” he commands Orlando, before licking a battle wound on the aristocrat’s thigh. On the evidence of Fiennes’s face, the Duke’s only desire at that moment is for a strong cup of tea.

The King’s Man R for leg licking, opium drinking and dirty dancing. Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes. In theaters.

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The King's Man Reviews

“The King’s Man” may be my favorite entry in a problematic franchise. I always preferred Colin Firth to Taron Egerton. The prequel tricks audiences into accepting the fifty-nine-year-old, single and child free Fiennes as the protagonist and an action star

Full Review | Jun 9, 2024

For a prequel that promised something large, loud, and ostensibly entertaining, the movie just doesn’t quite suit up.

Full Review | Sep 17, 2023

Awesome action & memorable characters… but left me with a story that wasn’t my cup of tea…

Full Review | Jul 26, 2023

In this secret service spy prequel, director Matthew Vaughn meanders his way into the First World War to revise history, but he appears to have forgotten to revise the script.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 21, 2023

The King's Man takes [the franchise] and boils it down to its most sensible origin story, delivering jaw-dropping twists, epic fights, and proving that over-the-top nonsense is sometimes all you need.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Aug 23, 2022

Keeping on needlessly keeping on: that's still this spy series' main trait, as it always has been.

Full Review | Jun 25, 2022

From the first minute to the end of its long two hours, The King’s Man is pure climax with an incessant grandiloquent score; or better yet, a climax without a clear thread that may make you faint. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jun 17, 2022

Simply put, it lacks a sense of fun. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | May 16, 2022

Funnier, more surprising, and more heartfelt than the first two films in the series, and if the team can keep up this level of quality in the future, then Mr. Bond may just have to watch his back.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | May 10, 2022

Imagine a feature length film of Drunk History where everyone was high on cocaine, and you might understand The King’s Man experience.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | May 6, 2022

Can't decide if it wants to be Paths of Glory or Austin Powers.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Mar 26, 2022

Unlike RoboCop 3 or Police Academy III: Back in Training, The King's Man retains the R rating of its predecessors, though here it feels like the MPA is primarily trying to protect children from boredom.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Mar 23, 2022

With all of the excitement of the Kingsman franchise so far, this was a bit of an over-historic dud.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.4/10 | Feb 25, 2022

As a stand-alone film, The Kings Man is decent but doesnt stray far from other war/spy films. However, as part of the Kingsman franchise...

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 23, 2022

Vaughns "The Kings Man" explores the inevitability of man-made death and why those with the means have a responsibility to prevent it, not for glory but because its the right thing to do. For all its dour presentation, theres a persistent hope ...

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 23, 2022

The King's Man has its moments, but it also has a lot of flaws. Fiennes and Ifans steal the show, but the disconnected story makes it feel like two completely different movies.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 20, 2022

The King’s Man sets up the story of the British patriotic spy ring using a high-end clothier as its front -- but instead of dapper pinstripes, this one’s dressed in a clown suit.

Full Review | Feb 19, 2022

It's all great fun, full of sly humour, snappy action and dapper dressing.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 18, 2022

Most of what made the original Kingsman a fun ride is largely lost in the prequel, which can't juggle the tone of campy, comic book theatrics, and the humbling, solemn WWI elements.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Feb 12, 2022

When you can't take the villain seriously it's hard to have any stakes within the film. The only enjoyment was the action which was barely sub par.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Feb 5, 2022

The King's Man Review

The third entry into the franchise is the most unhinged yet..

This is a spoiler-free early review of The King's Man, which hits theaters on Dec. 22.

It feels like a near impossible feat to review The King's Man, director Matthew Vaughn's third entry into his comic book spy franchise. The wildly overstuffed and often delightfully unhinged film – that is, in reality, two films in one – feels almost review proof. A combination of the film's many tonal and narrative contradictions along with its wildly unexpected moments create a situation where it's hard to quantify how it works as a whole.

So what can we say about The King's Man? It acts as a sprawling prequel to The Kingsman series, attempting to build out the world and origins of the independent spy agency. Its impressive ensemble cast is led by Ralph Fiennes in a turn equally overtly sombre and broadly humorous. As Shola, Djimon Hounsou continues his career as the absolute best thing in any comic-book movie. Let's be honest, are you even adapting a sequential story nowadays if Hounsou is not at the top of your casting director's list?? Gemma Arterton brings a perfectly crude edge as Polly, a foul-mouthed housekeeper turned secret agent. And then there's Rhys Ifans in a career best – and career deranged – turn as Rasputin. He's unbelievable.

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As the world looks towards World War I, The King's Man begins. The story follows Fiennes' Duke of Oxford, who becomes a pacifist after a family tragedy. That thread is key, as it represents the half of the film which will likely be the most challenging for viewers. Whereas the previous Kingsman movies have been action-packed comedies that lean into the salacious nature of James Bond and the slick spy franchises that have inspired it, this is a very different beast. More than half of the runtime is concerned with the nature of war, the importance of peace, and the Duke of Oxford's struggle with his son's quest to fight for his country. While those could be interesting things to explore, the film barely has anything new to say on those matters. These segments mostly serve only in slowing the wildly paced secondary plot, which is far more engaging and delivers some truly stunning action.

That action – coordinated by a massive stunt team including Bradley James Allan, Allen Jo, Emma Ennis, Wayne Dalglish, and many, many more – is easily the movie's highlight. When these epic fight scenes begin, you lose yourself in the midst of some of the most exciting cinematic showcases of stunt work in years. A Russian set piece featuring Ifans (doubled by Tom Hatt), Hounsou (doubled by Cali Nelle), and Fiennes (doubled by Mark Faulkner) is over ten minutes of action magic. Balletic, frantic, beautiful, and violent, there's so much here that will likely be studied for years... if it doesn't get lost in the runtime and multiple other plotlines. It's not a singular moment either; there are enough action standouts here that you have to wonder whether there's a slicker 90-minute cut of the film that focuses solely on the brilliant choreography and less on the meandering meaning of it all. And it's that chaotic juxtaposition that'll likely split audiences down the middle.

While the Duke has his pacifist tendencies, he's also in the midst of trying to find a way to serve his country regardless. That's one of the many strange contradictions in this film: someone can be a pacifist while still wanting to support the country that's killing millions. This is a movie about the founding of the Kingsman agency, so it's not a spoiler to explain that we get an insight into their beginnings here. Vaughn does his best to subvert the pulp stories that he's pulling from; Hounsou plays a man servant and Arterton plays a housekeeper, but they're both revealed to be much more. Fiennes' Duke occasionally criticises the treatment of people under the boot of the British government. It's another surface-level aspect, though, rather than being something deeper.

While it might not want to be, this is very much your father's Kingsman movie. In fact, it might be the most dad movie ever to dad movie. Not only is this a father and son story at its heart, this is the kind of tale that's been tailored to the dad audience. It's an action-packed historical piece that plays with ideas of masculinity while sticking to pulp tropes that are recognizable. Though there's tragedy afoot, a lot of the film plays like a wish fulfillment fantasy for dads of a certain age and lifestyle. So really, the biggest mystery of The King's Man is why it's not being released on Father's Day.

That duelling battle between old and new is at the heart of The King's Man. Not just in the sense of Vaughn trying to redefine his franchise or Fiennes and his on-screen son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson), but also in the concept of redefining what an intelligence agency can be. In that way, The King's Man works as a sort of utopian fantasy where all classes and kinds of people can work together for a perceived greater good. But lower-class people still work for the aristocracy and the agency is still called The King's Man, so that gives you an idea of how independent or different it really is.

If you can look past those glaring issues and want some rip-roaring pulpy fun, then you might find a new favorite in Vaughn's third movie. It erases much of the weird sexual humor of the first two, replacing them with out-there action and a lot of father/son drama. Those tonal shifts are hard to swallow and add to the often unhinged nature of the film. While we don't want to get into spoiler territory, it's hard to see the thematic connection between Rasputin furiously tonguing a wound while being seduced and the horrors of WWI, which are brutally shown in the overlong second act.

Which of the two Kingsman movies do you prefer?

The notion and motives of the villains leave a nasty aftertaste too. The King's Man too easily generalizes when it comes to its idea of who's evil and who's good, especially seeing as the film is aiming to fit into actual historical events and change them. Also, as a comic book fan, there's a contemporary real-life aspect added to the story's main villain that's so distracting and hilarious that once you notice it, it's impossible to not focus on it. Was this apparent slight intentional? It sure seems that way, and it's just one more thing that throws the film in another strange direction. Even at its wildest, though, it’s both grounded and elevated by its brilliant cast. Hounsou and Arterton shine, and Fiennes as well when he's alongside them. Aaron Taylor Johnson also has a small role so good that it'll leave you wishing it was bigger. Sadly, the key role of the Duke's son Conrad is very much a forgettable one, which is a big problem considering it's supposed to be the emotional heart of the story.

The ambitious, strange, and overstuffed The King’s Man really does have magic woven in. There are standout moments that, on their own, deserve a 9/10. The action is stunning. Djimon Hounsou, Gemma Arterton, and Ralph Fiennes are great. The writing is at times laugh out loud funny. But it also often drags, gets confused with its own logic and politics, and struggles to make any clear statements on the things it takes so much time and effort to explore. For that reason, this is an undoubtedly divisive flick even for this reviewer.

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The King’s Man (2021) Review

MANNERS (AND WAR)

Maketh the kingsman.

Back in 2015, moviegoers everywhere were introduced to director Matthew Vaughan’s visual spy action film Kingsman: The Secret Service . Adapted from the graphic novel Kingsman by Mark Millar (writer) and Dave Gibbons (artist), the film, which starred Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine, follows the journey of troubled youth Gary “Eggsy” Urwin as he gets recruited into the Kingsman, a British secret agent organization, and joins a mission to stop a global threat from the nefarious megalomaniac Richmond Valentine. Deriving from its comic book source material and Vaughan’s overall direction, Kingsman: The Secret Service was presented as a 007 spy satire, offering up a visual action-spy feature film with a splash of stylized violence. This mixture seemed does seem like an odd choice, but the film benefitted, with the movie getting praised from critics and casual moviegoers as Kingsman: The Secret Service grossed over $400 million worldwide ($411 million to be exact) against its production budget of $94 million. With its success, it was inevitable that a sequel would soon followed, with Kingsman: The Golden Circle being released two years later in 2017. With Vaughan returning to direct as well as Egerton, Firth, and Strong reprising their roles from the first film, The Golden Circle saw another spy adventure, with the Kingsman agency teaming up with their American counterpart, Statesman, after the world is held hostage by one Poppy Addams (Julianne Moore) and her drug cartel empire…. The Golden Circle. While the movie faced mixed thoughts and reviews, the sequel proved to be a box office success; raking in over $400 million worldwide against a production budget of $104 million. Now, four years after the release of Kingsman: The Golden Circle , 20 th Century Fox (under the release of Walt Disney Studio’s banner) and director Matthew Vaughan present the third entry in movie franchise with a prequel installment titled The King’s Man . Does this prequel adventure warrant a glance in seeing how the Kingsman organization began or is it just a flashy, yet dull escapade that plays “too fast and loose” with history and cinematic nuances?

The Duke of Oxford, Orlando (Ralph Fiennes), is a man who recognizes the changing ways of the world through brutality and violence, but his great personal tragedy is the loss of his wife, promising his beloved that their son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson), will never see or partake the savage nature of war. Trying to make good on his vow to his late wife, Orlando watches in horror as his friend, Archduke Ferdinand, is assassinated, pushing Europe into a conflict of war, with a mysterious figure called “The Shepherd” pulling the strings as death and chaos ensues across the land. Joined by close intelligence operatives Polly (Gemma Arteton) and Shola (Djimon Hounsou), Orlando takes command of a secret network of spies in domestic service roles, trying to piece together what is exactly is going on and how the various world leaders are being manipulative. But The Shepherd is looking to upset the global order of nations, sending a team that includes Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), Mata Hari (Valerie Pachner), and Erik Jan Hanussen (Daniel Bruhl) to do his bidding, forcing Orlando to break his promise and introduce Conrad to a world of secrets agents and dangerous covert missions.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

Borrowing a several lines in my review for The Kingsman: The Golden Circle, I remember when Kingsman: The Secret Service came out as I went to see in theaters and was hoping it to be good. Thankfully, it was one of those movies that the marketing campaign got right as I found the film, rifting on the spy genre with a touch of Vaughan aesthetics of stylized action, and graphic novel violence. Basically, I called it “James Bond + Kick Ass = Kingsman”, which many will agree. Regardless of the excessive and sometime cartoon-ish violence, Kingsman: The Secret Service indeed made its mark on the 2015 movies that year, finding a unique and fun take on the classic spy genre as well as a capable young actor (Taron Egerton) in the lead role of Eggsy, a strong British supporting cast (Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Michael Caine), and some memorable villains (Samuel L. Jackson and Sophia Boutella). A few years later, Kingsman: The Golden Circle came out and I actually liked it. It really didn’t break any type of new ground in terms of storytelling or in cinematic nuances, but The Golden Circle had a lot of fun with its premise and actually proved to be more entertaining, especially with Vaughan returning to the director’s chair as well as several main cast members reprising their roles. Overall, I think that The Kingsman series (as a film franchise) has plenty of potential to expand with sequels and prequels entries on the horizon….and I think that moviegoers will want to see that as well.

