Review of Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) by Kan R — 22 Dec 2015

Films these days so often feel like an amalgamation of various other films that precede it; which is a shame, because it leads to the notion that there really aren't any original ideas left.

Kingsman is Kick-Ass director Michael Vaughn's comic-book ultra-violent interpretation of James Bond.

Not surprisingly, it's a combination that works; thanks to Vaughn's tongue-in-cheek reverence to the genre, and his willingness to go balls to the wall with his hyper-kinetic action scenes that all too often feel like they are defying the laws of nature. His camera has the ability to glide through his incredibly staged set pieces with ease; that insane church scene in the final third is a perfect case in point.

He also lucks out with great casting, that often feels like a gimmick, but works a charm; here is its buttoned down Colin Firth as super-spy Harry Hart who has all the right moves in all the right places. Samuel L Jackson seems to relish the idea of camping it up with a lispy villain who is one note, but still fun in tone with the films intentions.

So, it may offer little new overall, but Kingsman has fun plot with a few tricks up its sleeve and its directors usual flair for flamboyant action film aesthetics which keep this enjoyable romp rollicking along nicely.