This is a prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014). Orlando (Ralph Fiennes) is the pacifist Duke of Oxford. He, his wife Emily, and their young son Conrad visit a British concentration camp in South Africa for the Red Cross. Emily is killed and he promises her to protect Conrad at all cost. With the impending First World War, Conrad is itching to join but Orlando refuses to let him go. Unbeknownst to them, there is a sinister force pushing the European empires into a devastating conflagration.
There is a bit of awkwardness in reworking history. Apparently, a Scottish nationalist is responsible for WWI. Rasputin was a vampire... Now that's interesting. I wouldn't mind that movie. He seems to be a good boss level. That fight is fun. That should have been the story. Instead, the movie keeps going and going and going. Sometimes it's fine but mostly it meanders. Prequels are often problematic since the ending is pre-set with no surprises. This one is no different. It has various problems but Rasputin is really fun.
There is a bit of awkwardness in reworking history. Apparently, a Scottish nationalist is responsible for WWI. Rasputin was a vampire... Now that's interesting. I wouldn't mind that movie. He seems to be a good boss level. That fight is fun. That should have been the story. Instead, the movie keeps going and going and going. Sometimes it's fine but mostly it meanders. Prequels are often problematic since the ending is pre-set with no surprises. This one is no different. It has various problems but Rasputin is really fun.