This, of course, brings me back to talking about The King’s Man , third feature film in the Kingsman series and a prequel that precedes The Secret Service and The Golden Circle . Again, the success of the two Kingsman movies proved to be quite effective, especially at the box office. Considering that, it was almost a forgone conclusion that a third installment in the franchise would soon be commissioned and giving the “go ahead” by the studio. Yet, while a Kingsman 3 is in the cards, Vaughan, still spearheading the series, decided to go into the past and detail the origins of the Kingsman agency in a prequel entry. It’s not unheard of, but something that many were not expecting. Still, with Vaughan at the helm, and with the cast being announced (i.e. Fiennes, Arteton, Hounsou, Ifans, Hollander, etc.), I was definitely interested in seeing where this prequel Kingsman film (originally titled Kingsman: The Great Game ). Soon, after the film’s various marketing campaign (movie trailers, TV spots, and promos) began to appear, which showcases a slightly different take on the secretive agency; showcasing the film being set in the 1900s and depicting the events of the film surrounding World War I. Still, the time period setting, didn’t dismiss me from wanting to see the upcoming film and I was pretty excited to see The King’s Man when it was scheduled to be released in late 2019.

Unfortunately, the actual theatrical release date for the movie saw numerous delays, which was due because of Disney’s acquisitions of 20 th Century Fox (of which the Kingsman franchise is under) and because of the on-going effects of the COVID-19 pandemics. In total, the film saw over eight release dates from its original set for November 8 th , 2019 to its final one on December 22 nd , 2021). So, after the holiday rush and the beginning of the new year of 2022, I decided to check out The King’s Man . I did have a few other movie reviews that I had to get done prior to this one, which is why my review for the film is a bit delay. So, with all those ones completed, I finally have the time to give my opinion on this prequel adventure of Kingsman . And what did I think of it? Well, I liked it. While the feature does have its fair share of flaws, The King’s Man , much like the previous two installments, has a lot of fun within its storytelling through visual action cinematics and within its playful and charismatic cast. It’s not the best one in the series, but it still holds a cheeky and expressive play on the spy espionage genre for some engaging entertainment value.

The King’s Man is directed by Matthew Vaughan, whose previous directorial includes the past two Kingsman movies as well as other Layer Cake , Kick-Ass , and X-Men: First Class . Given his previous knowledge of helming this particular series, Vaughan seems like a suitable choice for helming this prequel endeavor; making this prequel endeavor a bit more ambitious with his combination of storytelling through a time of historical importance in Europe. Naturally, I’m talking about the events of the Great War (aka World War I) and how the important nations of Europe play their parts (and hands) in out this war was fought on a continental scale. Vaughan plays around with this aspect in the film by making the main villain be the mastermind behind it all; showcasing the machinations of how certain events play out (i.e. Rasputin being a member of the bad guy organization and how he causes trouble in Russia or keeping President Wilson out of the conflict, etc.). It’s not exactly accurate, but more of a slight spoof on history, with Vaughan being a little clever on how he handles such situation that have played out in history. The usage of history is definitely a new element, but it is perhaps this particular storytelling point is where I think that Vaughan makes The King’s Man stands out compared to the other two Kingsman features. That’s not to say that Vaughan changes up the formula of the Kingsman elements; finding most nuances to be incorporated into The King’s Man presentation featuring crazy action stunts, larger-than-life characters, and a few unhinged moments. Thus, this combination of historical backdrop in a Kingsman movie is something that makes the film memorable, unique, and fun to watch throughout.

Also, as to be expected, Vaughan does get to explore the inception of the Kingsman agency in The King’s Man. Naturally, the drops of hints, nods, and references are scattered throughout the feature, but we (as the viewer) gets to see how the spy agency gets underway with their first mission and how they formed a collective unit…. under the usage of Arthurian names and lore. I did like this particular aspect of the feature and it was fun to see Vaughan play around to see how it all began. Overall, I think that Vaughan did a great job in combining historical drama / war aspects of the Great War into his stylish action pieces for a fun and still entertaining prequel installment of the Kingsman franchise.

The King’s Man presentation is a solid one and, while it may not be nominated for any type of awards, the variety of technical achievements and backdrop settings are definitely great and fit right into the past Kingsman features. Unlike the first two films, this particular endeavor allows Vaughan and his crew to showcases a different time / era; transporting us (the viewers) to 1910s setting for the picture’s narrative; showcasing a wide variety of European locations throughout the movie from the grimy trenches to the halls of power. Thus, the collective background setting is delightfully delight and great in literally almost every scene. So, the “behind the scenes” team members on The King’s Man , including Darren Gilford (production designs), Dominic Capon (set decorations), and Michele Clapton (costume designs) as well as the entire art department team, for their efforts in making the film’s movie world both believable and cinematic at the same time. Speaking of cinematics, cinematographer Ben Davis, who has worked with Vaughan before on Layer Cake , Stardust , and Kick-Ass , is very much “in-line” with what one would expect from a Kingsman endeavor, with an expansive collection of camera angle / shots that have that signature taste that Vaughan is known for wanting to convey. This, of course, generates a lot of fun and unique shots / sequences that definitely work in the film’s favor. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Dominic Lewis and Matthew Margeson, is a firm and feels both adventurous and boisterously bold throughout; a great piece of musical composition that heightens all the various scenes….be it big action or soft dialogue moments.

Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks that the film can’t overcome, which makes The King’s Man have a several criticism flaws within its overall execution. Perhaps the biggest one that is the most glaring is how overstuffed the picture is. With a runtime of 131 minutes (two hours and eleven minutes), it’s safe to say that the movie has a pretty standard length for an action packed movie. However, the narrative of The King’s Man has much more substance than working within the confines of this theatrical film. From the various hero characters to the machinations of evil bad guys, to famous events in WWI, to masterminding of world leaders of that time, there’s a lot of ground to cover in the movie and, while the script, which was penned by Vaughan and Karl Gajdusek, seems to gloss over events rather quickly. This makes the movie have a lot of expositional moments of explain things that are going on (historical speaking or in references to the feature’s characters in the story), which makes the movie’s narration more convoluted than it needs to be. It almost feels like Vaughan wants to tell a grand story, but overstuffs the movie of glossing over events and revelations.

In conjunction with that idea, the movie’s theme of anti-war commentary message is a bit clunkily handle. I definitely get where the message is going for and why it is placed in The King’s Man story (both character motivations and storytelling purposes), but it struggles to find a climatic revelations, with Vaughan and Gajdusek can’t quite figure out what it was to say on that matter. Additionally, the movie’s villainy motivations are a little bit scant to say the least. Discord, chaos, and war are the main beats of what the bad guys want to happen, which sets off the chain reactions of World War I, but the overall motivations of “The Shepherd”, the mastermind behind all the machinations, is a bit wonky and unclear. This, of course, makes the bad guy’s organization goals a little ambiguous and flat, especially compared the villainy found in the previous two Kingsman films, which were more straightforward. To me, that was disappointing.

Of the feature’s direction, I think Vaughan could’ve had a bit more action in the movie. As mentioned, the Kingsman features have always been known for their action sequences that border on the unhinged fashion and the stylish action. While there are some moments that capture those said sequences beautifully (mostly in one particular scene with Rasputin), the film does lack the grand spectacle action scenes that were in the previous two Kingsman endeavors. What’s presented is good and works, it seems that Vaughan is holding the feature back a bit in the wild action department; choosing to be more of a historical drama nuances with a sprinkling of madness “over-the-top” action heroics here and there. As stated, I love history, so this didn’t bother me as much. Still, I find the action sequences in Kingsman: The Golden Circle to be more superior than what was shown in The Kings Man ….and I kind of wished the movie had more of that.

The cast in The King’s Man is overall a solid one; finding most of the charismatic selection of actors and actress up to the task of creating such characters in a way that is both fun and energetic throughout the feature. Leading the charge in the movie is actor Ralph Fiennes in the lead role of Orlando, the Duke of Oxford. Known for his roles in The Constant Gardner , Schindler’s List , and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 , Fiennes has always been quite the capable actor; choosing a wide variety of roles from vicious villains, great supporting roles, and steady lead roles throughout his career. Thus, it comes at no surprise that Fiennes would choose such a role for Vaughan’s The King’s Man , with his portrayal of Orlando to be one that is suited for the actor to play; finding Orlando to be an upper class British aristocrat that has connection to various famous people historical figures of that time. Although, there is a deeper character motivations and lessons to be found within his character, with Orlando faced with the on-coming conflict across Europe as well as trying to keep his son out of the war. It’s a dilemma of a parent and I think that is probably one of the more compelling moments of the feature. Yes, the Kingsman movies has always been known for action and crazy sequences over story substance, but I think the character journey that Orlando goes through is more profound than anything else the series has produced, which I did like. Plus, having Fiennes in the role with such a good performance bringing that character component to light is such a treat and a delight. So, while fan-favorite Kingsman character of Eggsy is the franchise staple lead, I think that Fiennes’s Orlando is a close second.

The movie does offer a variety of supporting character players throughout the film, which are fun and make the most of their respective roles in The King’s Man . Who definitely fits in these respective areas are the characters of Pollyanna “Polly” Wilkins and Shola, two servants that work under Orlando, who are played by actress Gemma Arterton ( Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ) and actor Djimon Hounsou ( Blood Diamond and Gladiator ). Together, both Arterton and Hounsou have always played the supporting roles throughout most of their careers, with both finding each of their own personal rhythm in their respective characters, which are fine additions in the Kingsman series colorful and memorable supporting players. Perhaps the most interesting aspect that Vaughan does with The King’s Man is casting actor Tom Hollander, who is known for his roles in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Gosford Park , and Pride & Prejudice , in not just one role, nor two, but actually three roles; playing King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Of course, being a history buff, I do known that the three prompt rulers of Europe were cousins (connected through the bloodlines of Queen Victoria of England), so with Vaughan and his casting team deciding to select an actor to play three roles is no stretch of the imagination. Plus, I do think that Hollander is great in all three; finding each one to be a slight variation than the other. The only flip side is that is I kind of wish that the movie got to explore more of these rulers, especially in the Kaiser and Tsar. Still, what’s presented definitely works.

Sadly, the one character that shines the least in the movie is the character of Conrad, Orlando’s stoic son. Played by actor Harris Dickson, who is known for his roles in The Darkest Minds , Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , the character just seems a bit wooden and not really as not memorable as he should be. It’s not for a lack of trying from Dickson’s performance, who has proven himself to be a capable actor in his career, but the movie never allows (nor really fully gets the chance) to explore his character to the greatest extent, which makes more of a throwaway character; acting more of a plot narration device than anything else, which is disappointing.

Of all the supporting players in the film, actor Rhys Ifans actually shines the best in his role of Grigori Rasputin, the infamous monk priest to the Romanov royal family. Known for his roles in The Amazing Spider-Man , Notting Hill , and Snowden , Ifans finds a fantastic rhythm in portraying such an iconic Russian monk, with his performance of Rasputin to be entertaining, cheeky, and quite the fun. The downside, however, is that the film’s marketing campaign is a bit misleading as Rasputin isn’t the main villain in The King’s Man and most of his screentime has been showcased the film’s various movie trailers. This can be disappointing as I kind of wanted to see more of him, especially since Ifans did such a great job in the role. Regardless, the character of Rasputin is perhaps one of the most memorable character of the entire film. The other two villains characters in the movie (Erik Jan Hanussen and Mata Hari) are good supporting villainy roles in the feature, with actor Daniel Bruhl ( Rush and Inglorious Basterds ) and actress Valerie Pachner ( A Hidden Life and Bauhaus ) playing up the madness (and sometimes unhinged goofiness) of these non-fictional characters in history. Still, for better or worse, I like both of them in the movie.

