Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘The King’s Man’ is Noble to a Fault

REVIEW: ‘The King’s Man’ is Noble to a Fault

Cait KennedyBy Cait Kennedy12/14/20213 Mins ReadUpdated:05/12/2025
The King's Man
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

A prequel to the two previous films in the Kingsman franchise, The King’s Man, reveals the heroic origins of the very first independent intelligence and espionage agency. In the shadow of the first World War, a philanthropic pacifist Orlando Oxford and his son Conrad uncover a sinister plot.

A who’s who of dark European powers and mysterious villains are conspiring to wipe out millions and destroy the world through the ravages of war. The elder Oxford knows the suffering of conflict and has vowed to protect his son from that trauma and promote peace; Conrad is not content to operate from the shadows and wishes to serve his country. What the Oxfords uncover and what the world suffers in the midst of WWI gives rise to The Kingsman agency and their mission for peace.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The King’s Man is helmed by writer and director Matthew Vaughn and is based on The Secret Services comics by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson, Djimon Hounsou, and Gemma Arterton.
A criticism that has been leveled at the Kingsman franchise is that its spark and high energy are not backed up with anything of substance. Perhaps it’s true that The King’s Man is more flash than it is fleshed out, but who can complain when the action is wonderfully done. It’s to the film’s credit that The King’s Man’s particular brand of revisionist history is improbable, fantastical, and outright bonkers at times.

The King’s Man is noble to a fault and preachy at its worst moments.

Rasputin, for example, leaps off the pages of history and into a caricature of his already larger-than-life persona. Rasputin teeters on the tightrope of fascinating and silly, and just before he falls into the abyss of ludicrous, The King’s Man whips out an expertly choreographed fight scene set to classical music and incorporating precise Russian ballet with intense action elements. This entire scene summarizes the whole of The King’s Man. For better or for worse, the film’s first-class action sequences are sometimes all that can save it from its own distractions and silly diversions. Regrettably, the villains that provide the fodder for the heart-pounding fight scenes also fuel this critic’s disappointment.

The King’s Man hinges on the flimsiest of sinister plots, and despite its impressive roster of true-life historical villains, the baddie at the center of the film is half-baked and confusing. Further, the film reaches a hand into the future and touches on contemporary issues of social inequity, political scandal, and extremist ideology. The film’s primary villain is blamed for the real-life issues of extreme polarization and the manufacturing of political blackmail.

In an effort to distinguish its heroes as the ultimate neutral noble, The King’s Man entrenches itself in an exhausting commentary that unforgivably cheapens the actual global impact of these themes. To put it plainly — if film is escapism and The King’s Man an opportunity to watch good triumph over evil, that opportunity is squandered by the film’s attempts to be current in its commentary.

The King’s Man is noble to a fault and preachy at its worst moments. The polished lacquer of its slick, suave spy adventure shows a bit of tarnish that comes with its age and overuse. What the film lacks in substance, it makes up for in incredible action sequences. Like a good Scotch, The King’s Man can be a rich and smooth viewing experience… if you’ve already acquired the taste for it.

The King’s Man available for streaming Hulu and Disney Plus. It is also available on Video on Demand.

The King's Man
  • 5/10
    Rating - 5/10
5/10

TL;DR

The King’s Man is noble to a fault and preachy at its worst moments. The polished lacquer of its slick, suave spy adventure shows a bit of tarnish that comes with its age and overuse.

  • Grab Your Tickets Now with our Affiliate Link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Single All the Way’ Plays it Safe But Tells A Charming Love Story
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Lost in Space’ Season 3 is a Swan Song to a Much Loved Sci-Fi Series
Cait Kennedy
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Caitlin is a sweater enthusiast, film critic, and lean, mean writing machine based in Austin, TX. Her love of film began with being shown Rosemary’s Baby at a particularly impressionable age and she’s been hooked ever since. She loves a good bourbon and hates people who talk in movies. Caitlin has been writing since 2014 and you can find her work on Film Inquiry, The Financial Diet, Nightmarish Conjurings, and many others. Follow her on Twitter at @CaitDoes.

Related Posts

Choi Gyu-ri, Shin Eun-Soo in Love Untangled
7.5

REVIEW: ‘Love Untangled’ Is Just Adorable

08/31/2025
Austin Butler in Caught Stealing
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Caught Stealing’ Marks An Exciting Pivot for Darren Aronofsky

08/27/2025
Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O' Donahue in the film Honey Don't
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Honey Don’t!’ Is A Genius Work Of Subversion And Fantasy Fulfillment

08/25/2025
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses But Why Tho
5.0

 REVIEW: ‘The Roses’ Lacks A Thorny Edge

08/25/2025
Mert Ramazan Demir in Abandoned Man
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Abandoned Man’ Lacks Depth In Its Take On Betrayal

08/22/2025
Ne Zha 2 promotional still from a24
10.0

REVIEW: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Is One Of The Most Epic Feats Of Animation

08/21/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

[EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

Cronos: The New Dawn Nest
8.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’ Does Post-Apocalyptic Psychological Horror Right

By Mick Abrahamson09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

While not particularly sacry, Cronos: The New Dawn is a lot of fun as a survival horror that puts you in the futuristic armor of the Traveler.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here