Kingsman: The Golden Circle continues the British spy series based on a comic book with another strong plot and fine acting all around.

This time, the independent spy agency is decimated by an attack from an old foe at the instigation of a global drug queen who is prepared to kill millions in a plan to legalize her products and expand profits worldwide. (It's a convoluted plan.) The surviving members of the agency head to the United States, where the Statesmen -- members of a parallel organization staffed by cowboys rather than English gentlemen -- provide them with the wherewithal to continue their mission.

They also bring back a welcome character believed to be dead in the original movie (while killing off two returning characters -- one at the beginning, another near the end -- that I'd hoped to see more from).

Unfortunately, this sequel is not nearly as strong as the original in the series.

The fault certainly does not lie at the feet of returning stars Taron Eggerton (Eggsy), Mark Strong (Merlin) or Colin Firth (Harry). Part of the problem is that certain elements that seemed original and evocative in the first film are now old hat. The plot, too, is not as strong as the first, with a villainous scheme that seems kind of weak.

That said, the primary villain -- Poppy, played with over-the-top panache by Julianne Moore -- is a lot of fun. She also sets up the return of a former antagonist, Charlie (Edward Holfcroft) and an adorable series of cameos by Elton John as himself (that are, while pretty cool at the start, a little overdone by the end).

The Statesmen -- unlike the Kingsmen, whose front is an upper-crust tailoring firm -- are based in a Kentucky distillery and, as such, have far more wealth at their disposal. However, the cowboy schtick gets old after a while, played more as a caricature than a legitimate choice for the agency.

American agents include Tequila (Channing Tatum), Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) and Champagne (Jeff Bridges), with Ginger (Halle Berry) providing support as Merlin's opposite number.

Like James Bond, Austin Powers and Johnny English, the Kingsman series is a well-done take on the British secret service. I hope the series continues, as it's both fresh and clever. (And I hope rumors that Eggerton is not returning for a third film are false.)