The rest of the cast, including actor Charles Dance ( Game of Thrones and The Crown ) as senior British Army officer Herbert Kitchner, actor Matthew Goode ( Watchmen and Downton Abbey ) as Captain Morton, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson ( Tenet and Avengers: Age of Ultron ) as British regiment soldier Archie Reid, actor Ron Cook ( Hot Fuzz and Chocolat ) as Archduke Francis Ferdinand, actress Barbara Drennan ( A Touch of Cloth and Brooklyn ) as Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, actress Branka Katic ( The Big Picture and Public Enemies ) as Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna, actor August Diehl ( Salt and Inglorious Basterds ) as Vladmir Lenin, and actor Ian Kelly ( War and The Children Act ) as US President Woodrow Wilson, are delegated to other supporting minor characters in the movie. While some have large roles than others, with some being fictional depictions of historical people of the time, most (if not all) of these acting talents are solid in their respective roles; lending the feature noteworthy individual characters within Vaughan’s cinematic world.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As the events of World War I unfold, Orlando uncovers the truth behind it all, learning of the mastermind pulling the strings, and sets out to save Europe from total annihilation in the movie The King’s Man . Director Matthew Vaughan latest film returns to the Kingsman franchise, with the project acting as a prequel and setting up an origin tale of how the British agency begins; utilizing the backdrop of the Great War to stage the feature’s narrative. While the movie struggles in its storytelling by cramming too much into its runtime as well as a few lackluster nuances, the film still manages to be an exciting experience, especially thanks to Vaughan’s direction, thematic messages of war, a unique spin on historical events, a solid presentation, and a good cast (most notably Fiennes and Ifans). Personally, I liked this movie. Yes, some of the problematic areas indeed to be smoothed out a bit more and some storytelling elements could’ve been fleshed out more, but I felt that the movie was enjoyable and provided a nice cinematic playground and takes a few new directions in storytelling to make the feature’s efforts interesting and engaging. I would probably say that this movie is second favorite of the series, with The Golden Circle still being my favorite Kingsman entry. Thus, my recommendation is a solid “recommended” one, especially if you are a fan of the previous Kingsman installments and looking for a good distraction film to cinematic escapism. While it has been confirmed that a third Kingsman movie is moving forwards (taking place in present day with Taron Egerton’s Eggsy in the lead role), there has been talk of considering a continuation of the prequel adventure, especially since the film’s ending hints at a sequel. If greenlit, I would be excited to see The King’s Man 2. Nevertheless, The King’s Man is an historically ambitious, tediously overstuffed, and charismatically unhinged to make for a promising expanded tale of Vaughan’s world of secret agencies and full-throttle action sequences.

3.9 Out of 5 (Recommended)

Released on: december 22nd, 2021, reviewed on: january 30th, 2022.

The King’s Man is 131 minutes long and is rated R for sequences of strong / bloody violence, language, and some sexual material

The King’s Man Review: A Proper Prequel That Dares To Get Serious While Having A Bloody, Bawdy Good Time

Score another win for the kingsman series..

Harris Dickinson is offered a gun by Ralph Fiennes in a well dressed room in The King's Man.

You can get a real good feeling as to what type of movies the Kingsman series is trying to make, even with only two entries in the modern day half of the franchise. That formula would only grow stronger, both in signature and expectations, if we were approaching the third entry of co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn ’s adventures with Harry Hart and Eggsy Unwin – but now is the perfect time for a curveball if there ever were one, and The King’s Man provides a slightly different spin on the espionage outfit at the heart of this saga. The World War I-set prequel dares to get a bit more serious when it comes to the roots of the spy ring from which it derives its name, but the film still remembers to keep the R-rated antics up, providing a bloody and bawdy good time for all.

Jumping back to tell us about the Kingsman Agency’s origins, The King's Man introduces us to Orlando, the Duke of Oxford ( Ralph Fiennes ): a man who wants nothing to do combat after a very personal loss. His son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) couldn’t be further from his father’s ideals, though, ready to serve after a life of being sheltered by his family’s influence. This gap of opinions only grows as a madman named The Shepherd wants to trigger a great war in the name of upsetting the balance of power on the world stage.

Matthew Vaughn’s latest Kingsman film is a slightly toned down prequel that knows when to properly use the cheeky charm of its parent franchise.

Right in its plotting The King’s Man is already differentiating itself from the films that preceded it. Matthew Vaughn and co-writer Karl Gajdusek dial back the more outrageous tone of the modern adventures of the Kingsman Agency in the name of showing this fictitious body’s formation in a very real era. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t time to cut loose, as the trademark cheeky charm that made Kingsman such a popular series is still very much in play.

Furthering the themes of duty in the name of family ties, The King's Man starts with a more intelligence-minded agenda. It's only because of events breaking as they do throughout the film that Orlando, Conrad, and their cohorts are able to break personal codes in the name of the mission. When that happens, all bets are off, and the fun that Kingsman fans have come to enjoy in the previous films really begins.

With a story that includes everything from a sword fight set to a Tchikovsky mixtape, humor at the expense of the very real lusts of Grigori Rasputin ( Rhys Ifans ), and even the inclusion of what’s best described as goat parkour, The King’s Man doesn’t take itself too seriously. Balancing its tone even handedly, this prequel goes a long way towards forming the Kingsman universe that Matthew Vaughn and his co-conspirators first introduced to audiences in 2014.

A cross between world building, and world history, The King’s Man uses real events and people to build a bridge to the franchise’s more outrageous future.

Another huge difference between The King’s Man and its thematic successors is that there are some very real figures acting as part of the central conflict. Rather than just including celebrities as hostages, there are actual military figures and events present during Orlando and Conrad’s journey to form the best independent intelligence agency they can. Figures on all sides, like Rasputin, Erik Jan Hanussen (Daniel Brühl), and Herbert Kitchener (Charles Dance) contribute to moving things along, without sparing the historical details.

There's plenty of room to get those sorts of things wrong too, as World War I is the focus, providing firm boundaries as to where these clandestine adventures can touch. Humor does find its way quite conveniently into the reality of these events, as seen in Tom Hollander's triple casting in the roles of warring cousins King George V, Tsar Nicolas II, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. Playing the fact of their royal likenesses straight, it allows Hollander to stretch his acting and comedy muscles as very different world leaders, each with their own sidekicks to fuel the laughs and warfare.

Grounding the story in reality only makes the further additions to the Kingsman ranks more intriguing. Particularly, Shola ( Djimon Hounsou ) and Polly ( Gemma Arterton ) provide some thrilling contrast to the characters who can’t really go all out in The King’s Man – though there’s definitely a thin line, as Rhys Ifans’ Rasputin is just as outrageous as Shola, Polly, or Orlando when it comes time to battle. Fiction and history are evenly matched, and it only enriches the playing field for future outings.

The King’s Man delivers a smashing good time for anyone who likes their holiday with a naughty twist of well-tailored action, adventure, and comedy.

Matthew Vaughn hopes to do two things with The King’s Man : please the fans, and convert previous detractors. Tweaking the formula of this still-growing franchise only where needed is a great example of how the world of prequels can continue to shed the tarnished reputation established over the years. Backfilling historical gaps alluded to in the Kingsman series, this isn’t just a clear cut puzzle piece that snaps into place with what we know from before, and there’s plenty of room for surprises in what’s to come.

Blockbusters are certainly no stranger to the December box office, as seen with the direct competition that’s flanking The King’s Man in its opening weekend. The film’s greatest asset is only highlighted by this fact, as it’s an R-rated spectacle that delivers a smashing good time for anyone who likes their holiday with a naughty twist of well-tailored action, adventure, and comedy. In a market where most of the thrills are either meant for the whole family, or a more maturely adjacent segment of the audience, a very adult experience sets Matthew Vaughn's latest efforts apart from the crowd.

Offering a new flavor of adventure for the more serious but still comedically open minded viewer, the film may find those who dismissed the previous movies crossing the aisle. In light of The King's Man's strong, innovative continuation of the Kingsman brand, that's not an alien possibility. Should it succeed, it would be a victory not only for the franchise, but also for those looking for something both a little more off-beat and familiar on the big screen.

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.

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The King's Man Review: A Wickedly Creative Origin Story to the Kingsman Franchise

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The King’s Man is a wickedly creative origin story that reimagines the cause of World War I. Matthew Vaughn, creator of the Kingsman franchise and director of all the films, gets zanier in the third installment. The film takes unscrupulous historical figures and allies them in an evil plot for maximum carnage. It swings wildly from violent to hysterical with gut punch surprises. There are truly shocking and unnerving twists. The King’s Man may bite off more than it can chew, but it’s an entertaining ride from start to finish.

In 1914 London, Lord Orlando Oxford ( Ralph Fiennes ), a decorated war hero who embraced pacifism, is approached by General Kitchener (Charles Dance) of the British military. Someone has been stoking vitriol between the cousins who run Europe’s most powerful countries. King George of The United Kingdom, Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia, and Tsar Nicholas of Russia, all played superbly by Tom Hollander, are at each other’s throats. The English believe that the German and Russian primary advisors, Erik Jan Hanussen (Daniel Bruhl) and Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans) are involved in a conspiracy.

Lord Oxford was keenly aware of Europe teetering on war. He’d long established a secret network of servants to keep tabs on the wealthy elite. His trusted maid (Gemma Arterton) and valet (Djimon Hounsou) spearhead the clandestine efforts. Lord Oxford decides to visit Russia with his son, Conrad (Harris Dickinson), to further investigate the mysterious hold Rasputin has on the Tsar. Conrad does not share his father’s beliefs. He’s chomping at the bit to fight “ For King and Country .” The Oxford clan’s encounter with Rasputin stirs a hornet’s nest of treachery. A diabolical mastermind controls a web of infiltrators leading the world to bloody conflict.

The King’s Man WWI redux plot goes beyond wacky. Matthew Vaughn’s (Layer Cake, X-Men: First Class) versions of Rasputin and Mata Hari (Valerie Pachner) had me laughing out loud. Their flamboyance borders on the ridiculous. The laughs turn to gasps when blood starts to spurt from gaping wounds. The King’s Man, just like the previous iterations, is an insanely violent film. The action scenes vary from swashbuckling duels to huge battles. The mixture of comedy and slaughter continues to be a hallmark of the franchise. It veers overboard at times, but I think that’s the appeal. Rasputin’s ballet-inspired, dance-fighting pirouettes has to be seen to be believed.

I am an unabashed fan of Ralph Fiennes. He gets another chance to play a Bond-esque persona here . Fiennes camped it up as John Steed in the awful 90s, The Avengers remake. His turn as Lord Oxford is brilliant and sophisticated. The character has exceptional combat skills, but uses them only as a last resort. The relationship with his son and reason for pacifism becomes a central theme to the story. This subplot ends in an unexpected place. Fiennes brings eloquence, toughness, and heart to the film. The King’s Man is a production of Marv Studios. It will be released exclusively in theaters on December 22nd from 20th Century Studios.

Movie and TV Reviews
The King's Man (2021)

Entertainment

'The King's Man' Review: Hulu's Demented Spy Prequel Kicks History in the Face

Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton battle Rasputin in the new Kingsman movie, streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus elsewhere.

James Bond star Ralph Fiennes puts his foot down in The King's Man.

You know what history lessons need? More fights. The King's Man is a loud, lewd and demented romp through the politics and tragedy of the past, a blackly comic and often deranged roller coaster of stylized action spectacle decked out in a range of outrageous mustaches.

Originally released in December up against Spider-Man: No Way Home , The Matrix Resurrections and the omicron variant, The King's Man struggled at the box office despite being the latest in a series whose previous outings proved unexpected hits. Now it's streaming services Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK, perhaps it'll find an audience in the mood for wry humor, stylish fights and generally outrageous action.

The Kingsman flicks follow a suite of suave spies operating out of a discreet tailor's shop in London, armed with impeccable suits, gadgets that would make James Bond blush and a gleefully irreverent twist on the espionage genre. The series began as a comic called The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, before director Matthew Vaughan's 2014 action movie adaptation made Colin Firth an unlikely action hero. Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson and newcomer Taron Egerton also starred in a flick that was enough of a hit to spawn a sequel, 2017's The Golden Circle , starring Julianne Moore, Channing Tatum and Elton John.

Now Vaughan brings the formula of black comedy, genre-twisting self-awareness and hyperstylized action sequences to a prequel exploring how the Kingsman agency came into being during the dark days of World War I. Comparable to the supercharged Sherlock Holmes films directed by Matthew Vaughan's old mucker Guy Ritchie, it's like Brideshead Revisited meets John Wick. Trashy and deliberately and provocatively fun, The King's Man does for spy movies what The Suicide Squad did for superheroes.

This prequel film opens in 1902, in the heat and dust of the Boer War between imperial Britain and South African farmers. Ralph Fiennes plays the pacifist Duke or Earl or Lord of Oxford, disquieted by his fellow aristocratic Brits smugly showing off their new invention: something called a "concentration camp." This is the first sign The King's Man has something to say about aristocracy. And it isn't exactly subtle, delivering a scathing polemic against venal, grasping, power-hungry politicians across the globe. In a bravura piece of casting as scathing satire, the same actor (Tom Hollander) plays Germany's kaiser, Russia's czar and Britain's king, to emphasize how unthinkable global bloodshed sprung from petty family feuding.

One dead wife and 12 years later, Oxford and his fully grown son Conrad (an angelic Harris Dickinson) are dispatched on a sensitive mission to feel out Euro-noble Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Scholars of WWI know how that works out. As the world is plunged into war, father and son set out on a globe-trotting quest to head off a fiendish conspiracy.

