Complete Kingsman Spy Franchise Lands on Amazon Prime
Streaming enthusiasts across Britain have reason to celebrate as all three films in the acclaimed Kingsman series have arrived on Amazon Prime Video. The beloved comedy thriller franchise, frequently described as one of the greatest spy series ever created, is now fully accessible to UK subscribers.
From Comic Books to Box Office Success
The journey began with Kingsman: The Secret Service in 2014, introducing audiences to Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin, portrayed by Taron Egerton. The film follows his recruitment by Harry Hart (Colin Firth) into Kingsman, a clandestine spy organisation. Eggsy's inaugural mission pits him against wealthy terrorist Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), whose radical plan to address climate change involves eliminating most of humanity.
Drawing inspiration from the comic book series of the same name, the film boasted an impressive ensemble cast including Mark Strong, Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Jack Davenport, and Mark Hamill. The production proved enormously successful, grossing $414 million (£316m) worldwide and securing the Empire Magazine award for Best British Film in 2015.
The Franchise Expands
The success spawned a sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle in 2017, which reunited the British spies with their American counterparts, Statesman. The plot centres on their collaboration to combat The Golden Circle drug cartel as it creates chaos across global intelligence agencies.
In 2021, the franchise expanded backwards with the prequel The King's Man, featuring Ralph Fiennes in a narrative exploring how First World War events led to the establishment of the secret organisation. This historical perspective added depth to the Kingsman universe while maintaining the series' signature style.
Critical Reception and Cultural Impact
The original Kingsman film received overwhelming critical praise, with many reviewers hailing it as a standout in the spy genre. It maintains a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the critical consensus describes it as 'stylish, subversive, and above all fun'.
Vulture's assessment noted: 'Kingsman is not a film for gentlemen. It's for us, the great unwashed, bloodthirsty audience. It's an immaculately engineered, laugh-out-loud appeal to our own depravity.'
The Globe and Mail highlighted how the film 'smartly spoofs and slyly celebrates the James Bond spy-film franchise', while Empire magazine characterised it as 'Bond with the stabilisers taken off' - ultra-violent, envelope-pushing, and sufficiently entertaining to overlook any imperfections.
Naturally, comparisons to James Bond emerged throughout reviews, with the Toronto Sun observing that Kingsman 'reminds us that there are other games in town. And they can be just as enjoyable to play.'
Streaming Availability and Spin-off
For British viewers eager to immerse themselves in this world of espionage, all three Kingsman films are currently available on Amazon Prime Video. The streaming platform provides complete access to the main trilogy, though completionists should note that the 2023 spin-off Argylle, featuring Henry Cavill as Kingsman agent Argylle, remains exclusive to Apple TV+.
Argylle received predominantly negative reviews from critics and fans, with Metro's two-star review describing it as 'an entertaining piece of escapism, but nothing beyond that'. This stands in stark contrast to the enthusiastic reception afforded to the original Kingsman: The Secret Service.
With the entire core trilogy now streaming, British audiences can experience the complete Kingsman journey - from its World War I origins to its modern-day spy adventures - all available through their Amazon Prime Video subscriptions.
