KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

2015 / Director. Matthew Vaughn.
Review by Glenn Cochrane.

I'll cut to the chase. KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE is fantastic! Buzz had already spread by the time I saw it and it was the "Matthew Vaughn" factor that held my attention. Once again he has dived head-first into the world of comic books and delivered a film that leaps off the page and assaults our senses at every turn. KINGSMAN is a top secret spy organisation, which operates above and beyond the capabilities of MI and the Secret Service. The film chronicles the training of a new recruit whose father had served the organisation honorably and given his life for the cause. Colin Firth plays the highly skilled, sophisticated and gentlemanly agent with the task of guiding a reckless and troubled cockney lad from the Eastend of London. When the entire world is on the brink of a human-cleansing at the hands of an urban tech-genius (Samuel L Jackson) it's up to Firth and his new recruits to take him down. The result is a fast-paced, action-fuelled comedy that plays out like James Bond Jr. The cast is perfectly aligned with Michael Caine and Mark Strong lending some stellar support. The characters are beautifully conceived as has the world they occupy. The film is laced with tongue-in-cheek nods to Ian Fleming and James Bond and while it probably overplays that card at times, it's also necessary for them to let the audience know that they're paying homage. The soundtrack is also fantastic with a mix of new and old pop songs helping to deliver the action. From Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird to Dizzle Rascal's Bonkers... the music pumps while the action is gratuitous and surprisingly graphic... damn it's a fun movie. It's also important to be aware of the film's classification. Parents definitely need to respect the rating on this one because while the poster treatment and overall concept suggests a fun family-friendly adventure, the film is actually laced with foul language and grotesquely explicit violence. I had a ball with KINGSMAN and it embodies the reason we go to the cinema in the first place. Pure escapism and a "jolly good time". 

---