A One Mann’s Movies review of “The King’s Man” (2021).
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“The King’s Man” is yet another pre-pandemic-advertised film. By my reckoning, we only have “Death on the Nile” and “Top Gun: Maverick” still to come out. But I may have missed some more!
Plot Summary:
Orlando, Earl of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes) is a pacifist in a world progressively turning to war. He’s well connected, having Lord Kitchener (Charles Dance) and King Geroge V (Tom Hollander) in his phone book. He has pledged to keep his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) wrapped in cotton-wool and safe from “the world”, much to his frustration. But the Earl has a secret: together with his nanny/housemaid Polly (Gemma Arterton) and trusted butler Shona (Djimon Hounsou) they are running a secret service, intent on uncovering a sinister plot linking all the world’s events in the 1910’s together.
Certification:
Talent:
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Harris Dickinson, Djimon Hounsou, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, Daniel Brühl and Tom Hollander3!.
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn.
Written by: Matthew Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek (based on the comic book “The Secret Service” by Mark Millar).
“The King’s Man” Review:
Positives:
- A rip-roaring ‘boys-own’ adventure, wrapped around real historical events in the 1910’s, this was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. The premise is a bit like Forrest Gump… in that all of the great events of that decade (specifically the assassination of Archduke Ferninand and WW1; the rise of Rasputin and Lenin; the US entering the war) all revolve around one ever-present man: the Duke of Oxford. It’s a warped view of history, but one that intrigues you about where it goes next.
- Fiennes has great fun with the role. When you see him lumbering along Westminster Bridge as ‘M’ at the end of “Spectre“, the word “action hero” doesn’t immediately spring to mind! But he’s really quite convincing as the gentleman adventurer.
- The supporting team of Gemma Arterton and Djimon Hounsou are also teriffic. Yes, its a bit woke (you feel Vaughn ticking the gender and race boxes), but they make for an amiable trio that you genuinely root for. The almost unrecognisable Rhys Ifans also delivers a memorable Rasputin. His fight scene with Orlando, Conrad and Shona is a high-spot of the movie.
- The script is brave in adding in some memorable shocks amongst the action and dry-humour. I did not see a mid-film twist coming AT ALL.
Negatives:
- As a prequel, this is SUCH a departure from Vaughn’s first two Kingsman films (“Kingsman: The Secret Service” and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle“) that it almost feels like false advertising to use the Kingsman brand. The earlier (or chronologically, later) films were rude knockabout action-comedies. Anyone going to see this movie expecting the same might feel short-changed and disappointed. (One couple walked out of our screening early on). Similarly, the movie has probably missed some audience. Those who found the other films juvenile and perhaps offensive (the anal sex and vaginal implant scenes – ugh!) might have avoided this one needlessly.
Monkeys?
There is a mid-credit monkey that perhaps heralds a sequel. But if you don’t guess the person being introduced by Daniel Brühl’s character, then you really need to pay more attention in class!
Summary Thoughts on “The King’s Man”
Movies that have been endlessly deferred from the early pandemic I suspect of being poor quality. This was one I had my suspicions about. But they were unfounded, and both myself and the illustrious Mrs Movie Man really enjoyed this one.
It’s perhaps unfortunate that a younger audience won’t get to see it. If some of the violence, language and implied sexual content were trimmed back to get this a 12A certificate, then it might have been a real hit amongst older children.
Trailer for “The King’s Man”
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zdBG-iGfes .