Though Kingsman began as a comic, this prequel story was concocted for this film and isn't directly adapted from any comic. Yet it feels more like an adaptation of a series of comic issues, because it's divided up into such an episodic structure. That doesn't do much for the overall cohesiveness of the film, especially when the most memorable threat is dispatched early and the film struggles to fill the gap. But it also rushes along at such a breathless pace, filled with a jittery bombardment of flashbacks and inserts, that you barely have time to notice.

Visual flourishes are everywhere, like a match cut between huge mustaches on opposite sides of the world, a dizzying zoom up a torpedo tube, or a devastating time-lapse shot showing pastoral countryside bombarded to trench-sliced muddy hellscape in just a few moments. As you'd expect from this series, the fights are intricately choreographed and exhilaratingly bonkers. Among the cast, Rhys Ifans in particular gives it his full-throated all as a feral Rasputin. But it isn't all fun: There's a startlingly nightmarish silent knife fight which provides a macabre counterpoint to the other jolly punch-ups.

Rah-rah Rhys Ifans as Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine.

The credits list a history adviser and a facial hair supervisor, which says a lot about this film's historical priorities. The adventure is filled with characters and tropes recognizable from a childhood spent devouring adventure romps from another age, like Biggles or The Thirty-Nine Steps. The sort of ripping yarns in which heroes are dashing amateurs and villains are "saturnine," looming from the shadows in Homburg hats while a shadowy mastermind sitting atop a mountain directs a satanic council of crude national stereotypes. They don't make 'em like that anymore, and for good reason. The problem is that a lovingly re-created pastiche of these outdated and questionable attitudes only repeats those attitudes unless there's also a clear effort to skewer, undermine and reject them. For example, it's important to look at who lives, who dies, who wins and how they do so. Some filmmakers seem to think it's enough to play it straight and trust that a modern audience sees outdated attitudes for what they are. But that's an abdication of artistic responsibility.

The King's Man offers enough sly winks to signal it knows what it's doing playing with these dubious old tropes. But usually that comes in the form of making Gemma Arterton pop up and do something hilariously badass, only to then sideline her again. The hero is motivated by the death of a woman, and there's a lengthy sequence built around the heroes' panic that they may be seduced into having sex with -- gasp! -- a man.

Considering how loudly The King's Man proclaims its central point -- politicians are all bastards -- it's also oddly muddled in its convictions. Instead of rejecting the horribly unequal privilege of aristocracy, the film venerates Ralph Fiennes' saintly nobleman even when he casually takes the kind of unilateral violent action we're apparently meant to despise in the villains.

As in the earlier Kingsman films, instead of true equality, the luckiest working-class characters are offered the trappings of aristocracy. In this film, the Kingsman spy ring begins as a network of domestic servants. Some of these characters are given names (a decent enough indicator of whether a movie values a character), but many common folk are given short shrift. The Russian revolution, for example, is portrayed not as a working-class movement but a murderous mob. And the core concept of the series is built around the titular tailor's shop, but it turns out these aristocrats just moved in and took over -- we never see them involving or even asking the people working there. King Arthur's table may be round, but not everyone gets a seat.

You might say I'm reading too much into a film that also features Rasputin having a dance-fight against a spy with no trousers on, but this whole series is explicitly founded on such questions of class. Still, even if aspects of it don't hold up to scrutiny, I have to say I was entertained as it pinballed from moment to moment. Brazen and bizarre, The King's Man is rarely boring.

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The king's man.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 5 Reviews
Kids Say 12 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Violent, overlong "Kingsman" prequel is wildly inconsistent.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Extreme comic book-style action violence, with lots of blood and some gore. Heav

Several uses of "f--k," plus "scheisse" (German for "s--t"), "shite," "bastard,"

Sex film shows a woman stripping and performing simulated oral sex (shown from a

Main character drinks heavily and gets drunk following the death of his son. Soc

Any Positive Content?

Orlando Oxford is part sleuth and part warrior; his plans sometimes don't quite

The main character is a White man who has two loyal assistants: a powerful White

The movie tries to decry violence, particularly the violence of war, but it also

Violence & Scariness

Extreme comic book-style action violence, with lots of blood and some gore. Heavy guns and shooting; many characters are shot (including in the head) and killed. Wounds. Sword fights/death via sword. Knife fight; stabbing. Characters are held under water and drowned/nearly drowned. Scenes of WWI trenches, with lots of shooting and explosions. Character with shot-off, mangled leg. Character is beheaded; another is stabbed by mountain goat horn. Brief shot of entire family being executed, including children. Villain randomly kills or maims mountain goats throughout. A torpedoed ship explodes and sinks. Mass grave. Concentration camp with suffering, decimated prisoners. Cyanide pill. Knife fighting practice. Child briefly in peril (he eats a poison cookie but is revived). Vomiting. Dialogue about how a character prefers boys as sexual partners (i.e. sexual predation).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Several uses of "f--k," plus "scheisse" (German for "s--t"), "shite," "bastard," "hell," "damn." "Jesus Christ" and "oh God" used as exclamations.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex film shows a woman stripping and performing simulated oral sex (shown from a distance; non-explicit). Passionate kissing. Strong sex-related dialogue and innuendo. Sexual gesture. Shirtless males.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Main character drinks heavily and gets drunk following the death of his son. Social drinking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Orlando Oxford is part sleuth and part warrior; his plans sometimes don't quite work out, leading to huge fight scenes. He uses his wealth and status to try to help others but is also prone to thinking about himself in certain cases.

Diverse Representations

The main character is a White man who has two loyal assistants: a powerful White woman who's a skilled spy, and a Black fighter who's skilled with knives. They definitely serve him and are secondary to him, but he couldn't get by without them. Characters from many countries are represented, but other than those two key characters, the central cast consists mainly of White men.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Positive Messages

The movie tries to decry violence, particularly the violence of war, but it also thrives on it, with many scenes of gleefully over-the-top fighting and killing. It also claims that since governments are both clueless and ineffectual -- and easily manipulated -- when it comes to stopping (or not starting) wars, the best way to handle this problem is for private citizens to do it themselves.

Parents need to know that The King's Man is a prequel to the two witty but extremely violent comics-based Kingsman movies. It's set in the early 1900s and, like the other films, has tons of over-the-top fighting and action violence, with lots of blood and some gore. Expect to see guns and shooting, sword fighting, knife fighting, death, drowning, children in peril, violence against goats, and disturbing imagery of war and a concentration camp. Language includes many uses of "f--k," plus "scheisse" (German for "s--t"), "shite" (Scottish for "s--t"), "bastard," etc. There's an incriminating sex film in which a woman is shown stripping and performing simulated oral sex (seen from. distance; non-explicit). There's also passionate kissing, strong sex-related dialogue and innuendo, a sexual gesture, shirtless males, and more. Adults drink socially, and the main character drinks heavily and gets drunk following a death. Ralph Fiennes , Harris Dickinson , Djimon Hounsou , and Gemma Arterton star. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (5)
Kids say (12)

Based on 5 parent reviews

You need to know history to appreciate this film

Has educational value., what's the story.

THE KING'S MAN, which takes place before the events of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle and chronicles the origin of the Kingsman agency, begins in 1902 in South Africa. Duke Orlando Oxford ( Ralph Fiennes ) and his wife and young son, Conrad, travel there on a diplomatic mission, only to be ambushed. Orlando's leg is wounded, and his wife is killed. He agrees to her dying wish to keep their son away from violence forevermore. Years later, a mysterious villain assembles a crew of the most evil men on Earth, including Grigori "The Mad Monk" Rasputin ( Rhys Ifans ) and starts executing global plans to control WWI and rule the world. At home, a grown-up Conrad ( Harris Dickinson ) wants to enlist in the army, but Orlando encourages a more nonviolent approach: spying and trading information, with help from faithful assistants Shola ( Djimon Hounsou ) and Polly ( Gemma Arterton ), in an attempt to end the war. Of course, fights do happen, including a deadly showdown with the mastermind himself on top of an impossibly high, impossibly dangerous mountain plateau.

Is It Any Good?

Despite a clever, history-subverting idea and a few great action sequences, this overlong, mostly needless prequel flails all over the place, pretending to decry violence but actually thriving on it. Directed and co-written, like its predecessors, by Matthew Vaughn , the The King's Man story twists are actually cleverly silly, incorporating bits of history and swirling them around, Forrest Gump -style, into something new. For example, Tom Hollander plays King George, Kaiser Wilhelm, and Tsar Nicholas, who are all -- ahem -- cousins. Vladimir Lenin and Mata Hari also show up jn the mix, and Ifans' Rasputin is a totally unpredictable creation who lends some energy to the movie -- and especially to his balletic fight scene during a lavish Christmas ball.

The final showdown, with Orlando trying to parachute onto a plateau, becoming trapped in the wing of his plane, and then just missing the edge of the cliff, is a true white-knuckler, smoothly helmed by Vaughn. But that's a long ways into The King's Man . Too much of the movie's two-hour-plus running time veers into insincere attempts to drive home the nonviolence theme, including scenes of WWI that are simply not funny; instead -- as Peter Jackson's incredible They Shall Not Grow Old demonstrated -- they were really deadly serious. Not to mention the aftermath of those scenes, which fall into weepy pathos and creates a dead spot in the center of the movie. Ultimately, this film that's seemingly devoted to cleverness, action, and fun finally has too little of any of those to make it worth the effort.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about The King's Man 's violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

How effective is the movie's message about nonviolence? How does it play out against the action shown on screen?

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How does the movie fit in with the Kingsman franchise? In what ways does it expand on the story?

Movie Details

In theaters : December 22, 2021
On DVD or streaming : February 22, 2022
Cast : Gemma Arterton , Ralph Fiennes , Djimon Hounsou
Director : Matthew Vaughn
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Black actors
Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Genre : Action/Adventure
Run time : 131 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : sequences of strong/bloody violence, language, and some sexual material
Last updated : July 3, 2024

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The King's Man (2021)

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‘The King’s Man’ Review: Matthew Vaughn’s Spy Prequel Is Incoherent, Cynical, and Dull

Vikram murthi.

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Guns, suits, and kicking ass. Those are the three pillars of Matthew Vaughn ’s “Kingsman” series, which tracks the adventures of a secret spy organization that stops various global cabals from destroying the world via cartoonish ultra-violence and a devilish sense of humor. 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. Vaughn’s crass version of wink-wink sophistication ostensibly updates the Bond playbook for a coarser world, but it mostly telegraphs his supposed cleverness and nostalgia-happy referentiality, all of which is bathed in excessive blood and profanity. The films’ box-office success indicates the obvious: nihilistic provocations are a cheap, but effective high.

Vaughn’s latest entry into the series is a prequel, the long-delayed “The King’s Man,” which traces the early-20th century origins of the Kingsman organization. While it explains how the Kingsman organization was founded, it doesn’t get too bogged down in mythology or callbacks. Instead, Vaughn switches up the playbook by making a remixed World War I epic that “reflects” on the nature of violence and historical chaos. In most cases, it sticks to the historical record; in others, it exaggerates motivations and invents figures whole cloth.

The film’s tone is less cheeky and more serious, especially in the first half, but Vaughn and co-screenwriter Karl Gajdusek have their cake and eat it too by doling out standard “Kingsman”-esque thrills in between heady conversations about non-violence, colonialism, and the horrors of war. Though it might seem like a self-consciously mature “Kingsman” film, rest assured, it’s not really grown-up at heart.

The two previous “Kingsman” films hinge on the mentor-mentee relationship between chav-turned-superspy Eggsy (Taron Edgerton) and elder statesman Harry Hart (Colin Firth). While Hart is like a father figure to the young Eggsy, “The King’s Man” replace this pair with an actual father-son duo whose conflicts are ideological. Well-bred aristocrat Orlando Oxford ( Ralph Fiennes ) becomes a staunch pacifist in 1902 after watching his wife (Alexandra Maria Lara) get killed while delivering food and supplies to a British concentration camp in South Africa. Since then, he has kept a close eye on his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson), who longs to bravely serve his country at all of 17 years old.

As World War I begins to break out, Orlando strongly opposes Conrad’s desire to lie about his age so he can fight on the front lines. He tries to keep him close by letting him in on a little secret: he runs a secret network out of the house alongside housekeeper/nanny Polly ( Gemma Arterton ) and trusty bodyguard/servant Shola ( Djimon Hounsou ) that protects England behind the scenes. Conrad joins them on a mission to Russia to kill Grigori Rasputin (an unrecognizable Rhys Ifans) so he stops unduly influencing the Tsar.

Though Vaughn and Gajdusek fill up “The King’s Man” with a dizzying amount of real-life historical incident and global threats — including yet another secret cabal, only this time it’s run by a Scottish separatist who uses minions to help exacerbate the war so that England collapses — the core story involves Orlando and Conrad’s relationship, which is under strain due to Conrad’s insistence in joining the British army. Orlando desperately tries to explain the horrors of war to his son, drawing on his own disturbing wartime experiences to illustrate how killing a man also kills a part of your soul. But Conrad can’t accept his father’s teachings and refuses to hide behind his wealth and privilege while his peers die in the trenches. Orlando pulls every string possible to keep him from harm’s way, including appealing to George V directly, but Conrad evades every attempt and finds himself in the trenches just like he wanted. He quickly learns that bravery holds little purchase on this battleground.

