THE KING’S MAN is the third installment in a comic book based film trilogy. This one is the prequel, the creation story behind the Kingsman Agency, a British spy operation. The original comics were published by Marvel, but this is not part of the MCU. Created by Mark Millar (who also wrote the graphic novel Civil War, the inspiration for the MCU’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016)) the KingsmenAgency exists in a differentMarvel universe known as the Millarverse. This includes Kick-Ass – which was made into two films, KICK-ASS (2010) KICK-ASS 2 (2013) as well as the 2021 Netflix series JUPITER’S LEGACY. All three Kingsmen films have been written, directed, and produced by Matthew Vaugh, who also directed KICK-ASS and produced KICK-ASS 2. However, at this cinematic stage, there have yet to be any crossovers. The Millarverse only exists in comics…so far.

Cinematically, the franchise has been uneven. Despite a long legacy of British spy TV shows, any film about British spiesis in the shadow of James Bond. To distinguish itself, the Kingsmen Agency leans heavily into the fantastic in accord to its comic book roots.The villains are even more caricature than 007’s foes (if that’s even possible) and the agents are exaggeratedly refined in that English way. Instead of double-0 code numbers, the Kingsmen adopt aliases based on Arthurian legend.

It’s almost parody. The action sequences are physics defying and with tongues planted firmly in cheeks, akin to the preposterousness of Fast & Furious Saga. In an era of bombastic blockbusters, Kingsmen has found an audience.

The first film, KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (2014), had a fresh ultraviolent charm. It boasted an all-star cast - Colin Firth as Harry Hart, Taron Egerton as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (the two Galahads), Samuel L. Jackson as the hammy villain Richmond Valentine, among others. The story, while predictable to anyone familiar with the spy film genre, had some subversive fun to it. The very notion that the front of spy HQ is a high-end English tailor shop brought a certain English class to it with a wink, a nod, and a tip of the bowler hat.

The sequel, KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (2017), introduced a parallel American spy agency, the Statesmen, who use a Kentucky bourbon distillery as their front. Their code names are liquors. Cowboy spies felt like the bastard child of the steampunk-infused WILD WILD WEST (1999). But instead of sleeve pistols, these cowboys wield lightsaber lassos. Firth and Egerton reprise their rolesand add to their ranks with more A-listers like Julianne Moore (Poppy Adams), Halle Berry (Ginger Ale), Jeff Bridges (Champagne), Pedro Pascal (Jack Daniels / Agent Whiskey), Channing Tatum (Agent Tequila) and Elton John as himself in a hysterical self-deprecating cameo. Elton steals the show in so many ways. The film pushed the limits of absurdity, transcending the spy genre to something more akin to Austin Powers, just not as funny.

For the prequel, the ‘King’s Man’ is Ralph Fiennes playing the founding spy, Orlando Oxford. Bond girl Gemma Atherton backs him up as Polly Wilkins, his maid who regularly saves the day. However, despite her girl power THE KING’S MAN fails the Bechdel test. It also does poorly with people of color. Djimon Hounsou plays Oxford’s loyal manservant Shola, another strong yet subservient character who eagerly takes a bullet for ‘his grace’. Tom Hollander takes on a unique triple role as King George, Kaiser Wilhelm, and Tsar Nicholas, but given the previous cast, the star power is dimmer.

With his bowler and cane, Fiennes echoes his role as John Steed in THE AVENGERS – not the MCU version but the 1998 film that attempted to bring the beloved TV show to the big screen. Fiennes is a great actor, almost above such goofy spy chicanery. He has some espionage cred for being the latest M in the last three Bond films, but that doesn’t factor into his portrayal of Oxford.

While the previous two films are set in modern times, this creation tale is set during WWI. Oxford is placed within the pages of history and must face down the likes of Rasputin (Rhys Ifans) and Mata Hari (Valerie Pachner).Like the first film, THE KING’S MAN is predictable. It plays the hackneyed trope of not showing the face of the evil leader to build suspense for a big mcguffin reveal. He is only known as the Shepherd, with his face turned away or in shadows,  andhe mercilessly punishes the failures of his underlings with death. But anyone familiar with the genre can predict who it is early in the film. There’s really only one secondary character who it can be.

There’s also a mixed political message. At one point, Oxford is almost apologetic about British colonialism. But then he’s Lord of the manor, treating his underlings like possessions, and pontificating about how his sense of right is above the law. It’s not like the film sets out to make any political statement. It’s more like it rehashes stubborn vigilante attitude clichés while trying to be PC to appease that audience too. That feels ingenuine.

