Director: Matthew Vaughm
Writers: Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman
Cast: Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Taron Egerton, Jack Davenport and Mark Hamill
Studio: 20th Century Fox
“The Secret Service” failed to impress me as a comic book. “Kingsman” is a film about embracing excess with Old School espionage and telling a new tale. The troubled kid with a dead dad angle has been told before. But, it’s been ages since we’ve seen a fresh spy take that doesn’t feel like campy parody. Regardless of your views on McDonalds in the cinema, this movie is legit R-rated action for an age where we need this material so badly.
Taron Egerton isn’t going to land any major roles off this film. He fills in the need for a Sam Jones or Richard Grieco style character. An interesting young face that can recite dialogue and perform in set pieces. Gazelle, the other agents and even Colin Firth get more action out of the same material. But, that’s because they’re actors and not kids thrown into material that is seemingly above them. But, he played the only character that got an anal sex reward.
This film is an embarrassment of British genre riches and I hope that we never get a sequel. The shelf life on this material is short and I can’t help but draw comparisons to Vaughn’s work on “Kick-Ass”. The audience learns everything they need in one movie and they get closure. Leave it alone and enjoy a fun effort to counter program on Valentine’s Day weekend.
The McDonalds product placement.
Mark Hamill’s accent.” summary=”It’s an R-rated James Bond if directed by 80s era Paul Verhoeven. ” negatives=”Everything that doesn’t involve the Kingsman/Secret Service.”][rating title=”Overall” value =”4.5″ range=”5″][/review_summary]