Movie · 2021 · Action, Adventure, Thriller · 2h 11m · R · English
Curator score: 1.3/10 (570.4K ratings)
Witness the bloody origin.
Overview
As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.3/10
IMDb: 6.3/10
Letterboxd: 2.83/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 41%
Metacritic: 44
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Matthew Vaughn
Production
Marv, Cloudy Productions, 20th Century Studios
Cast
Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou, Charles Dance, Shaun McKee, Peter York, Alexandra Maria Lara, Alexander Shaw, Bevan Viljoen, Shaun Scott, Andrew Bridgmont, Olivier Richters, Valerie Pachner, Joel Basman, Todd Boyce
Where to watch
Hulu, fuboTV
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, overstuffed prequel with some entertaining set pieces, a few inspired comic turns, and a surprisingly grim wartime backdrop, but the tonal whiplash and clunky plotting keep it from fully landing. It works best as a pulpy alternate-history spy adventure rather than a serious origin story.
Best for
fans of stylized action with period costumes
viewers who like alternate-history spy capers
people amused by campy villains and absurd tonal swings
audiences open to a mixed bag with occasional big swings
Skip if
you want a tight, coherent espionage thriller
you dislike self-serious war drama colliding with broad comedy
you prefer historical fiction that stays grounded
you are already tired of the franchise's smug, chaotic energy
Overview
The King's Man tries to graft a grim World War I backdrop onto the franchise’s hyper-stylized spy-movie DNA, and the result is often more interesting in concept than in execution. It has flashes of wit, a few memorably unhinged performances, and enough visual polish to keep the eye engaged even when the story starts to wobble.
Worth noting
The biggest issue is tone: it lunges from earnest tragedy to cartoonish villainy to broad farce, sometimes within the same sequence. That instability can be part of the appeal if you enjoy movies that feel like they’re daring you to take them seriously, but it also blunts the emotional stakes and makes the plotting feel overcomplicated.
Bottom line
As a prequel, it’s less satisfying than it is curious. There’s enough spectacle and personality to justify a watch for franchise completists and fans of ornate action cinema, but it’s hard to call it essential when the film keeps undercutting its own momentum.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Alex Furnas · 4149 likes
Bro why is there a mid credits teaser with a MCU-style cameo by Hitler
Johann Rucker (2.5★) · 3425 likes
I desperately wish I was making this up, but there's a scene in THE KING'S MAN where Rhys Ifans sexually devours an entire cake while Ralph Fiennes sits back and basically edges and moans very loudly??
What the fuck!
Bryan Espitia (2★) · 2424 likes
“I’m sorry if I offended you.”“Only if you consider boring to be offensive.”
This movie offended me several times. Mid-credits scene is fucking absurd lmao.
Brian Tallerico (2.5★) · 2318 likes
The King’s Meh
Andrew M (1★) · 2209 likes
I’m absolutely convinced the extent of this film’s Rasputin research was listening to the Boney M song a few times
For the espionage side of the appeal: dense plotting, atmosphere, and a colder, more disciplined approach to spycraft.
Topics
spy action, period adventure, alternate history, World War I, political conspiracy, campy tone, violent spectacle, wartime drama, comic villainy, franchise prequel