Despite its shortcomings, THE KING’S MAN has its moments. What redeems it most is the fight choreography. If ever there was a film worthy of fast forwarding to the fight scenes, this is it.

Fast Forward to the Fight Scenes

The Fight Coordinator is Guillermo Grispo, a veteran stuntperson who choreographed the previous two Kingsmen films as well as several other films including KICK-ASS, BATMAN V SUPERMAN (2016) and SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (2021). His work, especially with the dynamics of superhero fights, is always spectacular.

However, the standout name for this film is the late great Brad Allen, who served as Stunt Coordinator. Allen and Grispo have worked together delivering hard hitting action for years. Allen also worked on the other Kingsmen films, KICK-ASS, and SHANG-CHI. Sadly, he didn’t live to see the success of SHANG-CHI. He succumbed to an illness in August 2021. THE KING’S MAN is his final work, and it shows once again, what an amazing talent he was.

Allen was a leading Wushu proponent in Australia who became the first non-Asian member of Jackie Chan’s stunt team. In GORGEOUS (1999), he faced Jackie in the finale fight. That’s an exceptional duel – two masters of the craft trading licks and kicks with such precision, complexity, and speed that it stands amongst Jackie’s top fight scenes. Allen worked on several of Jackie’s films but really started to show his stuff when he began to choreograph on his own in films like A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010) and SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (2010). His style of choreography is wildly imaginative and fresh, often offering new inventive perspectives on how to depict violence.

The Kingsmen series has always had exceptional fight choreography. KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE delivered the ‘church fight’ – a staggeringly sanguineous one-er where Firth’s Galahad goes berserk in a church to Freebird. This insanely bloody melee is held in high regard by fight scene fans. KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE opened with a wild camera-swirling cgi-stitched chunk of cinematography, ridiculous physics, sanguineous splatters and that-would-kill-ya hits, but enjoyable eye-candy and brilliant from a fight choreo standpoint.  The final fight is equally dazzling - a digitally-stitched one-er of exquisite mayhem where the filmmakers show off how clever they are at delivering action for a very long time. For fans of fight scenes, these films are highly amusing.

The centerpieces of THE KING’S MAN are the fight scenes. The fight between Oxford and Rasputin is hilariously gratuitous. Set to Tchaikovsky’s bombarding 1812 Overture, Rasputin is a leaping Russian dancer that makes whirling dervishes and the Tasmanian devil look like wallflowers. The fight is over the top and a joy to behold.

Later, there’s trench warfare battle that begins with another chaotic one-er but it doesn’t reach the magnitude of the one-ers in the previous two films. That’s just as well because when it comes to one-er trench warfare, it is impossible to dethrone the 2019 film 1917.

The finale sword fight between Oxford and the Shepherd is delightful. Whether they be rapiers, katanas, or lightsabers, it’s always a treat when the climactic battle is a sword fight. Allen and Grispo come up with a new angle on this time-honored duel – blade vision. We get to see some actions from the blade’s point of view.

Brad Allen’s death is a tragic loss to action cinema. He had a tremendous impact on how fight scenes are depicted, fusing Hong Kong action with Hollywood sensibilities and production values. THE KING’S MAN is his final offering of an impressive body of work. Quality fight scenes have been a hallmark of the Kingsmen franchise and hopefully, Grispo will be able to carry that banner onward.

Will there be another Kingsmen film?

THE KING’S MAN had a tough time making it to the silver screen. Originally slated for 2019, the film was pushed back to Valentine’s Day 2020 after the Disney/20^th Century Fox merger earlier that year. There were rumors that Disney was balking at the R rated property. But then come Valentine’s, there was that pandemic, so it got postponed to September 2020, then again to February 2021, and finally to this Xmas weekend 2021. Here THE KING’S MAN is tossing his bowler in where SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME is placing his mask and THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS is dropping its dark glasses. That’s stiff competition for Fiennes’ stiff upper lip.

Nevertheless, there are two more Kingsmenmotion picture projects that have been previously announced. KINGSMAN: THE BLUE BLOOD is allegedly already in pre-production. Another spinoff titled STATESMAN has been teased but has yet to be developed. Additionally, there’s talk of a Kingsmen TV series.

As long as the franchise keeps up the great fight scenes, we’ll keep watching.