# The King’s Man film, opinions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 21, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189 "2022-01-21T20:01:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/1 "2022-01-21T20:01:39Z")
> **[The King's Man (2021) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6856242/)** > > 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. Looks like the type of film I enjoy, but I haven’t heard anything about it. Admittedly, my social circle and work colleagues seem to think the only films that matter are made by Marvel. Without major spoilers, how did you like The King’s Man? I’ll probably go see it this weekend to get out of the house for a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/2 "2022-01-21T20:05:24Z")
I liked it. It’s fiction, obviously, but references many events and people of the first half of the twentieth century. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/3 "2022-01-21T20:19:25Z")
This is a prequel to _Kingsman_, and the third movie in this series. As with most series, it has lost momentum along the way. It’s enjoyable enough, but don’t expect it to match to combination of action and breeziness of the first film. If you’re one of those that needs plots that make sense and have no holes, none of the movies in this series are for you. Also, without spoiling anything, there are surprisingly dark turns in this movie. Looking at what is hanging around in broad release, if a friend wanted to get out of the house this weekend and asked what they should see, I’d recommend _Spiderman: No Way Home_ for action and _Licorice Pizza_ for overall movie experience. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/4 "2022-01-21T20:30:39Z")
The first movie was also pretty dark; remember the villain’s plot? Pretty much an orgy of violence. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/5 "2022-01-21T20:32:42Z")
Yeah, the series has always been a balance of lightheartedness and dark violence. I added the comment on this one in case the OP hasn’t seen any of the previous movies. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/6 "2022-01-21T22:16:43Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Looks like the type of film I enjoy, but I haven’t heard anything about it. You do know it’s the third movie in a franchise, right? (eta: Oh, looks like you know by now) My suggestion would be to watch the first one and see if you like it. I did, but the first two were way over-the-top in terms of characters, cliches, and violence. So it’d be a very subjective thing. I definitely agree with “Go see Spidey first!” (for Benedict Cumbersnark if nothing else…) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/7 "2022-01-21T22:29:40Z")
And it’s the third film in a film franchise that’s based on a comic book series from about ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/8 "2022-02-04T02:30:49Z")
I just watched it, and without major spoilers, my opinion is… … … … What the _hell_ did I just watch?! I just…I can’t… I guess my opinion is… I seriously do not understand how this movie could have been written and directed by the same man who wrote and directed _Kingsman: The Secret Service_ and _Kingsman: The Golden Circle_. It had occasional flashes of the fun of the first two movies, but overall it was meandering, incoherent, and often dull. It was maybe the most jingoistic movie I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen both versions of _Red Dawn_. It was also maybe the most monarchist movie I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of Disney movies. It somehow managed to make _League of Extraordinary Gentlemen_ seem like a good movie in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/9 "2022-02-04T19:36:56Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > maybe the most monarchist movie I’ve ever seen You were expecting republican sentiments out of a movie called “The King’s Man”? ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/10 "2022-02-04T20:12:21Z")
No, but in the first two movies, “Kingsman” was just the name of the cover business, and it was a big deal that they were an “independent” intelligence agency, not beholden to any government or ruler. This movie leans pretty hard into just taking it for granted that monarchies are legitimate forms of government, and that the only reason anyone would rebel against one is due to the influence of a sinister conspiracy. It also appears to take place in an alternate history where in 1914-18, the King of England ruled as an absolute monarch, without Parliament, or even any ministers. Even most Disney princess movies don’t glorify monarchical rule as much. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/11 "2022-02-04T20:14:35Z")
