The King’s Man
Year: 2021
Rating: R
Length: 131 minutes / 2.18 hours
One benefit of the rise of superhero movies over the years is the adaptation of other comic books to the big screen. Some are serious examinations of society, like V for Vendetta (2005), but others often keep the silly action-packed novelty of their comic origins, like The Losers (2010). Considering Matthew Vaughn’s previous works like Kick-Ass (2010), the Kingsman franchise easily falls into the second category of comic book adaptations. The latest in this series, The King’s Man (2021) has some fun with history while still keeping the flashy action sequences that made its predecessors successful.
I love a good alternate history. They might be campy, but films like Inglorious Basterds (2009), Watchmen (2009), or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) are more fun to watch because they take a basic knowledge of common historical figures and events and spins them into an entertaining alternate explanation of what really happened. In The King’s Man, we not only see a different version of World War I, but also a few key historical figures like King George, Kaiser Wilhelm, Tsar Nicholas (all portrayed by Tom Hollander), and Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans). Considering how Rasputin is one of my favorite historical figures, I found his story arc to be quite satisfying in this film.
Of course, while I appreciate Vaughn’s ability to direct great action sequences, most of his films have a bit that’s more uncomfortable than the rest of the movie. The King’s Man does not differ from the two movies that came before it, both of which contained some sexual scenes that were questionable at best. Still, if you can forgive these momentary lapses, as well as a fairly obvious twist that reveals itself a smidge too early, The King’s Man is an excellent prequel that establishes the Kingsman universe.
An action-packed alternate history that retains some of the camp of its comic book origins, I give The King’s Man 4.0 stars out of 5.
