Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Certified: 12A
Duration: 129 minutes
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson, Sofia Boutella, Jack Davenport, Sophie Cookson, Mark Strong, Mark Hamill, Samantha Womack, Richard Brake, Hanna Alström, Bjørn Floberg
KRS Releasing Ltd
Loosely based on the 2012 six-issue Icon comic book series by two of the industry’s greats, Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, Kingsman: The Secret Service manages to put the fun back into the spy genre.
Under the strong hands of Matthew Vaughn, who directed the irreverent and over-the-top Kick-Ass, this is a James Bond movie for the new generation. It takes all the clichés and mashes them together, going over the top in its attitude. Through all this it manages to combine cool and gritty, teenager approach with adult material and the result is wildly entertaining.
Taron Egerton plays Gary Unwin, aka Eggsy, whose father was killed while carrying out duties for a top secret organisation. Neither Gary nor his mother know the nature of the man’s work and death. The result is that Eggsy ends up growing on the rough side of the tracks as he joins the gangs of the south London urban areas. This leads to him getting arrested and facing quite some time behind bars.
That is when Harry (Colin Firth) intervenes. He is Gary’s uncle and is also a secret agent. He makes Eggsy an offer: he wants him to replace an agent who was recently killed while trying to save a scientist (Mark Hamill from Star Wars). This formed part of the political machinations and diabolical plans of ultra-rich Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson).
The film follows Eggsy as he goes through spy training camp. He is not alone as there are others competing with him, all speaking proper Queen’s English and ready to become the new Kingsman.
At no point does the director try to make Kingsman look real or grounded in reality
On the other hand, Valentine has a plan to solve the climate change issue. This involves distributing free SIM cards, the activation of which will lead to global killing sprees. The world’s population will be left only with the elite, those who are fit to live and rule.
Kingsman has the full range of gadgets the Bond films and Get Smart series are known for. But above all, it emphasises the whole British idea of being a spy, and this comes complete with the posh accent, perfect suit and snobbish attitude. The film’s style and content merge flawlessly and the action scenes are well handled.
Egerton fits into his role and brings along with him a sort of youthful arrogance and bravado that counterbalances the older cast. Firth is this picture’s gem as he plays to his strengths and delivers the English gentleman stereotype with lethal precision.
Jackson is maniacal and over the top in a gleeful manner as only he can be given licence to do. Sofia Boutella is exquisite as Gazelle, Valentine’s enforcer of choice, while Michael Caine is Michael Caine and that simply says it all.
At no point does the director try to make Kingsman look real or grounded in reality, and thus he veers away from the direction the Bond films have taken of late. Here the fun is in making a cool and action-packed movie that is razor-sharp in its approach.