Free Bird

Rating: 9/10 (12 February 2017)

Matthew Vaughn has built an impressive career directing smart and fast paced action movies from his film debut "Layer Cake" to the eponymous "Kick-Ass". Here again, he shows how to stage action sequences like no other. Colin Firth is in top form and dapper as Harry Hart aka agent Galahad who takes on a young hooligan called Eggsy (newcomer Taron Egerton) as his protégé. The film has an excellent supporting cast, with Michael Caine as Arthur, head of the Kingsman service, Mark Strong as Merlin the gadget guy and a deliciously fun performance from Samuel L Jackson as Valentine the films main antagonist hell bent on world domination. The plot of the film does not so much matter as just sitting back and enjoying the madness that unfolds. Stand out scenes include a warm up fight sequence in a pub that first introduces us to Harry Hart and an all out gore fest in a Church that makes the infamous fight scene in "Old Boy" look like a high school brawl. There is plenty of tongue in cheek humor to balance all of the violence. Highly recommended!