Kingsman: The Secret Service
27/02/15 Filed in: Cinema
Our second film this week was Kingsman. Colin Firth as you've never seen him before!
With the latest Daniel Craig 'Bond' films having become serious again, after Roger Moore's almost slapstick portrayals, I suppose we needed a Bond alternative that didn't take itself too seriously. Kingsman certainly meets that criterion.
Ian Fleming's Bond was certainly a 'gentleman' and the Kingsmen take this idea to a new level. Operating from a gentlemen's tailors in Saville Row (or thereabouts) these agents always dress immaculately even when on assignments, although the opening sequence allows them a temporary lapse into SAS type garb. The organisation mimics King Arthur's legendary story with the chief Kingsman (Michael Caine) being Arthur and his team of agents adopting the names of the legendary knights. The table isn't round, however!
With the latest Daniel Craig 'Bond' films having become serious again, after Roger Moore's almost slapstick portrayals, I suppose we needed a Bond alternative that didn't take itself too seriously. Kingsman certainly meets that criterion.
Ian Fleming's Bond was certainly a 'gentleman' and the Kingsmen take this idea to a new level. Operating from a gentlemen's tailors in Saville Row (or thereabouts) these agents always dress immaculately even when on assignments, although the opening sequence allows them a temporary lapse into SAS type garb. The organisation mimics King Arthur's legendary story with the chief Kingsman (Michael Caine) being Arthur and his team of agents adopting the names of the legendary knights. The table isn't round, however!
The loss of an agent presents the need to find a replacement. Enter 'Eggsy', a wayward lad who is in fact the son of a former Kingsman. He is pitted against a group of other hopefuls mainly of Oxbridge stock. I won't spoil things by describing his progress in any further detail but needless to say he ends up saving the World. That's technically a spoiler but you wouldn't expect any other outcome from a film like this, would you?
Although we don't see the equivalent of 'Q' from the Bond films, there are plenty of gadgets on display. The weapon of choice seems to be a gentleman's brolly, which is bulletproof when opened and delivers quite a punch. Pens that remotely activate poison that's been ingested - a very clever trick! - and hand grenades in the shape of gold cigarette lighters. You get the idea.
Firth is very good in what I suspect is his first secret agent outing. Samuel L Jackson makes an unlikely but convincing megalomaniac whereas his sidekick (no pun intended!) Sofia Boutella is very impressive as an amputee martial artist, sporting blades à la Oscar Pistorius, although her blades are the real thing! Trained as a gymnast and dancer this woman delivers some amazing action sequences.
So we have lots of fun and violence, some impressive stunts (naturally) and a plot that doesn't merit too much critical analysis. What more could you want?
Although we don't see the equivalent of 'Q' from the Bond films, there are plenty of gadgets on display. The weapon of choice seems to be a gentleman's brolly, which is bulletproof when opened and delivers quite a punch. Pens that remotely activate poison that's been ingested - a very clever trick! - and hand grenades in the shape of gold cigarette lighters. You get the idea.
Firth is very good in what I suspect is his first secret agent outing. Samuel L Jackson makes an unlikely but convincing megalomaniac whereas his sidekick (no pun intended!) Sofia Boutella is very impressive as an amputee martial artist, sporting blades à la Oscar Pistorius, although her blades are the real thing! Trained as a gymnast and dancer this woman delivers some amazing action sequences.
So we have lots of fun and violence, some impressive stunts (naturally) and a plot that doesn't merit too much critical analysis. What more could you want?