My only quibble is with the action sequences that needed some serious editing and the length of the film that tested my patience. Daniel Bruhl's talents were underutilised, and I hope he will return for a meatier role in the next one!
The story builds around Fiennes as the pacifist protagonist, an English gentleman who walks the corridors of power, while at the same time, has a power network of household maids, butlers and maids – his invisible secret service quite capable of breaking even the best of secret codes – a satirical best! We get served a free European history lesson as Vaughn creatively and cleverly crafts the tale around key historical figures of World War 1, complete with a buffet of antagonists: from the likes of Rasputin to even Matahari: one too many and too one-dimensional for my liking. The grief and grimness in the tone exposes an uncomfortable balancing act needed to bring coherence to the signature comedic heart of this franchise.
This shift in tone combined with the need for greater character development unfortunately slows down the build-up of the story.
Unlike the previous fare of tightly woven action-packed spy parodies that Kingsman fans are familiar with, this prequel shifts gears into a heavier tone and theme that is grimmer and darker. The King's Man, set as a prequel to the Kingsman franchise, is compelling, exceptional, and enjoyable, thanks to the sterling acting chops of Ralph Fiennes.