Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Rating: 9/10 (10 November 2015)

People always talk about the good old days of movies. The 60's and 70's are prime targets. One of the biggest products of the 60's was the spy film. "Goldfinger", my favorite Bond film, was a huge hit, and a lot of people want to recapture the magic of said film. Even the filmmakers do. Why else would the DB5 make an appearance in 2012's spectacular "Skyfall?" The truth is, if Goldfinger were made today, people probably wouldn't like it. It's great because of the nostalgia, because we get to see what made a sexy hero, girl, and villain back in the day. Some bits would work, but the weird names and cheesy lines would not connect with an audience not warned that it's a movie from the 60's. Kingsman: The Secret Service is not an homage, or satire of 60's bond, as people say. It's a remake. Since I hate everything about remakes, one might expect I'd hate this film. However, the sheer fun factor, and the attitude that makes Kingsman feel as refreshing as it is is worth the price of admission. In the film, a young criminal named Eggsy(Taron Egerton) is recruited by Harry Hart(Colin Furth) to join the Kingsman, an organization of spies that, well, save the world. Eggsy begins his training, while Harry tracks down Valentine(Samuel L. Jackson) an evil Russel Simmons selling SD Cards that release violent brainwaves. Each actor digs into their roles perfectly, and the standout is the DiCaprio like Egerton. However, this is a 60's Bond plot by all accounts.Ridiculous villain with mountain lair, check. Henchman with crazy physical disability, check(this time it's in the form of a razor-legged woman.) But the plot has been injected with the fuel of 2015's "meta" culture. James Bond, as well as other spy films are referenced almost constantly. The fact that these references work is astounding. Of course, there couldn't be a young recruit without his learning to work together with other young recruits. Some are rich and spoiled, some are nice and humbled. These parts work...but less well. They set up exciting set pieces, but ultimately feel too cliché for their own good. However, the third thing that makes Kingsman feel fresh is the thing it has most going for it. Director Matthew Vaughn's extremely modern brand of ultraviolence. A masterful, Tarantinian scene in a church comes to mind, but the finale is just as gleefully destructive. This adrenaline shot of modern techniques combined with the old-school sensibilities of "Goldfinger" and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" elevate Kingsman. It's not just an action film, it's one of the best films of the year. It speaks to the film's list of great moments(or my overlong writing) that I don't have room to mention the AMAZING score, and gorgeous pop-art production design. If a 60's Bond film was made today, it might look something like this.