Matthew Vaughnhas made a name for himself as the ideal director to take on the not-so-simple task of adapting dark graphic novels to the big screen. And yet, his best film to date, an adaptation ofNeil Gaiman’s belovedStardust, is only dark in spurts, weaved into a fantastical world of magicians, fairies, craftsmen, creatures, and heroes. If there’s a reason that he’s stuck to empty moral exercises in the aftermath ofStardustandLayer Cake, it’s likely due to the fact thatStardustwas a failure at the box office, especially when compared to the fiscal success ofX-Men: First ClassandKick-Ass, two of the most condescending comic-book movies in recent memory.
Vaughn seems to be doubling-down on this trajectory once again withKingsman: The Golden Circle, the anticipated sequel toKingsman: The Secret Service. To put it mildly, I was not a fan of the original and currently have only a baseline interest in seeing the second one, thanks largely to casting additions ranging fromHalle BerryandJeff BridgestoChanning TatumandJulianne Moore. The latest trailer for the upcoming sequel, which you can take a look at below, also suggests that this film will have bigger, more explosive action set-pieces, which would be another major selling point. Vaughn may not be spinning the same magic he did inStardusthere (at least from the look of things), but he has acclimated to the action genre with ease and, despite my reservations, may have figured out what to focus on in the genre withThe Golden Circle. We shall see.
Here’s the new TV trailer forKingsman: The Golden Circle:
Here’s the official synopsis forKingsman: The Golden Circle:
‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ introduced the world to Kingsman – an independent, international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion, whose ultimate goal is to keep the world safe. In ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’, our heroes face a new challenge. When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, dating back to the day they were both founded. In a new adventure that tests their agents’ strength and wits to the limit, these two elite secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, to save the world, something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy…
