If Kingsman: The Secret Service was a perfectly tailored Savile Row suit—sharp, subversive, and surprisingly elegant—then Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a brightly colored, off-the-rack Halloween costume of that same suit. It has all the recognizable parts: the umbrella, the tailored violence, the winking vulgarity. But the fit is off, the stitching is loose, and somewhere between the exploding heads and the robot dogs, director Matthew Vaughn forgot what made the original so much fun.

This is where the film finds its footing. The contrast between the bespoke, tea-sipping British spies and the whiskey-swilling, cowboy-hat-wearing Statesman is the comedic engine of the movie. The Statesman hide under the guise of a bourbon distillery, and their gadgets are hilarious—think lassos that electrocute people and handguns concealed in guitar cases.

★★½ (out of 5)

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Action, Comedy, Spy

Released in 2017, (also known as Kingsman 2 ) is the high-octane sequel to the sleeper hit Kingsman: The Secret Service . Directed by Matthew Vaughn , the film expands the stylish spy universe by introducing the Kingsman's American counterparts and bringing back fan-favorite characters in unexpected ways. Where to Watch Kingsman: The Golden Circle Full Movie

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is a victim of sequel-itis in its most expensive form: bigger, louder, longer, and dumber. It mistakes excess for excitement and cameos for character development. For every thrilling lasso swing or Colin Firth expertly reloading an umbrella, there’s a tedious CGI robot dog fight or an inexplicably long scene of Elton John playing the piano.

2017

The film picks up roughly a year after the first. Eggsy is now a fully-fledged Kingsman, living the high life with a princess girlfriend and a flat in London. But the peace doesn't last. A blast from the past (a golden mechanical arm belonging to the villainous Charlie) hacks the Kingsman servers, leading to a missile strike that wipes out the entire British organization.

"Kingsman: The Golden Circle" received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising the film's action sequences, humor, and performances. The movie was also a commercial success, grossing over $390 million worldwide.