Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Collin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong
Country: United Kingdom / United States
Rating: R
Run Time: 129 minutes
Note: Reviewed at time of theatrical release.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is a breath of bad ass fresh air in early 2015 after the dismal Taken 3 and Blackhat. Matthew Vaughn's latest action film is a fun, violent, and comedic send up of spy movie tropes and genre cliches. The film marks the second time that Vaughn has adapted a graphic novel written by Mark Millar, a man known for his darkly comedic comics that combine blood with laughs. Vaughn and Millar's first collaboration was 2010's Kick-Ass, an energetic but overly mean spirited film that left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn't find any enjoyment in watching a twelve year old girl violently murder people and spout expletives. I love myself a violent action film, but not one that does it with a vulgar twelve year old girl; it's just not my type of humor or entertainment.
With Kingsman though, it seems that Vaughn has found the perfect balance between his overly violent side and restrained side. I don't know if the source material, 20th Century Fox, or Vaughn's experience directing X-Men: First Class had anything to do with it, but Kingsman represents a much more accomplished director hitting all of the right notes. Even though the film's first two acts are mostly routine, the final act delivers some of the most violent and highly energetic action I have ever seen from a studio film before. You won't believe your eyes or ears when you see Collin Firth massacre an entire church full of people set to "Free Bird" in one of the most violent action scenes in movie history. This scene alone earns my recommendation. However, there is more to the film and it would be unfair if I judged it based on one scene alone. But what a one scene it is.
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| Collin Firth shows some pub attendees a thing or two with one awesome umbrella. |
Kingsman: The Secret Service is about a secret spy organization who makes it their goal to protect the world without receiving credit for anything. With the recent death of one of their members, the Kingsmen set out to find a new recruit. The story focuses on Harry Hart (Collin Firth), a veteran agent who chooses a young man named Eggsy (played by newcomer Taron Egerton) to become the next Kingsmen agent. As Eggsy undergoes his training, Harry discovers that rich billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) plans on using cell phone SIM cards to send out a deadly signal that will cause all of society to kill one another. His plan is to preserve a select amount of humans and kill off all of the rest in order to reset the Earth's population before we destroy Earth itself. It's truly a ridiculous plot, but befitting of a film where Collin Firth takes an axe to a churchgoer's head. It is than up to Harry, Eggsy, and Kingsman agent Merlin (Mark Strong) to stop Valentine and essentially save the world.
Kingsman reminds the viewer of a time when studio actioners were fun. Too many of today's studio action films are deadly serious and lack any sense of excitement or energy. However, Vaughn lets audiences know right away that they are in for a fun time as the film opens up with an action scene set to "I Want My MTV" and follows it soon after with a character getting sliced in half down the middle. Kingsman is ultimately a pastiche of spy movies in which reality is amped to such an absurd extreme that you can't help but laugh along with the film.
I typically don't find mean spirited and ultra violent films like this to be funny or entertaining. However, Kingsman's high octane energy and lampooning of society's concern with global warming struck a chord with me. The film also embraces its absurdity by never opting to explain its ridiculous elements. Why does a character have sword like legs for prosthetics? Why does such an evil villain played by Samuel L. Jackson have such a silly lisp and hatred for violence? And why does a church full of church dwellers have to be horribly massacred in such brutal ways? Matthew Vaughn would probably respond with, "Who cares! But isn't it fun though?" Kingsman is a violent blast of fun in an overly tame world of blockbusters that do nothing but hold the audiences hand and deliver tame action that we have seen time and time again.
If I had to fault Kingsman for anything, it would be that its second act in which the new Kingsmen recruits train to become future agents is nothing but routine and predictable. As the recruits are put through numerous challenges that test their physical and mental abilities, the lessons or morals behind each challenge becomes fairly predictable. Oh no, a character is kidnapped by a shady character and told to confess the location of the Kingsmen training ground? I sure hope this suspicious situation is a test and not reality! Predictable scenes like this do nothing but hamper an otherwise energetic film. The film also ends on an incredibly sexist joke that easily could have been cut from the film otherwise. In a film full of violent humor and exploding heads, this is the one cruel moment that should have been axed from the film altogether or kept as a deleted scene on a future Blu-ray Disc.
I typically don't find mean spirited and ultra violent films like this to be funny or entertaining. However, Kingsman's high octane energy and lampooning of society's concern with global warming struck a chord with me. The film also embraces its absurdity by never opting to explain its ridiculous elements. Why does a character have sword like legs for prosthetics? Why does such an evil villain played by Samuel L. Jackson have such a silly lisp and hatred for violence? And why does a church full of church dwellers have to be horribly massacred in such brutal ways? Matthew Vaughn would probably respond with, "Who cares! But isn't it fun though?" Kingsman is a violent blast of fun in an overly tame world of blockbusters that do nothing but hold the audiences hand and deliver tame action that we have seen time and time again.
