Matthew Vaughn travels back in time for a prequel to the Kingsman. But the final effect of The King’s Man is totally confusing. Viewers are left confused if it is a war drama, or a goofball comedy, or an action film.
The film from 20th Century Studies is released by Disney on December 22 and stars Ralph Fiennes in the role of Orlando Oxford. He is one of the early members of the Kingsman intelligence agency. He is committed to finery and an aristocratic lifestyle like his successors. And he is obsessed with saving the earth.
The King’s Man is the prequel to the series; Kingsman: The Secret Service was followed by Kingsman: The Golden Circle, but comes third. But the similarity ends there. While the first two had energy and cohesion, the prequel is lacking in those departments.
Matthew Vaughn has both directed and co-written The King’s Man like his other two movies which had Taron Egerton and Colin Firth in the leading roles.
The films are contemporary set-ups in which the high-tech Kingsman, a spy organization goes around the world to protect it. It seems a futuristic version of James Bond.
The latest in the series The King’s Man is however set during the First World War. It is set much before the organization, Kingsman came into existence. The aim is to describe how this group came into existence. This storyline has both its potential and pitfalls.
A Large Part Of The King’s Man Is Built Towards One Heroic Moment
But the story of The King’s Man is neither exciting nor interesting. Ralph Fiennes is Orlando Oxford, who was heroic but has become reclusive due to successive turns of events. He refuses to allow Conrad, his son, from going to war to save him from harm.
The earlier part of The King’s Man is just that; a man trying to prevent his son from being harmed which the son fights back. Then the father-son duo go off to battle Rasputin along with their butler Shola.
The film becomes unpredictable from then on and is rewarding at times just for that reason. The shift serves to jump-start Orlando back into the heroic mold.
The problem with The King’s Man is that it tries to be many things at once. It will be a disappointment for Matthew Vaughn fans as it finally comes across as disjointed and only entertaining in parts.
