The King's Man (2021)

The King's Man

By Emily Hubbard 

A prequel that fails to live up to the high expectations placed upon it.

• 2.5/5 Cameras 🎥🎥.5 
• Directed by: Matthew Vaughn 
• Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, et al 
• Where to find it: Disney + 

No Copyright Infringement Intended 

Whenever a movie or franchise becomes successful, it’s almost inevitable that an origin story, also known as a prequel, is going to be on the cards. Prequels can often be a dangerous road to travel down, with the end results often either being surprisingly good, such as X-Men: First Class, or disappointingly bad, such as The Scorpion King. Sadly, despite the promise bestowed by the original two movies, The King’s Man falls on the latter half of the spectrum.

The King’s Man sees the return of director Matthew Vaughn and is set in the early 20^th Century, namely in and around the First World War, and details how the iconic Kingsman agency was formed. The film follows original members Orlando Oxford (Ralph Fiennes), Pollyanna Wilkins (Gemma Arterton), and Shola (Djimon Hounsou) as they take a stand against a tyrant plotting a war that would wipe out millions.

The key to making a great prequel is making sure that it adds something new to the canon of the universe in which it is set, whilst also making sure it keeps the essence of the original films. 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service is loved for many reasons, but perhaps the most obvious reason is the way in which Taron Egerton’s Eggsy defies all the odds to go from underdog to a fully-fledged member of The Kingsman, in a story that’s as heart-warming as it is downright awesome. However, in The King’s Man, no such narrative exists with almost all the characters already being extremely well-off and living in high society, making it hard for audiences to form a real connection. Ralph Fiennes gives a decent performance as Orlando Oxford, a British aristocrat, although it’s nothing to shout about, as does Harris Dickinson as Oxford’s son Conrad. However, neither are as captivating or as charming as the cast of the original films, with even Gemma Arterton’s kickass Pollyanna Wilkins feeling shoehorned in at times. Despite this, the film does have one interesting character, Rasputin (Rhys Ifans). Ifans’ portrayal of the self-proclaimed Russian holy man may be a tad over-the-top, but it gives The King’s Man a much-needed pinch of flair. I will also say that The King’s Man gets brownie points for including cameos from Stanley Tucci and Aaron Taylor Johnson.

Another aspect that fans love about Kingsman: The Secret Service, and its’ 2017 sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle, is its shockingly violent and enticing action sequences. The King’s Man does partially deliver in this sense, providing some fun battle scenes, including an absurd dance-fight that is sure to delight viewers. However, none of these sequences hit the same spot as Colin Firth massacring a bunch of delusional churchgoers.

For a film that is over 2 hours long, The King’s Man is far too predictable, so much so that I often found myself correctly guessing lines that were about to come out of characters’ mouths. Even the ‘big reveal’ towards the end of the film felt rather insignificant and almost made me feel like I had just wasted 2 hours of my life. Although I will say that there was a plot point that genuinely shocked me, and so I must give credit where credit’s due.

Overall, The King’s Man isn’t a great film, but it also isn’t the worst film I’ve ever seen (that award belongs to X-Men: Dark Phoenix). Perhaps The King’s Man actually serves best as an example as to why studios shouldn’t stray too far away from the magic of original films when creating prequels.