James Bond doesn't know crazy

Rating: 9/10 (1 September 2015)

Kingsman, on the other hand, does.
Action comedies are hard to make right. Although "action comedy" doesn't do justice for this movie, nor does the equally vague "action adventure", but these kinds of movies rarely nail it. They can be easily failures: either they're unfunny or the action doesn't cut it, or they just simply have no heart in whatever they're trying to do. That is not the case here.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is unexpectedly fresh for a movie that borrows from just about everything. It's outright ridiculous, and you still manage to care about what's happening. No punches are pulled. It's very violent, very funny in refreshing ways and manages to surprise and entertain you in ways that I thought couldn't be possible anymore. I watched some scenes with my mouth open. I couldn't believe what was happening.
How would I describe this movie? Think about James Bond with a fresh sense of fun, silly amounts of amazingly-shot violence, the most ridiculous villain of all time who has a Kill Bill-esque henchwoman, and where you somehow manage to care about some of the characters. It never crosses the line where it becomes either a parody or a serious thriller, it just maximizes the entertainment factor in - it seems - every single scene.
Matthew Vaughn is one of the best action movie directors around, because he finds many smart little ways to elevate his movies. Jane Goldman is the co-writer, as usual. These two seem to work amazingly well together. They nailed the tone perfectly and almost every moment seems fitting.
Colin Firth is the absolute star of this film. He's every bit as elegant as Bond, even more so. He steals every scene he's in, and to my surprise he delivered the best action scenes of the whole movie too. Amazing job, Colin. Mark Strong and Michael Caine as veteran agents are fine and they elevate any movie they participate in. I can't say a bad thing about anyone else either. Some characters are best left unspoiled - especially Samuel L. Jackson's one. Samantha Womack was very good in a small role, I had to look her up immediately after the movie ended. Overall, the cast was good, and Colin Firth leads the movie like a pro.
I can only imagine how much a PG-13 rating would have hindered this gem. Luckily nothing is watered down and we get the full experience.
If you like action adventure movies, and especially if you think that action movies have become too formulaic, passionless and dull, I will highly recommend Kingsman for you. This movie seems to find fun and excitement in whatever it does. Get some friends to watch it with you, even. I did.
Today, I know what it means to be a true gentleman.