"Do you like spy movies, Mr. De Vere?"

Rating: 10/10 (14 March 2015)

A lisp speaking billionaire philanthropist Richmond Valentine poses this question to a gentleman-spy Harry Hart, currently in disguise; which results in the smartest and funnest conversation you will see this year. From every frame of this film the love for old espionage and old James Bond films is tangible and mostly it is in this scene where the protagonist and and the antagonist of this film profess their mutual love of "far-fetched theatrical plots". Also a point is raised that the adventures were as good as the villain. The love for making films, having fun and letting yourself loose in the whirl of ideas can be felt throughout the whole film.
The strength of any film is to have rightly cast actors. Taron Egerton, the most important piece of the puzzle, is the most promising talent to appear in the film since Jack O'Connel in Starred Up. He is charming, witty and just straight-up lovable. If the audience would not like him or sympathize with him the film would fail. Luckily, that is not the case. Colin Firth's talent is finally being used in the proper way. I finally started to enjoy Firth as an actor in last year's Woody Allen's Magic in the Moonlight and here he plays completely against type. The idea behind his casting was – Who is the least likely people would imagine as a spy?" Colin Firth is delivers the performance of his life as the typical British gentleman with incredible fighting skills. Mark Strong is fun and entertaining as ever, this time differing himself with a Scottish accent. Samuel L. Jackson is the funniest and funnest villain you have seen in a long time. Matthew Vaughn decided to turn the villain formula on its head and Jackson spiced things up with a speech pattern, which results in the most ridiculous bad guy I have ever seen. I also always enjoy a villain with a noble cause. Sofia Boutella as Gazelle, Valentine's partner in crime is a great play on the typical henchman we see in the movies. Her having blades instead of legs is one wicked idea. Michael Caine of course is a national treasure and it is such a pleasure to see him in any film because no one has a screen presence as him.
The camera work in Kingsman is the best I have seen since Bad Boys 2. The cinematography is fluent - no furious cuts, steady - no shaky camera, and is usually done in one take. The pivotal and arguably the bes scene of the film is the people are calling the 'church scene'. That scene is when everything cuts loose, people go berserk and generally mayhem ensues. This is the most violent, bloody action sequence you will see this year and it is all done in seemingly one take.
That brings me to the highlight of the film. Since the film is not censored by American studio executives Matthew Vaughn was completely in hold of the reins. He could cut himself loose. Therefore one of the film's biggest appeal is its ultra violence. Now, I don't want to sound like some blood-lust psychopath but having people be killed in a movie without any blood or the consequences shown is wrong and it hurts the viewer's enjoyment (if I want to see Sylvester Stallone film I expect blood, which wasn't the case with Expendables 3) and it hurts the psyche of a potential young viewer who might get the wrong impression of violence.
Vaughn's taste in music is very similar to mine. I have always dreamt of hearing Dire Straits's 'Money For Nothing' in a film and that is the song the film starts with. I was immediately in a paradise. The brilliantly put together soundtrack continues with Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Free Bird' and KC & The Sunshine Band playing at the most inappropriate times resulting in a great comedic effect.
Matthew Vaughn is ,for me, one of the smartest directors, since he is always is in sync with the audience's taste and its demand. So run to theater as fast as you can to see the best action film in years and the best movie of this year. I guarantee that you won't regret having an amazing time with this ultra violent, mega fun, self-referential spy action masterpiece.