Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman: The Secret Service stars Terran Eggerton , Colin Firth, Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Mark Hamill and Sophie Cookson. The film directed by Matthew Vaughn tells the story of a secret agent code named Lancelot that saves his spy colleague by sacrificing himself when that colleague nicknamed Galahad (Colin Firth) misses an explosive device while on a mission. As compensation for Lancelot’s death, Galahad gives Lancelot’s son a favor that he can use at any point in his life. Several years later Lancelot’s son named Eggsy gets in trouble and uses the favor to bail himself out. Galahad decides that Eggsy should train to become the new Lancelot in the Kingsman secret service. Eggsy agrees and begins training to be a spy.

Matthew Vaughn is one of the most capable action directors working today. It was with much surprise when the public was informed that Vaughn would not direct the sequel to X-Men: First Class and instead chose to direct and write an adaptation of The Secret Service comic book. The proof is in the pudding with this film as Vaughn’s stylistic camera work is on full display. He weaves in and around action scenes like a predator bird hunting prey with a keen acknowledgement of how close to put the audience during action sequences. His use of angled shots is particularly effective given the number of acrobatic stunts that are performed and it makes the performances by the actors all the more believable as the story unfolds.

The performances that really stand out are the ones where the actors are playing against type. The two actors who embody that idea in this film are Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Firth. Jackson’s character of Redmond Valentine is not only evil but he has a lisp as well and every time he speaks there is comedy coming from his words because he is trying to be threatening and sinister to a high degree but having the rather strong lisp undermines any villainous things that audience members may find threatening or compelling. Firth’s character of Galahad is just a distinguished badass fighter which completely shocks most people given the actor won an academy award in the not so recent past for playing a quintessential English political figure in The King’s Speech. Audiences in the theater will no doubt be shocked to see such a gentleman be changed into an action hero.

The big thing that makes this film shockingly unique is that it basically utilizes its plot and characters to be a send up to classic James Bond films. The gadgets are all things that are discreet and on the spy’s person. The way situations are handled is exactly how James Bond might handle them. The way different agents panic when something doesn’t go according to plan is exactly the level of intensity brought to every James Bond film before the 90’s. All of those troupes and clichés fit extremely well into the world that was built for this film. In reality the film works really well because it takes time to make fun of itself because it knows what it is and if audiences don’t take what happens in the film seriously it’s definitely a film people can have a good time with.

The one negative of the film was the fact that the film kind of just ended. The ending was too clean. If more set up had been given for where the characters were headed next then the lack of real resolution would be completely understandable. Without doubt there are plenty of distasteful jokes but they can be funny if you have seen old spy franchises.