I disagree. I liked it. I liked how the film used real historical figures and made them believably fit in a work of fiction. This is no _Inglourious Basterds_. Or _Once Upon a Time In Hollywood_. Not being s student of The Great War, I was surprised to see how many of even the lesser characters were real people. I did not find it dull, though I will say it took an awfully long time to get to “the King’s Man”. Compared to _The Kingsmen_ it was definitely slower and less over the top. I think it worked, though. I never saw _The Golden Circle_, because I was afraid it would be so stupid it would tarnish _The Kingsmen_ retroactively. Reading the plot in Wikipedia, I think I made the right choice. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/12 "2022-02-04T20:28:55Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I liked how the film used real historical figures and made them believably fit in a work of fiction. You and I have _very_ different thresholds for “believably”. Which is fine, of course, different people are going to have different thresholds for willing suspension of disbelief. And I actually would have been perfectly fine with _un_believably fitting in the historical figures, except, > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > it took an awfully long time to get to “the King’s Man”. > > Compared to _The Kingsmen_ it was definitely slower and less over the top. If it had been as frenetic and goofy as the first two _Kingsman_ movies, I think I would have enjoyed it more. I think a big problem for me was the mismatch of expectations - the trailers made it look like it would have the same pace and style as the first two movies, but it didn’t. Beyond that, though, I thought the plot was a mess, the characters weren’t well-realized, and no one involved seemed to understand what the word “pacifist” means. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/13 "2022-02-07T14:43:21Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I never saw _The Golden Circle_ , because I was afraid it would be so stupid it would tarnish _The Kingsmen_ retroactively. Reading the plot in Wikipedia, I think I made the right choice. You absolutely made the right choice. The only thing that wasn’t terrible about the second movie was the guest star. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/14 "2022-02-22T13:52:11Z")
Just watched it on Hulu. Glad I didn’t pay for it, but it was an OK use of 2 hours. Not the first movie (which I will rewatch on occasion). I thought it had too many call backs (and unsubtle at that) to the first two movies. Assuming we don’t need to worry about spoilers at this point, in no way would I expect the king of England to be one of the original Kingsmen. If there are any students of history that stumble on this thread - was Kaiser Bill the buffoon/idiot/bully that was lampooned here? I did like having the same actor playing the cousins (even if I missed it until the credits), there are photos of the three of them showing the remarkable resemblance (although a lot of that probably came down to the beards they all had). ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/15 "2022-02-22T13:59:36Z")
I just recorded it on DVR, so I’ll be watching it within a week or so. I’m in no rush because, much like the Matrix trilogy, I’m thinking that the first one was the best. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/16 "2022-02-22T14:14:15Z")
What was missing for me in this one was the light-heartedness of the first two. I attribute the more dour aspects partly to the story, and partly to the casting of of Fiennes for the lead. He just doesn’t do lightness or comedy. Also, his age had me worried about him in the action/stunt stuff. The first two had a younger protagonist, along with a middle aged mentor, to root for. This one had an older guy, and his son. We didn’t really get a chance to root for the son, 'cause they 1917-yeeted him out (wrong move story-wise, in my opinion). ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/17 "2022-02-22T14:20:15Z")
Yeah, but it was a plot point from the first movie - rich men who lost their heirs dedicated their fortunes to the Kingsmen agency. So he had to go (although I thought they were going to discard that point for a moment there). I do agree that Fiennes doesn’t seem to do light banter well, but thought he managed the physical bits well. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/18 "2022-02-22T14:41:28Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Yeah, but it was a plot point from the first movie - rich men who lost their heirs dedicated their fortunes to the Kingsmen agency. So he had to go OK, well, I did not retain that piece of information from the first film. > [@Folacin](#): > > I do agree that Fiennes doesn’t seem to do light banter well, but thought he managed the physical bits well. He was fine, but “action hero” has never been part of his brand, yah? Sure, he’s doing a version of action as Big-Bad in the Potterverse, but that’s all CGI/rubber-suit work. Otherwise, he owns the intense cerebral space. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/19 "2022-02-22T14:59:05Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > He was fine, but “action hero” has never been part of his brand, yah? [The last time he tried](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Avengers_(1998_film)), he was _dire_. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189/20 "2022-02-22T17:23:21Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Yeah, but it was a plot point from the first movie - rich men who lost their heirs dedicated their fortunes to the Kingsmen agency. The big tonal problem I had was right at the end, when they formally declare the creation of the Kingsmen, with the stated purpose of “Preventing another war such as that”. Which we already know they failed at doing. Imagine a pre/sequel set in the 1930s, where they spend a decade trying to stop Hitler, and just keep failing… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-king-s-man-film-opinions/958189.md?page=2)