While sharing some drinks at a bar, writer Mark Millar and filmmaker Matthew Vaughn discussed spy films. They felt that the current spy films took themselves too seriously and wanted a more fun, old-school spy thriller. In 2012, the comic book The Secret Service, written by Millar and David Gibbons, was released and spanned six issues. Vaughn opted out of doing X-Men: Days of Future Past to direct Millar and Gibbons’ comic adaptation. They hired major talents like Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, and several newcomers for the cast. One of those newcomers was a relatively-unknown Taron Egerton, who had just graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Filming commenced in late 2013 on reportedly 1/3 of the $200 million budget of Skyfall. After premiering at the Butt-Numb-A-Thon Festival in 2014, Kingsman: The Secret Service hit theaters worldwide in early 2015.
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Synopsis
Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) is a juvenile delinquent living in an English slum with his mother, Michelle (Samantha Womack). Unbeknownst to him, his father was a special agent who worked for a secret agency called The Kingsman. After being arrested for grand theft auto, Eggsy is released from prison and meets fellow Kingsman Harry Hart (Colin Firth). Due to a recent opening in the organization, Hart takes Eggsy on as a potential candidate to become an agent. Meanwhile, Internet celebrity Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) recruits influential figures to join his new world order. Valentine plans to wipe out the world’s human population by giving out free SIM cards that trigger people’s violent tendencies. Unfortunately, Eggsy fails his training, and Valentine takes Hart out of commission, but with few options, The Kingsman recruits Eggsy. Will Valentine succeed in his plan, or will The Kingsman save the world?
Review
Kingsman: The Secret Service skirts the line between being a parody and taking itself seriously as a spy thriller. It plays with the genre’s familiar tropes in a way that’s less mocking and more paying tribute. It’s somewhat similar to movies like Young Frankenstein, where they poke fun at the genre conventions in a loving way. Outside of that, this film works as a fun, energetic, and high-octane thrill ride that never lets up. There are so many action sequences that are well-staged, well-edited, and somewhat gruesome at times without being gratuitous. A few standouts include the massacre at the church and the scene where Eggsy infiltrates Valentine’s compound. As frantic as the action sequences are, the film takes time to develop the characters further and give breathing room. It helps that the writing is clever, and the actors give each character their own unique quirks.
Colin Firth is perfect casting as the archetypal gentleman spy with his dry delivery and sarcastic humor. He has fantastic chemistry with Taron Egerton, who plays Eggsy with the right combination of attitude and sincerity. Michael Caine and Mark Strong are excellent in their supporting roles, and Samuel L. Jackson makes for an enjoyable villain. Sofia Boutella is also memorable as Jackson’s right hand, playing a robust, sexy character similar to Oddjob or Jaws. Sophie Cookson and Edward Holcroft do a good job, but unfortunately, neither character gets fully developed. Also, Mark Hamill is another standout in the small but pivotal role of Professor James Arnold. Admittedly, the film takes a while to get going, spending most of its time world-building, but it still delivers. Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a fun and exciting action film perfect for old-school spy fans and newcomers.
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