It’s difficult not to read Orlando’s pacifism as Vaughn’s attempt to address the glib violence at the heart of his franchise. It’s not just that Fiennes successfully mines some pathos in the scenes where he states his principles, elevating otherwise middling dialogue with his refined delivery. It’s also that the violence in the first half is fairly tasteful, at least by the standards of the “Kingsman” series. Vaughn maintains historical fidelity when restaging Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination, and Conrad’s trip to no man’s land while on the front lines, though broadly swiped from “1917,” feels appropriately nightmarish. “The King’s Man” isn’t exactly the most absorbing history lesson, but it’s certainly a change of pace from the hyperactive macho norm. It’s a movie that plays to the dads while trying to teach their antsy teenage boys a thing or two about the past.

Of course, this is still a “Kingsman” film we’re talking about, and it’s blatantly obvious where it’s eventually headed. “The King’s Man” might begin as the story of a pacifist who wants to save his well-intentioned son from dying for his country, but it ultimately turns into the story of a pacifist who learns that sometimes it’s necessary to kill a bunch of people to save the British empire. Vaughn pays lip service to Orlando’s beliefs at key moments, but “The King’s Man” eventually abandons them to become an over-the-top, overstuffed shoot-em-up, except with historical precedent to justify it. It’s not a surprising narrative development by any means, but it’s still quite a cynical illustration of “the ends justify the means,” even for such a cynical franchise.

Still, its political incoherence could be forgiven or at least mitigated if “The King’s Man” wasn’t generally so dull. Save for an extended fight sequence against Rasputin, which effectively mixes dance and fight choreography, and a suspenseful scene when Orlando scales a mountain, the action sequences in “The King’s Man” are predictable and unengaging. Vaughn weaves a complex web of historical and political context, befitting the intricate nature of World War I, but he too heavily relies on history to lend every scene with stakes, possibly because the characters are all two-dimensional. Fiennes and Dickinson get by on charisma, but everyone else is found wanting, especially Arterton, who’s saddled with terrible “oh, you boys” dialogue, and Hounsou, who mostly kills baddies and says very little beside for referring to Orlando as “your grace.”

There are fun performance choices on the margins — like Tom Hollander playing King George, Kaiser Wilhelm, and Tsar Nicholas, all of whom were real life cousins of each other — but you have to strain to pick out memorable moments. Once the film’s second half gets under way, which is overwhelmed with convoluted plot developments, chintzy CGI, and hollow triumphs, it’s easy to forget everyone’s motivations. Hell, it’s easy to forget that the film is set during World War I. (Luckily, a ridiculous mid-credits scene will remind anyone unable to remember.) Pedestrian cinematic sins they may be, but that it’s all in service of teaching a peacenik to man up and kill for country make such hogwash go down even worse.

20th Century Studios will release “The King’s Man” in theaters on Wednesday, December 22.

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The King’s Man’ on Hulu and HBO Max, the ‘Kingsmen’ Franchise Prequel That Challenges Us to Give a Damn

Where to Stream:

The King's Man
Ralph Fiennes

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The Hulu and HBO Max menus now offer The King’s Man , a prequel to the two Kingsman films that someone out there was asking for, presumably, whoever they are, I’ve never met one, have you? Note the nomenclatorial alterations, with the apostrophe and stroke of the spacebar, which suggests that the ultraviolent super-secret dapper-gentleman Kingsman spy squad began with one fellow. So don’t expect any familiar faces from the previous films, but it features many recognizable ones, most notably Ralph Fiennes, effectively replacing Colin Firth as the genteel Englishman lead who also can stab the shit out of someone with a sword. Do we care? I don’t know. Probably not. But should we care? That’s the question I’m paid to answer, people.

THE KING’S MAN : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: The first of far too many characters is introduced to us in SOUTH AFRICA, 1902, where the first of far too much plot begins. For some reason, Orlando Oxford (Fiennes) is in this country. Please don’t ask me why. Far too many things happened between these scenes and the end of the movie for me to remember. It’s important because his wife is killed and his son is young and left motherless, thus inspiring Orlando to be an overprotective father 12 YEARS LATER. He’s a Duke, so he lives in one of those sprawling English countryside estates with a staff far outnumbering the actual residents. His son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) is now 18 and raring to join the army and fight in World War I so he can get medals for heroism just like his father. But Orlando is a pacifist now. He’d rather play his Duke card and keep the boy safe. Meanwhile, there’s some political palaver going on, and you don’t want to know, because it’s thunderously boring.

That sets up the movie’s core relationship, I guess, but there are a whole bunch of other characters you might want to know about. Polly (Gemma Arterton) and Shola (Djimon Hounsou) are Orlando’s most loyal servants. Lord Kitchener (Charles Dance) is the British war secretary; Orlando urges him to not ever, ever, ever let Conrad join the military. Elsewhere, a cabal of bad guys forms, led by a mysterious Scotsman, and rendered highly eccentric by the Russian madman Rasputin (Rhys Ifans); their goal is to something something, and I’m being vague not to avoid spoilers, but because it’s too convoluted to inspire a single giveashit. And then there’s King George of England, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and Tsar Nicholas of Russia, all cousins (!), all played by Tom Hollander wearing three different idiotic mustaches, and utilizing three different ludicrous accents.

So before I attempt a Guinness World Record in reductionism by summarizing what all these characters have to do with each other, let’s take a quick inventory: Father trying to keep his son from dying in a gruesome trench war, Russian loon heals people by licking them, one actor caricaturing three world leaders. Scrumptious. Anyway, the war is happening, and Orlando does some spy shit, which implicates him in international politics, and Mother England and her gross-conquest empire is under dire threat, and the attempt to save it involves some feisty goats that are used to make impeccable cashmere, a film of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson getting serviced by a prostitute and British guys jumping out of airplanes using one of them newfangled, whaddayacallem, parachutes . And like the other Kingsman s, nothing gets solved without nutty action and fight sequences. Sound like fun? You’d be wrong.

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. And as far as no-man’s-land WWI battle sequences go, The King’s Man falls between the masterful War Horse and the reasonably rousing Wonder Woman in terms of depicting trench warfare.

Performance Worth Watching: Fiennes flails in the grip of material that couldn’t find focus in the dictionary under “f.” So let’s go with Ifans as Rasputin, who’s so over the top, he makes a cartoon look like Victorian post-mortem photography.

Memorable Dialogue: Rasputin growls this doozy of a line about Russian culture: “Food, music, ballet, tobacco, art – but most of all… we like to f— like tigers. Grrrrrrrrrr.”

Sex and Skin: Is Rasputin tonguing Orlando’s upper-thigh bullet wound considered a “sex scene”? Let’s go to the judges: No. Despite the visual, and the proximity of the wound to the genitalia, it’s not. Got you on a technicality there. One thing it most definitely is? The most embarrassing movie scene of 2021.

Our Take: Nearly an hour goes by before director Matthew Vaughn – who also helmed the first two films – delivers one of the franchise’s signature action sequences, a nutty clash between Orlando and Rasputin, who flounces like Baryshnikov crossed with Bruce Lee, as the 1812 overture pomps and circumstances on the soundtrack. It’s an amusing and creative bit sandwiched between several miles of drudgery consisting of plodding exposition, repetitive back-and-forth between Orlando and Conrad, political blah blah blah and countless location jumps that introduce more and more characters who have less and less bearing on story advancement (Daniel Bruhl and Matthew Goode turn up here, and it’s barely worth mentioning them).

Surely Vaughn wants his dynamic, rip-roaring action to carry the weight of consequence, but if he pared down to the fights and chases, the story would make just as much sense (note: it doesn’t make much), and it’d be an act of mercy. The parachuting bit is suspenseful, high-stakes slapstick and the no-man’s-land clash, set in the chilling dead of night, is riveting and pressure-packed, but nestled amidst this wearying 131-minute bloat, they act as moments of relief from the burden of trying to follow this convoluted, stultifying mess of a plot.

The film’s tonal whiplash does it no favors, either. Fiennes tries to bring emotional gravity to scenes addressing grief and loss; meanwhile, Woodrow Wilson gets a blowsie and Hollander spreads his mustaches all over the screen as the film attempts to be a ribald, subversive alt-history spoof populated with comic-book villains and OTT caricatures. Its major plot developments carry little dramatic weight, and the big crazy scenes frankly could be crazier. The first film in the series got by on its core irony: well-dressed and -mannered Englishmen partake in extreme violence – keenly directed extreme violence, mind you. The formula just doesn’t work this time. The King’s Man gracelessly attempts to further force-feed a franchise to the world, but it’s flumping around on three flat tires.

Our Call: The King’s Man sets up the story of the British patriotic spy ring using a high-end clothier as its front – but instead of dapper pinstripes, this one’s dressed in a clown suit. SKIP IT.

Will you stream or skip the prequel #TheKingsMan on @hulu and @hbomax ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) February 19, 2022

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com .

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‘The King’s Man’ movie review: Ralph Fiennes is dashing in WWI adventure

January 13, 2022
★★★ , Movie Reviews

A British aristocrat and devout pacifist is drawn into the world of international espionage during World War I in The King’s Man , director Matthew Vaughn ’s surprisingly straight-faced prequel to his two over-the-top Kingsman movies adapted from the comic book series created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons .

Delayed for more than two years from its original release date in November 2019, The King’s Man ultimately attempts to cover more real-world intrigue than can be reasonably delivered within two hours. But it really soars during three extended adventure movie set pieces, and a breathless portrayal of Ralph Fiennes as an old-fashioned Errol Flynn-like hero is an absolute delight.

Fiennes stars as Orlando, Duke of Oxford, a Red Cross humanitarian whose wife is shot by a sniper during a visit to a South African concentration camp during the Boer War. Orlando’s young son also witnesses the attack, and a dozen years later he’s played by Harris Dickinson as a gung-ho recruit aiming to join the military in the days leading up to the First World War.

Orlando, meanwhile, has publicly retreated from a life of espionage in efforts to protect Conrad; privately, he runs a secret network of house servant spies alongside nanny Polly ( Gemma Arterton ) and butler Sholu ( Djimon Hounsou ).

As international tension mounts during the lead-up to war, pressure from Field Marshal Kitchener ( Charles Dance ), Captain Morton ( Matthew Goode ) and even King George of England ( Tom Hollander ) force both Orlando and Conrad back into action. Their first gig: accompany Archduke Franz Ferdinand ( Ron Cook ) to Sarajevo. History buffs might guess how this turns out.

Meanwhile, atop a rural Kazakh mountain, a shadowy figure manipulates Europe using his own network of spies to ensure the outbreak of war. Those spies include real-world figures such as: assassin Gavrilo Princip ( Joel Basman ); Grigori Rasputin ( Rhys Ifans ), who manipulates Tsar Nicholas (also played by Hollander); Erik Jan Hanussen ( Daniel Brühl ), who has the ear of Kaiser Wilhelm (Hollander once again); and even Mata Hari ( Valerie Pachner ), who here seduces and blackmails U.S. President Woodrow Wilson ( Ian Kelly ).

With all this real-world intrigue handled in a less-than entirely factual manner, The King’s Man could easily come off as an extended episode of Drunk History . But because it’s all played largely straight, and accurate enough (at least in terms of the major events), it simmers at the level of mildly involving if never truly compelling.

Downside: because The King’s Man attempts to cover so much real-world history along with its fictional backstory, it plays out at the level of montage throughout most of its running time, and most of these flavorful performances and colorful characterizations get lost along the way.

But there are three exceptions, isolated sequences that are given the proper amount of time to breathe, and during these scenes The King’s Man really delivers on its promises. In the first, Orlando and Conrad visit Rasputin, with Ifans’ vivid performance commanding the screen; the second follows Conrad in the trenches of WWI; and the third presents a climactic assault on the Kazakh mountaintop.

Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle starred Taron Egerton as a hooligan recruited into the ranks of a upscale espionage agency; they contrasted a refined James Bond atmosphere with a flippant irreverence, creating the feeling that anything could happen, at any time.

The King’s Man , meanwhile, is an entirely different beast: we know exactly what will happen (at the historical level, anyway) and the movie displays a genuine care for both its characters and the real world they live in; the attitude of the earlier films has been stripped away.

Bolstered by three standout sequences and a number of colorful performances, The King’s Man is the best of the Kingsman films yet, even if its overall narrative never congeals in the expected fashion. Best of all is Fiennes in the central role, and his transformation into a refined Errol Flynn hero really leaves us wanting more. Even if a post-credits setup for a sequel is a less attractive proposition.

