Kingsman  THE SECRET SERVICE 3.2****

 

    “Kingsman: The Secret Service" is a nostalgic throwback to the early Bond films of the 1960s and 70s..  This latest addition to the genre, based on a comic book,  tells of a spy agency so secret (though not connected with any government) that  other spy agencies, government or not, don't know it exists. Kingsman is made up of  highly trained, dapperly dressed "gentlemen" spies who consider themselves to be the descendants, at least in spirit, of the knights of yore (they've even given themselves code names like Lancelot and Galahad). Dapper they may be but also super “bad-ass”. That dapperest of these dapper gentlemen, Colin Firth, plays Harry Hart, aka Galahad, a veteran agent who recruits, Eggsy (Taron Edgerton) , a directionless youth from the streets (but  the son of an agent who years ago saved Hart's life)  to train in the art of spying .  Eggsy's first assignment is to stop the maniacal high-tech plot of a crazed gazillionaire, played by a Samuel L. Jackson.,  

 

The casts brings a lot of variety to the movie. Colin Firth (yes, the King from” King's Speech”) pumps the screen with adrenaline, which is quite unlike him, but enjoyable none-the-less. Michael Caine does what he always does but here doesn‘t have enough to do.. Samuel Jackson who has a lisp and is terrified of blood (yes, a villain who can't stand the sight of blood) is fun to watch even when he goes way over the top which is often. Taron Egerton proves to be an outstanding newcomer as he brings his young  character to life with an energizing vibe.

 

There is a good amount of violence which may  be a tad too graphic at times but the overall spirit of good cheer and fun triumphs in the end. Also, in most  "superhero” type films these days we find ourselves wondering what the back-story of the hero/villain is and why is he the way he is? But at the end of this film I realized that not once did I feel the need to fathom where all these characters CAME from. They were just THERE doing all these amazing stunts and looking so dashing in their suits. It is just PURE FUN.  Fans of Bond  are certain to love it since along with a rollercoaster of action, comedy and espionage, comes a bucket full of winks, references and nods to the world of spy movies, especially Bond. Included are many of the gadgets we have come to love from the Bond films.

 

Clark