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If you enjoyed the KINGSMAN movies, get ready to find out how it all began. THE KING’S MAN goes back to the beginning, all the way to World War I, and features Ralph Fiennes as the man who assisted in the founding of The Kingsman society. For those unfamiliar, these movies are actually based on “The Secret Service” comic books by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. Following the template of the first KINGSMAN movie, Fiennes plays the older more seasoned member who is now training a young recruit (in this case his son) played by Harris Dickinson. The supporting cast features Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl, with Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance. Oh, and this is directed by Matthew Vaughn, who brings much of the same flare we’ve grown to love in the other KINGSMAN movies. This film was originally scheduled for release in February of 2020, then Fox pushed it back to September 2020, long before the Coronavirus hit… but thanks to Covid, it was pushed back yet again, and is now opening just in time for Christmas.

The wealthy Orlando Oxford (Fiennes) is a man who has seen his share of battle, even losing his wife to it, leaving him to raise his son Conrad (Dickinson) by himself, though he’s aided by his faithful workers Shota (Djimon Hounsou) and Polly (Gemma Arterton) who are clearly more to him than simple house servants. Conrad wishes to follow in his father’s heroic footsteps and even join the war (meaning World War I), but Orlando worries too much for him and his safety, especially after promising his dying wife Conrad would never see war again. Lurking in the shadows is a secret group of villains, led by a shadowy figure that is strategically placing his people among world leaders, and one of his top agents is the mysterious and seemingly mystical Rasputin (Ifans), who becomes a target of suspicion for Orlando and his military confidant Kitchener (Dance). His efforts to thwart Rasputin’s plans even give Conrad a chance to get in on the action a bit, and eventually Orlando sees fit for his son to take the next step in defending his country. As the evildoers seems to be relentless in their plot that puts millions of lives at risk, is motivates Orlando and his faithful helpers to consider the world might need a secret team to keep watch where others can’t.

One thing instantly noticeable about THE KING’S MAN is how different the tone is from the previous KINGSMAN films, much more serious and in many ways quite darker. The opening scene makes us aware quickly this is going to be a different type of movie, even if it is meant to be the pre-cursor to the stories we’ve already seen. Director Matthew Vaughn smartly takes this installment in enough of a different direction that it’s surprising and (at least in this critic’s opinion) a welcome change. There’s still some exotic flare here, especially with the character of Rasputin, played in a very engaging way by Rhys Ifans, who makes himself haunting and mystical while darkly amusing. On the reverse side is Ralph Fiennes who takes the lead here, and plays Orlando as a noble hero who is the epitome of class and sophistication, while also highly-skilled and deadly when necessary. Some have equated his performance here to his opportunity to show how he would have played James Bond, and there are definitely times where it feels exactly like that. Djimon Hounsou and Gemma Arterton are also great as supporting players in the story, both getting chances to show their tough sides as well. Harris Dickinson (BEACH RATS) has the daunting task of trying to make an impression while standing next to much more recognizable faces, and serve here as the sort of alternative young counterpart that Taron Egerton found so much success with in the other KINGSMAN movies. Dickinson is not Egerton, either in acting ability or characterization here, and some might consider him a weak substitution despite this outing being set in a very different era and with a significantly different story and purpose. Had this movie come first, that might not have been an issue, but being third in the franchise it will undoubtedly get that criticism.

THE KING’S MAN is much lighter on action and humor than its franchise counterparts, but it still manages to be engaging and entertaining. There are some major twists that happen that should surprise viewers enough to gain their respect, even if the overall production isn’t as exciting and fun as the other KINGSMAN entries. It works best as a showcase for Fiennes, who goes through many emotions and challenges here, and proves that no matter how old he may be now, he’s still quite capable of a great many things as an actor. I found myself thinking back on the film and really enjoying what was delivered, though I simultaneously wish this movie came first as the beginning of a trilogy rather than the third installment in a franchise, and a prequel at that. I think on future viewings, it will work best to watch these films in chronological order, or at least feel more cohesive. As this installment is a bit lighter on action, some of the two hour and 11-minute run time does tend to drag a bit, but if you like spy films you’ll likely still enjoy what is there. I greatly respect Vaughn for taking this installment in a more refined direction, and I think the film does a fine job setting up potential sequels that could take place in multiple eras through history… in fact the way this ends, you could easily do a KINGSMAN movie set during WWII, or 1960s, or 70s, or 80s, and so on. I hope people give THE KING’S MAN a chance, even if it’s not likely to appeal to the same exact audience as its predecessors, but what it does offer is one of the smarter bits of spy cinema I’ve seen in a while.

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