The King's Man

2022 , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Aaron Vodovoz , Alexander Shaw , Alexandra Maria Lara , Alison Steadman , August Diehl , Barbara Drennan , Branka Katic , Cassidy Little , Charles Dance , Daniel Brühl , Dave Gibbons , David Kross , Djimon Hounsou , Gemma Arterton , Harris Dickinson , Ian Kelly , Joel Basman , Karl Gajdusek , Mark Millar , Matthew Goode , Matthew Vaughn , Neil Jackson , Olivier Richters , Ralph Fiennes , Rhys Ifans , Robert Aramayo , Ron Cook , Ross Anderson , Stanley Tucci , The King's Man , Todd Boyce , Tom Hollander , Valerie Pachner

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Jason Pirodsky

4 responses.

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What a letdown! 🙄 Expected action-packed brilliance, got a snoozefest instead. Ralph Fiennes couldn’t save this sinking ship – his talents wasted on a lackluster plot. The historical twist felt forced, and the characters were as forgettable as yesterday’s leftovers. The action scenes? Meh. Even the humor fell flat. 🤷‍♂️ Save your popcorn money, folks. This ain’t the Kingsman we signed up for! 👑

Pingback: ‘Argylle’ movie review: Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard steal spy movie from Henry Cavill - The Prague Reporter

I liked this movie well enough largely due to Fiennes but can see the origins of Argylle here… just BS that Vaughn clearly doesn’t take seriously so why should we? Looking forward to seeing where this “franchise” goes next lol

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The King's Man - What We Know So Far

Kingsman: The Secret Service was a unique, refreshing take on classic spy films in the Bond movie tradition. Taron Egerton nailed his first major role as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, a stereotypical chav who has to prove himself after he gets recruited into a secret intelligence agency by Harry Hart (Colin Firth). With raunchy humor, exciting action sequences, engaging cinematography, and a memorable cast of characters, it's no surprise that fans wanted to see more of the Kingsman universe.

Since the release of The Secret Service and its unexpected success, Kingsman has steadily been expanding into a larger franchise. Although the sequel, The Golden Circle , was released to mixed reviews in 2017, there was still plenty of interest in more Kingsman films. The latest installment, The King's Man , is set to take the story in a new direction. Here's all of the info that's been released about The King's Man so far, as well as a few hints about the future of the series.

What's the release date for The King's Man?

The date and title of the sequel ended up changing during the production process. At the first, the film was announced with the working title Kingsman: The Great Game . Eventually, it was decided that it would be titled The King's Man instead, which is a good fit — it references the original films while still making it clear that this movie will be different.

Originally, the release date for The King's Man was planned for November 15, 2019. However, the date was pushed back to Valentine's Day of 2020 so that Fox could give that prime awards season spot to Ford vs. Ferrari . Then, it was pushed back yet again to September 18 . And then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered theaters worldwide and led to a lot of schedule-shuffling on the part of the studios, bumping "The King's Man" back yet again — all the way to December 22, 2021, when it'll be poised to satisfy holiday cravings for big-screen spy hijinks. Better late than never, right?

What can we learn from The King's Man trailers?

The first teaser trailer for The King's Man was released in July 2019. A second, longer trailer revealing a little more detail about the plot followed in September 2019.

In the second trailer, it's established that the Kingsman organization is the "first independent intelligence agency," operating outside the military and the confines of government bureaucracy. Their goal is to preserve peace during wartime, using their own unorthodox methods without waiting for permission from any authorities. The notorious Grigori Rasputin will be making an appearance — perhaps as a sworn enemy of Kingsman.

We can definitely expect more of the highly stylized action sequences that the Kingsman films are known for. And there's a callback to one of the most important scenes in the first film: the Duke stands outside of the tailor shop that secretly leads to the Kingsman headquarters with Conrad, just as Harry did with Eggsy in The Secret Service .

Who is directing The King's Man?

Matthew Vaughn , who directed The Secret Service and The Golden Circle , is getting behind the camera again for The King's Man . "I wanted to scratch an itch that I've had for ages in making a movie [like] the big, epic adventure films that I grew up on," Vaughn said during a panel discussion at New York Comic Con. He added, "Making a movie like that on this sort of scale is not exactly easy to raise money for so I thought if I entwine that into the King's Man universe, Hollywood wouldn't be as scared of it." Vaughn named Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Would Be King , and The English Patient as films that inspired his vision for The King's Man .

This time around, Vaughn worked with screenwriter Karl Gajdusek on the script. Previously, Gajdusek served as a writer on the series Dead Like Me and films like Oblivion . He was also an executive producer for the first season of Stranger Things .

When do the events of The King's Man take place?

While The Secret Service and The Golden Circle took place in modern times and featured the Kingsman organization dealing with contemporary issues, like Valentine's plot to kill off most of the population to save the planet from climate change, The King's Man is going to be a prequel to those films. The plot of the film will play out against the backdrop of World War I.

Why did Vaughn decide to work on a prequel, rather than jumping straight into working on another sequel? According to the director himself, he saw it as an opportunity to start with a blank canvas, rather than building on the previous films. "It's hard to do plot twists with characters that are known, so I wanted to do an origin movie that had hardly anything to do with original Kinsgmen," Vaughn told Entertainment Weekly . He also says that you can watch and enjoy The King's Man even if you haven't seen the other Kingsman films yet.

Will Taron Egerton and Colin Firth be in The King's Man?

Since The King's Man takes place so many years before the events of The Secret Service and The Golden Circle , Taron Egerton and Colin Firth will not be returning to their starring roles as Eggsy and Harry.

Although a Kingsman film without Egerton and Firth will definitely have a different tone, this gives Vaughn the chance to bring some fresh faces into the fold and go in a new direction with this film. Plus, both actors have been quite busy lately. Egerton starred as Elton John in the musical biopic Rocketman , which earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and even generated some Oscar buzz . More recently, he voiced Rian in the Netflix/Henson puppet series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , and his voice will again be heard in Sing 2 , in which he'll return as Johnny the gorilla.

As for Firth , his recent roles include the war drama 1917 as well as The Secret Garden and Supernova . Clearly not averse to acting through big-scale conflict, he's also set to appear in another war drama, Operation Mincemeat .

What is the plot of The King's Man?

There are very few concrete details floating around about the plot of The King's Man . We definitely know that it's a period film set during World War I, but judging by the irreverent tone of the previous Kingsman films, it's not going to be a run of the mill historical drama. According to the official synopsis, the story goes as follows: "One man must race against time to stop history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds as they get together to plot a war that could wipe out millions of people and destroy humanity."

Sounds suspenseful, but one thing is clear: in The King's Man , we will learn exactly how the organization was originally founded and why. While it looks like most of the film will be set in Britain, the trailer makes it clear that the Russians definitely get involved, too.

Despite the secrecy so far, a few scenes from The King's Man were screened early at New York City Comic Con. In one scene that expanded on a moment from the trailer, Shola and Rasputin get into a sword fight while Conrad tries to rescue his father from drowning in icy waters — and Polly has to intervene to save their lives. We can expect a few more sneak peaks as The King's Man 's release date approaches.

Harris Dickinson will star in The King's Man

Harris Dickinson is starring in The King's Man as Conrad, whose aspirations to become a solider and fight in the war end up leading him in a very different direction than he originally planned. Dickinson has raved about his experience shooting The King's Man , revealing that he felt like he had lots of creative freedom in his role because they were telling a new story that didn't necessarily rely on the previous films.

"It's not like the pressure of a sequel, necessarily, where you've got to come in and continue the story," Dickinson told Collider , adding, "There are definitely moments where you pinch yourself and think, 'This is my job.'"

In some ways, it looks like his character is comparable to Eggsy: a young man who gets recruited to work with Kingsman, without much of a clue about what's really getting himself in to. But while Eggsy's father died when he was young, sacrificing himself to protect a fellow spy, Conrad's dad is alive and well — in fact, he's the one who recruits him for espionage in the first place.

Ralph Fiennes will co-star in The King's Man

Ralph Fiennes will play the Duke of Oxford, who also happens to be Conrad's father and the founder of the Kingsman organization. He acts as a mentor to Conrad throughout the film, teaching his son that while the government might not take action to stop injustice in time, Kingsman can — and espionage is a more effective way of fighting than using brute force.

"His son's growing up and is full of sense of duty and wanting to prove himself as a soldier and as a man of honor," Fiennes told ComicBook.com , continuing, "I try to give him another perspective ... how you can do more damage to the enemy by the right intelligence/undercover work than all-out war."

If you're a Kingsman fan feeling a little let down by the fact that Egerton and Firth won't be appearing in this film, it does seem like Conrad and the Duke will have a similar dynamic to Eggsy and Harry.

Rhys Ifans will play Rasputin in The King's Man

While it's still unclear exactly how the Russians will factor into the plot of The King's Man , it looks like Rasputin will play a significant role. He appears in the trailer, and we know that he's going to have at least one important fight scene. Will he be one of the villains of the film, or will he end up helping out Conrad and the Duke? Only time will tell. Right now, all we know is that Rasputin will be played by Rhys Ifans .

Even if you don't recognize Ifans' name, you might know his face. He played the Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man , and he also appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 as Xenophilius Lovegood. And you might also be familiar with his voice: he narrated the 2010 documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop . In addition, Ifans played Corbin O'Brian in Snowden , and he also had recurring roles in Berlin Station as Hector DeJean and Elementary as Mycroft Holmes.

Who else will appear in The King's Man?

The cast of The King's Man is rounded out by several accomplished actors. Gemma Arterton, who recently lent her voice to the TV adaptation of the novel Watership Down , will have a leading role as Polly, a woman involved with Kingsman. She is featured prominently in the trailer, so it's safe to assume she's going to be an important character. Djimon Hounsou, known as Korath in Marvel films like Captain Marvel and Guardians of the Galaxy , also makes a few appearances in the trailer — he'll be joining the cast as Shola.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to play Lee Unwin, who is likely one of Eggsy's ancestors. You may also recognize Stanley Tucci, who appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger and voices Herb Kazzaz on BoJack Horseman . And if you're a fan of Game of Thrones , look out for Charles Dance, who played patriarch Tywin Lannister masterfully for five seasons and will be appearing in The King's Man as Arthur.

Will Liam Neeson be in The King's Man?

While The King's Man was still in production, it was reported that Liam Neeson would be appearing in the film . Neeson did seem like a great fit for a Kingsman film — after all, he had already proven that he could play a convincing secret agent in the Taken series.

Unfortunately for those who were hoping to see Neeson join the organization, this turned out to be nothing more than a rumor. "I just wrapped the movie and unless he's got some amazing prosthetics and he's playing some character I didn't know about, he ain't in the film. Never had a discussion," Vaughn told The Playlist . "I love Liam Neeson. And I'd love for him to be in it, but no, I have no idea where that came from." Vaughn joked that if he had wanted to drum up more publicity for the film with fake casting announcements, he should have spread a rumor about someone even more famous, like Leonardo DiCaprio .

Will there be future Kingsman films?

The King's Man is a prequel, but that doesn't mean we'll never find out what happened after the events of The Golden Circle . Vaughn has already confirmed that an untitled Kingsman film (tentatively referred to as " Kingsman 3 ") will be released in the future, picking up where The Golden Circle left off. The script is already written, and as far as the plot, Vaughn says that audiences should "expect the unexpected." And this time, Egerton and Firth will be back as Eggsy and Harry.

Egerton has said he's glad that he'll get a chance to return to the role, and he's hoping that the new film will fare better with the critics than The Golden Circle . "I would like the third one to be better received than the second one was," Egerton told Empire , continuing, "What I would like to happen is for us to do a third one and for it to feel like a worthy third installment to what has been a great part of my life."

There is also a Kingsman spinoff film planned, titled Statesman . This film will be about Kingsman's American counterpart organization, which was featured in The Golden Circle .

A Kingsman TV series is in the works

If the upcoming Kingsman films still aren't enough for you, you're in luck: there is also a Kingsman television series planned. The series will supposedly include eight hour-long episodes. As of right now, there's very little info out about the series — it's simply known as the " Untitled Kingsman Project ," and there's no release date yet. Production on the show has not started, and there's no word about who the cast will be. Basically, we're in the dark for now, although Vaughn reportedly has "something like seven more Kingsman films" up his sleeve.

If you're feeling a bit impatient about the upcoming projects, you can always check out the animated Archer and Kingsman crossover , titled #TBT to That Time Archer Met Kingsman . It features Eggsy alongside Sterling Archer , with Egerton voicing Eggsy. Archer happens to find the secret Kingsman lair and outsmarts Eggsy at his own game during a drinking contest.

With so many things in the works, fans will be getting plenty of new material for years to come. There's still much to explore in the world of Kingsman.

Screen Rant

Kingsman franchise dominates netflix's global chart for the first time.

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Blink Twice Review: Zoë Kravitz's Clever Psychological Thriller Is An Unforgettable Movie Experience

Luke skywalker's jedi temple on ossus was the key to palpatine's defeat after all, george lucas changed hollywood forever with the phantom menace, & we've all forgotten just how ground-breaking it was.

