I entered this spy franchise prequel cold after having called in sick for the two previous installments. Matthew Vaughn once again takes writer-director credit and were one to remove the CG gore effects and the occasional incompatible f-bombs (did they really curse in such a manner at the dawn of the 20th Century?), this assemblage of some of history’s most notorious nogoodniks — Rasputin, Archduke Ferdinand, Mata Hari, Lenin, etc. — would feel right at home in a British Jules Verne fantasy from the early 60’s. The commanding presence of Ralph Fiennes adds a sense of street cred, an assurance that his performance will never stoop to camp. And think how much money this alternative history lesson could have saved on hair and makeup had they cast Jared Leto as Rasputin. It runs on a bit, but how bad can a film be that not only wears its anti war message on its sleeve, but contains a strong father and son subplot as well as a potential scandal involving Woodrow Wilson sex tape. Co-starring Gemma Arterton (a flavorless variation on Mary Poppins, Rhys Ifans, Harris Dickinson, and Djimon Hounsou as Fiennes’ Man Friday. (2021) — Scott Marks
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