Starring: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rating: 4/5
I have been a fan of director Matthew Vaughn ever since he made his directorial debut with Layer Cake back in 2004, and since then he has gone on to be behind movies Stardust, Kick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class.
This weekend saw Vaughn return to the director's chair with Kingsman: The Secret Service, which was based on Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons comic book and was adapted into a screenplay by Vaughn and Jane Goldman.
Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is a movie that I had been looking forward to for some time, and it was a movie that really did not disappoint. From start to finish, Kingsman: the Secret Service is action packed and really a lot of fun.
An action role is not the kind of thing that we are used to seeing Colin Firth tackle... he really should do it a little more as he is just terrific as the gentleman spy. He has some great kick ass moments that really are some of the film's highlights.
Newcomer Taron Egerton also gives a great performance as Kingsman spy in training Eggsy, who is the complete opposite from those who usually succeed during Kingsman training. His street-smart wit and foul mouth make him immediately appealing to audiences as we see the Kingsman world though his eyes and go on the journey with him.
This was the first time on a feature film set for Egerton, and yet he deals with the pressure of such a major role with consummate ease - he really does have a very promising future ahead of him. I have my fingers tightly crossed that that future includes a Kingsman sequel with Vaughn at the helm.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is an homage to the spy movie and to James Bond in particular - of course, it does descend a little OTT, but that really is half of the film's charm.
I found the movie to be so much fun and it really is an action packed ride with some terrific set pieces that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Vaughn is a director who make movies sparingly - let's face it, this is only his fifth film since he made his debut in 2004 - but all of his movies are worth waiting for... I am glad to say, that Kingsman: Secret Service carries on that fine tradition.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is a fast paced, witty, and slick script that delivers on action, laughs, and is brought to life by a terrific cast. Firth and Egerton deliver the standout performance, but the likes of Mark Strong and Samuel L. Jackson are also great.
This is one of those movies that really did leave me with a smile on my face and laughing as I left the cinema - this is not to be missed.