Both original Kingsman movies have become global Netflix hits despite not being available to stream in the United States.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is No. 3 on the week's global Top 10, while its sequel The Golden Circle is No. 6.
Global interest in the original movies could indicate that Kingsman 3 could be a success.

The Kingsman franchise is dominating the Netflix global chart for the first time. Based on the comic book series of the same name, the Kingsman movies first hit theaters in 2014 with The Secret Service , which introduced Taron Egerton as Eggsy, a young man who is recruited by Harry Hart (Colin Firth) into the upper-crust spy agency known as Kingsman. The movie was followed by a 2017 sequel, The Golden Circle , which introduced the American spy agency Statesman, and a 2021 prequel titled The King's Man , which was set during World War I.

Netflix has now calculated their global Top 10 chart of the most-watched English language movies for the week of August 5 through August 11. Both movies in the flagship franchise have appeared on the chart despite not being available to stream in the United States, with Kingsman: The Secret Service landing at No. 3 with 6.9 million viewers accumulating 15 million viewing hours and Kingsman: The Golden Circle trailing behind it at No. 6 with 4.8 million viewers and 11.4 million viewing hours. For both movies, this is their first week ever on the streaming platform's chart.

Does This Global Netflix Success Prove The World Is Ready For Kingsman 3?

Matthew vaughn's recent spy movies have had diminishing returns.

Taron Egerton smiling as Eggsy and looking to the right in Kingsman: The Golden Circle

This modern streaming success for the original two movies in the franchise could indicate that the stage has been set for the long-delayed sequel Kingsman: The Blue Blood to be a success. While the sequel - which is set to conclude the flagship series - has been confirmed, Egerton's busy schedule has prevented it from coming to fruition in a timely manner, among other considerations. Unfortunately, in the meantime, franchise director Matthew Vaughn has seen severely diminishing returns from his more recent spy movie efforts .

Although The Golden Circle was both a critical and commercial slump when compared to The Secret Service , both of Vaughn's follow-ups fared even worse, in such a severe way that the fate of Kingsman 3 may even be put into jeopardy . The King's Man saw an even more severe downturn than its immediate predecessor, while his Henry Cavill spy movie Argylle - which features an end credits scene linking it to the Kingsman franchise - fared even worse. See a breakdown of the four movies' Rotten Tomatoes scored and box office results below:

Title	Budget	Box Office	RT Score
(2014)	~$90 million	$414.4 million	75%
(2017)	$104 million	$410.9 million	50%
(2021)	~$100 million	$126 million	41%
(2024)	$200 million	$96.2 million	33%

While Argylle was bolstered by the fact that it was designed for a streaming run on Apple TV+ and thus was not necessarily beholden to turning a profit in theaters, the overall decrease in theatrical interest in Vaughn's spy movies nevertheless did not spell good news for the future of the Kingsman franchise. However, this resurgence in interest in the two movies in the original flagship franchise could indicate that The Blue Blood would be well received by contemporary audiences, even though more than half a decade has passed since the most recent installment.

Source: Netflix

Kingsman: The Secret Service

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Based on the comic book series of the same name, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of rebellious teen Eggsy (Taron Egerton) as he's inducted into a top-secret spy agency by a man codenamed Galahad (Colin Firth). After learning that billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) plans to destroy the world, Eggsy and Galahad set out to avert international disaster and uncover widespread corruption that threatens to consume the Kingsman agency itself.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the second film in the Kingman franchise, is based on the comic book series of the same name by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. Kingsman: The Golden Circle continues the story of Eggsy (Taron Egerton), now codenamed Galahad. When a mysterious cartel known as the Golden Circle threatens international security, Eggsy must travel to America to request the help of the Statesman agency. The Golden Circle sees Egerton, Mark Strong, and Colin Firth reprise their roles from the previous film, and also introduces Julianne Moore, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, Halle Berry, and Jeff Bridges to the franchise in supporting roles.

The 17 Best Movies That Follow the Hero's Journey

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Everyone who's interested in how stories are made is bound to have heard the term "the Hero's Journey." Also known as the monomyth, it's a story archetype coined and popularized by Joseph Campbell in the mid-1900s when he noticed that heroes in myths typically go through the same 17 stages in their journey, from the call to adventure that gets the character out of their comfort zone, to the freedom to live found at the end of the ordeals in their adventure.

This narrative template has served as the basis and inspiration of countless stories throughout history – including numerous outstanding films. From a grand fantastical story like Star Wars , to something more grounded in reality like O Brother, Where Art Thou? , these movies don't always follow every single one of the steps outlined by Campbell, but they stick to more than enough to call each of them a hero's journey . A tried-and-true way of telling successful stories that resonate with audiences of all ages and nationalities, movies that follow the Hero's Journey, if well-written, are always a delight like no other.

17 'Men in Black' (1997)

Directed by barry sonnenfeld.

One of the most iconic movies you may not know is based on Marvel comics , Men in Black is the story of a cop ( Will Smith ) who, after a chase with an otherworldly being, is recruited by an organization that monitors and polices alien activity on Earth. There's something for every sci-fi fan to enjoy in this movie, from visually stunning special effects to mind-blowing action and just the right amount of humor.

Men in Black follows the Hero's Journey nearly to a tee , from Agent J getting the call to join the mission of protecting the planet from alien threats and initially refusing the call, to him finally learning to master his two worlds and become the hero he was meant to be. The result is a thrilling sci-fi action adventure that doesn't get nearly enough praise nowadays, with a heroic protagonist who's a joy to follow through his journey.

Men In Black

Not available

16 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' (2014)

Directed by matthew vaughn.

Two men walking, one in a suit and the other in casual wear

Kingsman: The Secret Service , one of the funniest action movies of the 21st century so far , is based on the popular comic books of the same title. It's about a super-secret spy organization that recruits a promising but rough-around-the-edges street kid into their training program, while a twisted tech genius emerges as a global threat. With a star-studded cast and Matthew Vaughn 's colorful direction, it's a delightfully entertaining film with a traditional Hero's Journey narrative.

As traditional and monomythical as protagonist Eggsy's journey toward heroism is, Vaughn and his co-screenwriter Jane Goldman still find ways to make the story feel fresh, exciting, and unpredictable. By the time the explosive third act comes around, audiences are delighted to see how far Eggsy has come and how badass the movie's action sequences can be.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

15 'o brother, where art thou' (2000), directed by joel and ethan coen.

John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and George Clooney in O Brother Where Art Thou

The Coen brothers are masters of making some of the most entertaining crime movies, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? is definitely one of their best. Loosely based on Homer 's The Odyssey , it's about three fugitives roaming the southern U.S. in search of treasure with the law hot on their heels. Unlike the Greek classic, however, the Coens' crime film has great Southern American music, traditional Western tropes, and stars George Clooney , Tim Blake Nelson , and John Turturro .

The characters in O Brother, Where Art Thou? encounter mentors, face challenges, and go through profound transformations , just like the heroes in the monomyth do. The ensuing adventure is as humorous as it is exciting, an offbeat adaptation of a massively important and influential classic. You can't go wrong with a well-written and well-directed Coen brothers movie, so O Brother should easily please all cinephiles' palates.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

14 'batman begins' (2005), directed by christopher nolan.

Batman running down a hallway surrounded by bats in Batman Begins

Movies with Hero's Journey archetypes are fun enough as they are, but mix those elements with a superhero origin story, and you get one of the best entries in the superhero genre . That's what Batman Begins is, as it reinvents the story of Bruce Wayne's ( Christian Bale ) origins as the vigilante hero Batman, by placing the character on a journey to become the guardian that his beloved Gotham City deserves.

Christopher Nolan's first installment in his Dark Knight Trilogy feels more like a character-driven thriller than a traditional superhero film, in the best sense possible. The director cleverly fits Bruce's process of becoming the Dark Knight into Campbell's monomyth , showing audiences how the hero is eventually able to master his new identity to save his city.

Batman Begins

13 'the northman' (2022), directed by robert eggers.

The Viking Amleth, played by Alexander Skarsgård, lumbers through a village, covered in blood in The Northman.

With his 2015 folk horror gem The Witch , Robert Eggers emerged as one of the most outstanding and exciting new voices in Hollywood. With his third outing, he departed from the horror genre to instead make one of the most barbaric action dramas of the 2020s so far: The Northman , the Hamlet-like tale of an exiled Viking prince on a quest to avenge his father's murder.

The Northman is one of the best R-rated fantasy movies , employing Eggers's unparalleled eye for visual and narrative details to tell a riveting story led by Alexander Skarsgård 's surprisingly nuanced lead performance. As a story inspired by classic tales of old, The Northman sticks close to Hero's Journey tropes, but always elevating them with nail-biting action and thrilling character work.

The Northman

12 'iron man' (2008), directed by jon favreau.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) aims a repulsor blast in 'Iron Man' (2008)

As one of the most famous superheroes in existence and the Marvel Cinematic Universe's anchor being, Iron Man (played by a perfectly cast Robert Downey Jr. ) is now a household name. Back in 2008, however, only hardcore Marvel fans knew who he was. That all changed with Jon Favreau 's Iron Man , the movie that birthed the MCU, about a billionaire who engineers a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight crime.

Whereas the franchise that it spawned would go on to have a sprawling structure spanning many media, Iron Man wisely falls into a traditional heroic journey as it follows Tony Stark into the cave where he meets his mentor and creates his armor, and into his entailing odyssey of self-discovery and heroism. To this day, the result is remembered as one of the MCU's greatest films.

11 'The Matrix' (1999)

Directed by lana and lilly wachowski.

Three Agents standing in a digital rain hallway in The Matrix

When the Wachowskis released The Matrix before the turn of the century, the world was taken by storm, and the sci-fi genre in films would never be the same again. In the movie that cemented him as an action star, Keanu Reeves plays Neo, a man who joins a group of insurgents in their fight against the powerful computers who rule Earth. To this day, The Matrix still receives praise as one of the best sci-fi movies ever .

With its visual innovations, clever cinematography, and unique philosophical themes that have been endlessly analyzed throughout the years, The Matrix was unlike anything audiences had seen before at the time of its release . Perhaps one of the main reasons why its story clicked so well with viewers around the world was because it closely follows the stages of the Hero's Journey, as Neo goes from an average Joe to an all-powerful hero.

Rent on Apple TV

10 'Kung Fu Panda' (2008)

Directed by mark osborne and john stevenson.

For those that think that family animated movies are exclusively for children, Kung Fu Panda is the perfect mind-changing watch. It follows Po ( Jack Black ), a lazy panda who dreams of being a kung fu hero, as he's thrust into a journey of discovering his destiny as the Chosen One. There are many examples of the Hero's Journey in movies that logically follow the same structure, but the creative things that Kung Fu Panda does with the archetype are entirely its own .

Just like all the compelling heroes of Campbell's model, Po is called to action, goes through several life-threatening ordeals with help from friends and allies, and finds that the power to be the guardian of the Valley of Peace comes from within. Sprinkled with hilarious humor, outstanding voice acting, and some of the best action in any animated film , it's undoubtedly one of DreamWorks Animation's best efforts.

Kung Fu Panda

9 'finding nemo' (2003), directed by andrew stanton.

Dory and Marlin smiling as they swim through a circle of fish in Finding Nemo

Hero's Journey movies are usually action-focused epics, and not often family-friendly stories about fish. That only makes Finding Nemo even more special. It's the story of Marlin ( Albert Brooks ), a timid clownfish who, after his son Nemo ( Alexander Gould in one of the best child voice performances in animated cinema) is kidnapped, sets out to find him against all the threats that the deep blue sea has to offer.

Though Finding Nemo isn't your typical kind of hero's journey, where the story is much more intimate and the biggest threats that the characters face are mostly internal, it very much follows the formula . What finds itself transformed in the end is the relationship between Marlin and Nemo, in one of the most touching endings of Pixar's filmography.

Finding Nemo

8 'the truman show' (1998), directed by peter weir.

One of the most creative, smart, subversive, and philosophically profound comedies ever put to film, The Truman Show stars Jim Carrey (in one of the most inspired casting decisions of the '90s) as the titular Truman Burbank, an insurance salesman oblivious to the fact that his entire life is a reality TV show and every single person in his town — including his family and friends — are actors.

The Truman Show proves that any story can follow the Hero's Journey, not only genre action flicks . As he starts uncovering the truth, goes through an existential crisis, and eventually decides to escape his manufactured reality, the story of Truman sticks close to Campbell's stages of a narrative. The result is a fascinating movie that finds the perfect balance between smart humor and poignant drama.

The Truman Show

7 'the wizard of oz' (1939), directed by victor fleming.

An exciting adventure that uses both black-and-white and beautiful color , through a fantastical land that any movie fan would love to live in, The Wizard of Oz follows Dorothy ( Judy Garland ) in her journey through the magical land of Oz, searching for a mysterious wizard who can send her back home.

