An utterly exhilarating experience

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2015)

I didn't know this movie existed before I went into the theater to watch it. I hadn't read reviews, I hadn't seen trailers and I didn't even know it was based on a comic book (which I haven't read either). I just happened to stumble upon it in my weekly trip to the cinema and, since there wasn't anything else worth watching (that I hadn't seen) at the moment, I decided to try my luck...
... Glorious, if I'm going to use one word to describe this film, it is that one. After having watched, in theaters, a string of depressive dramas and offbeat comedies (mostly last year's Oscar nominees and some art-house movies) in the past few months; this movie reminded me why I love the seventh art so much: it's just shameless, stylized, escapist and balls- to-the-wall fun.
The first thing I want to comment on is the acting and I'm not going to focus on the veterans (it's pretty much a given to expect amazing performances from Firth, Jackson, Caine and Strong; even if, in the case of Firth and Jackson, their roles are quite outside their comfort zones) but on our protagonist. Egerton plays the role with panache, comfort and emotional depth unusual for someone who is pretty much doing their first big role and in an action/comedy flick no less. There's no moment in the movie in which I could say he isn't Eggsy. He clearly threw himself to it and had a blast, there's enough conflict, audacity and (to use Merlin's words) "cheek" to spare. And he also did most of his stunts to boot.
That leads me to another fantastic asset of the movie: the stunt work. The action setpieces are just things of beauty and although everyone mentions, and with good reason, the church scene; my favorite moment occurs at the end and it involves a lot of parkour. It's mesmerizing.
The comedy is also spot on and perfectly timed, Galahad's line in the church is flawless in every sense, and that's just one moment.
The soundtrack, both the compositions for the movie and the pre-existing songs, fits like a glove and sets the mood of each scene seamlessly. Of particular note is one of the most inspired uses of "Free Bird" I've heard.
In the director's seat, Vaughn does a great work of letting us see all this in the smoothest way possible, he has an eye for genial moments that he puts to great use.
Here's hoping it gets enough money to warrant a sequel and this one isn't messed up like certain other of director Vaughn.
All in all Kingsman gets a 10/10 from me (and it's the sixth movie I've ever watched to get that rating). I'm not claiming it is a landmark masterpiece of cinema but, as far as escapism go, this movie does achieve perfection.