I have never hidden my love for spy thrillers, so imagine my excitement when I came across the trailer of Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) online and knew I had to watch it. I've noticed British spy movies are distinct from other thrillers. It takes the polished world of British gentlemen and secret agents and mix them with wild action and dark humour.
Written by Vaughn and Jane Goldman, and directed by Matthew Vaughn, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a spy thriller based on The Secret Service, an American comic book series and the first instalment in the Kingsman franchise. The movie stars an ensemble cast including Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong and other supporting actors.
This movie focuses on Gary “Eggsy” (Taron Egerton), a young man from a rough background who seems to have potential to be great but has allowed his circumstances and poor choices to shape his life. After he was arrested for stealing a car, he meets Harry Hart (Colin Firth), a sharply dressed gentlemen who is a member of a secret intelligence organisation that operates from behind the respectable image of a tailor's shop known as Kingsman. It turns out Harry knows Eggsy’s late father and believes Eggsy has the qualities to be part of the Kingsman.
Harry introduces Eggsy to Kingsman and he's given the opportunity to train alongside other young recruits, each hoping to become the next Kingsman agent. While the recruits are pushed to their limits, Harry and the organisation investigate Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a wealthy and eccentric business man whose plans pose a serious threat to the world. Can Eggsy pass his training to become a Kingsman agent? Does he have what it takes to confront an enemy targeting the world?
My Review And Rating
As I watched this movie, I'm reminded of old fashioned spy adventures like the James Bond movies of Roger Moore and Sean Connery era. This movie feels like a tribute to those old spy thrillers. The plot is a familiar one but the storytelling and acting elevates the film into a classic.
I like that this film doesn't try to be the serious, brooding spy thriller I expected. There is danger and high stakes but it also knows how ridiculous the spy genre can be and portrays it in a fascinating way. I particularly loved the disguise of the Kingsman headquarters behind a tailor's shop and the fancy gadgets, especially the hidden weapons disguised as ordinary objects. Kingsman takes these spy elements and pushes them further to make the movie compelling.
Another thing that caught my attention was the action. It is fast, brutal, stylish and at times completely outrageous or unreal. The fight scenes of Colin Firth are shocking and funny at the same time making me cheer for him. This movie doesn't aim for realism and the action scenes feel almost choreographed like the actors are performing on a stage.
The acting performance of the cast is outstanding. Colin Firth was one of my favourites. As Harry Hart, he is calm, intelligent, polite and simply posh. He acts as a gentleman but there is more to him than his perfectly fitted suit. He is refined without being weak and dangerous without needing to prove it. Taron Egerton makes it easy for me to root for Eggsy. He is a diamond in the rough with potentials but has to learn discipline, responsibility and how to make better choices. His journey gives this film some heart under all the expensive suits and fancy gadgets.
I love seeing Samuel L Jackson in action because he's good at playing both villain and protagonist roles excellently. As a villain, he's the typical one who doesn't make threat in every scene but he's eccentric, expressive and funny in ways that make him more memorable. He embodies this role perfectly and I wouldn't want any other actor to play the villain in this movie.
The supporting cast also deserves credit because they make this movie feel like more than a one-man story. Mark Strong, Michael Caine and Sofia Boutella each bring something memorable to the movie. Sofia's character in particular comes with one of those ideas that sound ridiculous but somehow work once you see them on screen.
This movie is a fun watch. The cinematography and visuals are impressive. It is loud in action and bold in its humour and that is what made watching it enjoyable for me.
Rating this movie, I'd give it 9 out of 10 stars. Kingsman: The Secret Service takes the familiar world of spies and dresses it in sharp suits, fancy gadgets, memorable action and humour. It's entertaining and the two hours running time disappeared too quickly.
All images above are from the movie screenshots
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Rating: 90/100
