cinemabon
02-18-2015, 12:03 AM
The idea is it's great to play a British spy. Director Matthew Vaughn (Stardust, X-Men - First Class) combines tongue-in-cheek spy-thriller with action movie to give us "Kingsman - The Secret Service" as more an update of Derek Flint than James Bond. Based on the comic book series "The Secret Service" written by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, the original story involved an uncle recruiting his nephew into the secret service with an homage to James Bond in all his forms. Vaughn took most of their ideas and along with fellow writer Jane Goldman (who also helped Vaughn pen Stardust, X-men and Bad Ass movies) created a different twist along the same theme. The film is an unexpected rush of action versus predictable moments of unlikely candidate being successful (i.e. Ender's Game and others); where we know the underdog is destined to be the winner. That said, the film is complete with a super-villain along the veins of SPECTRE but not going so far as to be cartoonish Dr. Evil. Samuel Jackson sounds almost benign at first in his quest to better the world, until he uncovers his fiendish plot to rule the world. All of this would be pedantic if not for some of the humanism from the main character, newcomer Taron Egerton who plays Eggsy, the young English ruffian from the streets. His change from rude eye poker to distinguished gentleman is even spoofed when in one scene, Colin Firth - his mentor, Harry Hart - says regarding the boy's transition; "It's like those movies. Did you ever see 'Point of No Return'?" Eggsy: "Oh, you mean like 'My Fair Lady?'"
The film opens in the Middle East when four agents have captured a terrorist and are interrogating him. During the questioning, the terrorist rips out a hidden grenade. Eggsy's dad falls on the grenade, saving Hart's life. Hart goes to his widow, offers his condolences and a caveat - "On the back of this medal is a number. Call it and I will help give you what you want or need." The wife spits in his face. Hart (also known as Agent Galahad) puts the medal around the neck of the son. Seventeen years later, caught in the middle of a gang war, the son gets in trouble. At the police station, he calls the number. Hart introduces himself and offers Eggsy a job. But Hart hasn't made the new job an easy one. Eggsy must compete with other candidates for the right to be the next new agent.
Between Jackson's rantings and ravings over being the next ruler of the world and Eggsy's trials, the film takes off when Eggsy finally self-motivated to succeed. The story becomes a romp of good-natured British spy humor that make Austin Powers seem like a series of fart jokes (which come to think of it, maybe it was). With a rousing score by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (whose X-men score worked perfectly); mind-blowing special effects ending (literally); and some incredible stunt work along with all that British wry humor, I found "Kingsman" one of the most entertaining films I'd seen in many, many months. Fun, brilliant, even unexpected at times, the ending is one for the books. For all those who loved Jason Bourne and James Bond, you're going to love "Kingsman" even more. Watch for the cameo of Mark Hamill. Highly recommended.
The film opens in the Middle East when four agents have captured a terrorist and are interrogating him. During the questioning, the terrorist rips out a hidden grenade. Eggsy's dad falls on the grenade, saving Hart's life. Hart goes to his widow, offers his condolences and a caveat - "On the back of this medal is a number. Call it and I will help give you what you want or need." The wife spits in his face. Hart (also known as Agent Galahad) puts the medal around the neck of the son. Seventeen years later, caught in the middle of a gang war, the son gets in trouble. At the police station, he calls the number. Hart introduces himself and offers Eggsy a job. But Hart hasn't made the new job an easy one. Eggsy must compete with other candidates for the right to be the next new agent.
Between Jackson's rantings and ravings over being the next ruler of the world and Eggsy's trials, the film takes off when Eggsy finally self-motivated to succeed. The story becomes a romp of good-natured British spy humor that make Austin Powers seem like a series of fart jokes (which come to think of it, maybe it was). With a rousing score by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (whose X-men score worked perfectly); mind-blowing special effects ending (literally); and some incredible stunt work along with all that British wry humor, I found "Kingsman" one of the most entertaining films I'd seen in many, many months. Fun, brilliant, even unexpected at times, the ending is one for the books. For all those who loved Jason Bourne and James Bond, you're going to love "Kingsman" even more. Watch for the cameo of Mark Hamill. Highly recommended.