Read to the end to see my updated thoughts.

'Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)' is essentially all a big joke played on those who took umbrage at the few select sexualised moments from the final act of the first film, a joke whereby everything is consistently ramped up to eleven regardless of its negative impact on the story. This standoffish move is meant to further separate the apparent 'critics' from the so-called 'fans', yet it only successfully provides both categories with a much worse experience. While I and many other 'fans' didn't mind (or at least excused) the passive, clearly satirical crude jests and occasional absurdity of the original picture, we certainly didn't want a follow-up based entirely around what would obviously be considered the weakest aspects of that piece - elements which were only mitigated by the joyous fun found in the brilliance of its subtle yet witty satire and its surprisingly well-developed characters. These pieces of the puzzle are now missing. Though this picture is, at times, passively entertaining, what we're left with is a fairly by-the-numbers 'save the world' plot and a string of odd action set-pieces seemingly incompetently put together. There's abhorrent use of rampant speed ramping that makes things literally look like someone hit the fast-forward button, and haphazardly stitched-together short takes that are supposed to make some sequences look like one fluid shot but instead make them look like cheap cartoons. In his quest to ignore the naysayers, Vaughn disappointingly squanders all of the good will he had built with his predecessor and bizarrely wipes the slate clean relatively early on, wasting time setting up a less interesting new set of characters instead of working with the better characters already expertly established at the end of the prior title. He also reintroduces a previously dead character (seen in the trailers), after making him an amnesiac no less, in a move that should be reserved only for a waning franchise at least five films in that's struggling to maintain its relevancy, not for what was once perhaps the most promising new property in Hollywood.

After revisiting this recently, I can safely say that it's far more fun than I originally gave it credit for. Perhaps it's because my expectations were on the floor, but I really enjoyed the film this time around. Its narrative issues are still present but somehow far less bothersome, while its action is actually really well-achieved for the most part. It leans into its ridiculousness and knows exactly what it is. It's actually a lot of fun. I guess I have to eat the words of my original review (which I'll leave above for posterity's sake), but I gladly will; after all, who doesn't want to enjoy a movie? 7/10.

I've seen all three Kingsman movies in an odd fashion...with the third movie first, then the first and now, finally, the second. This actually is NOT a bad way to do it, as the third film is a prequel. Interestingly, it's also in the same order that I'd rank them quality-wise.

In many ways, "Kingsman: The Gold Circle" is like taking the first film and combining it with either an Austin Powers or Matt Helm film. In other words, the film seems like a parody of the other two Kingsman movies....filled with action and characters that are WAY over the top...too much for my taste. Ridiculous fight scenes (even for the franchise), silly American agents which are inexplicably like cowboys (cowboys in Kentucky???) and a lair ('Poppy's Place') that is pure nostalgic kitsch...in the middle of some jungle! It really makes no sense but if you turn your brain off and just accept it for what it is, it's not a bad film. But if you are expecting anything like the first and third films (like I was), then it's a big disappointment...because it's so silly.

Unfortunately I got to see this second film of The Kingsman before seeing the first one. I'm guessing that I would have gotten a lot more had I seen them in proper order. This certainly is not a stand alone film by any means.

Our hero protagonist of the first film Taron Edgerton is on a date with a princess no less than Kingsman headquarters is hit and almost completely wiped out. The perpetrator of this evil deed is Julianne Moore who is the main reason to see this film. She is having the greatest time in her life playing the psychotic villain who has control of the world wide narcotics trade. Right now she's blackmailing the world having developed a chemical concoction that makes drug users get sick and die in stages. She's even blackmailing the president of the USA who is a Trump like lizard of a human being.

No worry Edgerton has gone to America where there is a sister organization and he and Colin Firth who has lost his memory, but who regains it after some shock treatment. Jeff Bridges runs the show and Channing Tatum is one of his top guys. He swings a lariat like Will Rogers and a bullwhip like Lash LaRue.

Watching The Golden Circle is a real blast. Nice special effects, a plot not to take seriously and Julianne Moore who among other things has kidnapped Elton John for her own amusement. Is there no end to her evil?