"Kingsman: The Golden Circle" misses the brass ring.
The edgy action spy comedy “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was a worldwide hit in 2014, so it’s not surprising that a sequel was inevitable. Unfortunately, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” moves too far away from the charms of the first one. The main character of Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is given short shrift to make room for a host of American spies played by stars like Channing Bridges and Halle Berry. Julianne Moore’s villain is too cartoonish, almost like an “Austin Powers” baddie. And the whole shebang goes on 30 minutes too long. It does have wicked wit, clever action sequences, and the elegant Colin Firth, but it’s too big and bloated to be golden.