The movie was an absolute sensation when it came out, and even after more than three-quarters of a century, it's still remembered as one of the greatest American movie masterpieces. The stages of the monomyth are clear in The Wizard of Oz : the ordinary world is Kansas, Dorothy crosses a very literal threshold to a vastly different world, and her journey of transformation is full of faces both friendly and menacing.

The Wizard of Oz

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6 'The Lion King' (1994)

Directed by roger allers and rob minkoff.

Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa smiling in The Lion King 2x1

1994's The Lion King is a movie that needs no introduction. Many would say that it's the best animated movie to ever come out of Disney, and it's fully understandable, thanks to its timeless songs and the animated film's brilliant depiction of grief . It's the grand and epic story of Simba ( Matthew Broderick ), a lion cub prince who's tricked into exile by his uncle Scar ( Jeremy Irons ), who wishes to have the throne for himself.

The animation is majestic, with some really charming character designs, and the story is compelling from beginning to end. Its philosophical themes of identity and self-discovery are beautiful, and the way they're conveyed through a classic hero's journey structure in The Lion King is simply perfect . The film is in certain ways an adaptation of William Shakespeare 's Hamlet , but its fidelity to Campbell's monomyth is much more interesting to dissect.

The Lion King (1994)

5 'harry potter' saga (2001 - 2011), directed by chris columbus, alfonso cuarón, mike newell, and david yates.

Hogwarts as seen in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

The Harry Potter series features not just one, but eight of the movies that best follow the Hero's Journey. From Chris Columbus 's Sorcerer's Stone to David Yates 's Deathly Hallows — Part 2 , the franchise follows the coming-of-age story of the titular character ( Daniel Radcliffe ) and his two best friends, as they grow to become key players in a war against an evil wizard.

Everyone has a different favorite installment in the series, but every Harry Potter movie plays an equally crucial role in the overarching narrative of the story, which very closely follows the monomyth . Not only that, but each film follows a smaller version of the general model as well. It's probably what makes these movies so easy to enjoy, since they so faithfully walk along the lines laid out by Campbell and so many filmmakers from before 2001.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

4 'seven samurai' (1954), directed by akira kurosawa.

Master Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa is one of the best to ever do it, having inspired and influenced countless directors that came after him. He made many of the best films of all time throughout his career, but his most acclaimed is usually agreed to be Seven Samurai , a 3-and-a-half-hour-long action epic about seven samurai being hired for protection by a village of farmers exploited by bandits.

With Seven Samurai , Kurosawa pretty much invented the cinematic version of the Hero's Journey, which would be imitated and followed by a myriad of filmmakers in the future. Easily the best and most influential samurai film ever made, Seven Samurai expands on Campbell's monomyth and shows the range of enthralling stories that it's able to give a foundation to.

Seven Samurai

3 'the lord of the rings' trilogy (2001 - 2003), directed by peter jackson.

Frodo, Sam, Merry, & Pippin in the mountains look to the distance in Fellowship of the Ring

There are countless things that make Peter Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings trilogy one of the best fantasy film franchises of all time, and one of the most important is the fact that all three installments in the trilogy truly feel like part of a greater whole, as they collaborate in telling the story of Frodo ( Elijah Wood ), the Fellowship of the Ring, and their efforts to destroy the greatest tool of an evil tyrant terrorizing Middle-earth.

Of course, the monomyth-following template was already there, set in stone by the legendary J.R.R. Tolkien when he wrote what's undoubtedly one of the best series of fantasy books in history. Even yet, the way Jackson and company built on top of that, telling a story that feels undeniably cinematic, is admirable beyond measure.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2 'citizen kane' (1941), directed by orson welles.

citizen-kane-orson-welles-social-featured

When Orson Welles made his passion project Citizen Kane , he probably had no idea that he was making what would in the future be referred to as the single greatest film of all time by thousands of people, as well as one of the most essential movies of the '40s . Inspired by magnate William Randolph Hearst , it's a character study about a group of reporters trying to decipher the last words of Charles Foster Kane (Welles), a powerful newspaper tycoon.

Citizen Kane is an entirely unique picture, and the way it's structured is just as well. Citizen Kane follows Campbell's monomyth formula in a very non-traditional way , which only makes it more of a groundbreaking story. There are plenty of good reasons for its fame, and that's certainly one of the biggest.

Citizen Kane

1 'star wars' (1977), directed by george lucas.

Han Solo, Leia and Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Perhaps no movie more famously follows the Hero's Journey archetype than Star Wars , with George Lucas having taken direct inspiration from Campbell . The hero in this particular story is Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ), a young farm boy who's thrown into an adventure far greater than anything he'd encountered before, joining the Rebellion against the dictatorial Galactic Empire.

One of the best space operas of all time, Star Wars showcases what makes the monomyth such an effective way of telling stories and celebrating the art of storytelling itself. Luke is a deeply compelling hero, his journey is incredibly entertaining, and all the allies and villains that he encounters along the way are equally iconic. As far as modern myths go, Star Wars is certainly one of the best.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

NEXT: Movies You Didn't Realize Were Based on Greek Mythology

IMAGES

The King's Man
Movie Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service Brings The Fun back to Spy
'The King's Man' Shows Off a New Trailer and Poster
Movie Review: ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’
Kingsman Movie Review
Movie Review: 'Kingsman: The Secret Service'

COMMENTS

The King's Man
Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/31/22 Full Review sk As good as Kingsman first movie. very good action sequences and story line ... 2022. Box Office (Gross USA) $37.2M.
The King's Man (2021)
The King's Man: Directed by Matthew Vaughn. With Djimon Hounsou, Ralph Fiennes, Shaun Yusuf McKee, Peter York. In the early years of the 20th century, the Kingsman agency is formed to stand against a cabal plotting a war to wipe out millions.
'The King's Man' Review: Suiting Up and Shooting Down
Harris Dickinson, left, and Ralph Fiennes in "The King's Man.". As the spy agency's founder, Fiennes lends a surprising gravitas to this flibbertigibbet movie. 20th Century Studios. By ...
The King's Man movie review & film summary (2021)
Matthew Vaughn's "The King's Man" is such an inconsistent action movie.It feels like half the production teams wanted to make "1917" and the other half opened the wallets for the British version of "Team America: World Police."It's a film that is too often trying to be a serious study of politics, warfare, and pacifism until it slaps you in the face with a reminder that this ...
The King's Man
With all of the excitement of the Kingsman franchise so far, this was a bit of an over-historic dud. Full Review | Original Score: 6.4/10 | Feb 25, 2022. Allison Rose FlickDirect. As a stand-alone ...
The King's Man Review
The ambitious, strange, and overstuffed The King's Man really does have magic woven in. There are standout moments that, on their own, deserve a 9/10. The action is stunning. Djimon Hounsou ...
The King's Man (2021) Review
MANNERS (AND WAR) MAKETH THE KINGSMAN Back in 2015, moviegoers everywhere were introduced to director Matthew Vaughan's visual spy action film Kingsman: The Secret Service. Adapted from the graphic novel Kingsman by Mark Millar (writer) and Dave Gibbons (artist), the film, which starred Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine, follows the journey of troubled
The King's Man
Dec 14, 2021. Like a great big playful un-neutered pitbull, Matthew Vaughn's new Kingsman movie comes crashing into our cinematic lives this Christmas, overturning the furniture and frantically humping everyone's leg before rolling over on the carpet for you to tickle its tummy or anything else that comes to hand.
The King's Man Reviews Have Arrived, Read What Critics ...
The King's Man takes a slightly different tone than the first two movies in the Kingsman series. ... and the reviews are ... And be sure to take a look at our 2022 New Movie Release Schedule to ...
The King's Man Review: A Proper Prequel That Dares To ...
Balancing its tone even handedly, this prequel goes a long way towards forming the Kingsman universe that Matthew Vaughn and his co-conspirators first introduced to audiences in 2014.
'The King's Man' movie review: Spy movie prequel paints a
Matthew Vaughn's "The King's Man," a prequel to the filmmaker's two entertainingly comic-book-y action-adventure spy-larks "Kingsman: The Secret Service" and "Kingsman: The Golden ...
The King's Man Review: A Wickedly Creative Origin Story to the Kingsman
The King's Man, just like the previous iterations, is an insanely violent film. The action scenes vary from swashbuckling duels to huge battles. The mixture of comedy and slaughter continues to ...
'The King's Man' Review: Hulu's Demented Spy Prequel Kicks ...
Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton battle Rasputin in the new Kingsman movie, ... 'The King's Man' Review: Hulu's Demented Spy Prequel Kicks History in the Face ... 2022 4:53 a.m. PT.
'The King's Man' review: Ralph Fiennes stars in a prequel as like to
"The King's Man" is a prequel to the "Kingsman" movies, but its closest spiritual kin would be "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," another film based on a graphic novel that ...
The King's Man Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 5 ): Kids say ( 12 ): Despite a clever, history-subverting idea and a few great action sequences, this overlong, mostly needless prequel flails all over the place, pretending to decry violence but actually thriving on it. Directed and co-written, like its predecessors, by Matthew Vaughn, the The King's Man story twists ...
The King's Man (2021)
The King's Man is a fair film and a prequel to the Kingsman series. The film taking place in the early 1900 and taking its story during the first World war. Plot is decent. Nothing creative like the first two films. The Resputin villain was entertaining and cheesy.
The King's Man
The King's Man is a 2021 spy action film directed by Matthew Vaughn from his story and a screenplay he wrote with Karl Gajdusek.The third installment in the British Kingsman film series, which is based on the comic book The Secret Service (later retitled Kingsman) by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, in-turn based on a concept by Millar and Vaughn, it is a prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service ...
The King's Man Review: A Dull and Cynical Spy Movie Prequel
Vaughn's latest entry into the series is a prequel, the long-delayed "The King's Man," which traces the early-20th century origins of the Kingsman organization. While it explains how the ...
'The King's Man' Hulu + HBO Max Review: Stream It or Skip It?
Stream It Or Skip It: 'The King's Man' on Hulu and HBO Max, the 'Kingsmen' Franchise Prequel That Challenges Us to Give a Damn. By John Serba. Published Feb. 18, 2022, 4:05 p.m. ET. The ...
'The King's Man' movie review: Ralph Fiennes is dashing in WWI
Delayed for more than two years from its original release date in November 2019, The King's Man ultimately attempts to cover more real-world intrigue than can be reasonably delivered within two hours. But it really soars during three extended adventure movie set pieces, and a breathless portrayal of Ralph Fiennes as an old-fashioned Errol Flynn-like hero is an absolute delight.
The King's Man
The King's Man - What We Know So Far. Kingsman: The Secret Service was a unique, refreshing take on classic spy films in the Bond movie tradition. Taron Egerton nailed his first major role as Gary ...
Kingsman: The Blue Blood
Kingsman: The Blue Blood has been in the works for many years.Matthew Vaughn has been talking about the movie since May 2017 and has continued discussing it since the release of Kingsman: The Golden Circle the same year.In 2019, Taron Egerton revealed that the script of the next Kingsman movie was complete, and in 2020, Vaughn revealed the full title of Kingsman: The Blue Blood.
The King's Man Review
This is a spoiler-free early review of The King's Man, which hits theaters on Dec. 22. ... While it might not want to be, this is very much your father's Kingsman movie. In fact, it might be the most dad movie ever to dad movie. ... Winter 2022 Movies: The 30 Most Anticipated Films. 2 years, 7 months. Kingsman 3 Set To Begin Filming Next Year.
Kingsman Franchise Dominates Netflix's Global Chart For The First Time
The Kingsman franchise is dominating the Netflix global chart for the first time. Based on the comic book series of the same name, the Kingsman movies first hit theaters in 2014 with The Secret Service, which introduced Taron Egerton as Eggsy, a young man who is recruited by Harry Hart (Colin Firth) into the upper-crust spy agency known as Kingsman.The movie was followed by a 2017 sequel, The ...
The 17 Best Movies That Follow the Hero's Journey
Kingsman: The Secret Service, one of the funniest action movies of the 21st century so far, is based on the popular comic books of the same title.It's about a super-secret spy organization that ...
Mark Wahlberg & Halle Berry's New Netflix Spy Movie Continues Both
Although the number could fluctuate as more reviews are added, at the time of writing, it has a firmly Rotten 49% score, which is 11% below the 60% threshold past which a movie can be considered ...

‘The King’s Man’ Review: Suiting Up and Shooting Down

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The King’s Man Review: A Proper Prequel That Dares To Get Serious While Having A Bloody, Bawdy Good Time

Matthew Vaughn’s latest Kingsman film is a slightly toned down prequel that knows when to properly use the cheeky charm of its parent franchise.

A cross between world building, and world history, The King’s Man uses real events and people to build a bridge to the franchise’s more outrageous future.

The King’s Man delivers a smashing good time for anyone who likes their holiday with a naughty twist of well-tailored action, adventure, and comedy.

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