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| Egerton makes for a nice mini-Collin Firth. |
If I had to fault Kingsman for anything, it would be that its second act in which the new Kingsmen recruits train to become future agents is nothing but routine and predictable. As the recruits are put through numerous challenges that test their physical and mental abilities, the lessons or morals behind each challenge becomes fairly predictable. Oh no, a character is kidnapped by a shady character and told to confess the location of the Kingsmen training ground? I sure hope this suspicious situation is a test and not reality! Predictable scenes like this do nothing but hamper an otherwise energetic film. The film also ends on an incredibly sexist joke that easily could have been cut from the film otherwise. In a film full of violent humor and exploding heads, this is the one cruel moment that should have been axed from the film altogether or kept as a deleted scene on a future Blu-ray Disc.
Performances in the film are uniformly excellent. Newcomer Taron Egerton brings a sense of energy and confidence to the film's semi-lead role and earns himself the right as the franchise's future star. Veteran supporting players Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mark Hamill are also a lot of fun because they understand the kind of film that they are in. However, it is none other than Collin Firth who owns the film and easily turns in one of the most bad ass performances in recent memory. I am so happy to see an actor like Firth, typically seen in period dramas, kick so much ass in a ridiculously violent action film like Kingsman.
I am dead serious when I say that Firth kicks more ass in one single scene than current action star Liam Neeson has in his entire career. While a majority of the film's action scenes are fun, energetic, and exciting, nothing can compare to the film's unforgettable church fight scene. Collin Firth's character takes on a horde of crazed church goers with a gun, a bible, a spear, a blow torch, and even an axe. This action scene is so hilarious and over the top that it easily lands Kingsman a spot on my Top 10 Action Films of 2015 unless something else amazing comes along and dethrones it. I also want to applaud Vaughn for once again assembling a perfect selection of well known songs to back up his action scenes. Composer Henry Jackman is also to be applauded for scoring some exciting tunes that also complement Vaughn's action scenes. Jackman and Vaughn previously collaborated on X-Men: First Class, which also had an excellent score. Therefore, I hope the duo continue to work with one another.
Kingsman is a fun and exciting spy comedy that properly understands what kind of film it wants to be. Even though the film is filled with humor, it still exists within a world with real danger and serious stakes that remind the viewer that the film is not all fun and games. If I had to compare Kingsman: The Secret Service to any other comedic action films, I would state that Vaughn's own Kick-Ass (flaws aside) and Kim Jee Woon's The Good, the Bad, the Weird make for great complements because they deftly blend humor and violence with gleeful energy. This is a definite recommendation and an action film worth checking out in the theater while it is still out. Support the film and let the studios know that we want violent and fun franchises like this!
I am dead serious when I say that Firth kicks more ass in one single scene than current action star Liam Neeson has in his entire career. While a majority of the film's action scenes are fun, energetic, and exciting, nothing can compare to the film's unforgettable church fight scene. Collin Firth's character takes on a horde of crazed church goers with a gun, a bible, a spear, a blow torch, and even an axe. This action scene is so hilarious and over the top that it easily lands Kingsman a spot on my Top 10 Action Films of 2015 unless something else amazing comes along and dethrones it. I also want to applaud Vaughn for once again assembling a perfect selection of well known songs to back up his action scenes. Composer Henry Jackman is also to be applauded for scoring some exciting tunes that also complement Vaughn's action scenes. Jackman and Vaughn previously collaborated on X-Men: First Class, which also had an excellent score. Therefore, I hope the duo continue to work with one another.
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| This Southern Baptist Church is going down. |
Kingsman is a fun and exciting spy comedy that properly understands what kind of film it wants to be. Even though the film is filled with humor, it still exists within a world with real danger and serious stakes that remind the viewer that the film is not all fun and games. If I had to compare Kingsman: The Secret Service to any other comedic action films, I would state that Vaughn's own Kick-Ass (flaws aside) and Kim Jee Woon's The Good, the Bad, the Weird make for great complements because they deftly blend humor and violence with gleeful energy. This is a definite recommendation and an action film worth checking out in the theater while it is still out. Support the film and let the studios know that we want violent and fun franchises like this!
Rating: 8/10 - Despite some predictability here and there, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a fun and violent action film that hopefully jumpstarts a new franchise.
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