Veddy good ol' bean!: Substantial spy actioner

Rating: 8/10 (17 February 2015)

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (2014) *** Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Sofia Boutella, Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Mark Hamill. Substantial spy actioner based on the comic book "The Secret Service" about England's elite squad to serve queen and country with Firth as a veteran gentleman soldier who recruits young Egerton (in a decent big screen debut) in an open slot of the squad out to stop meglamoniacal genius Jackson (lisping his way into yet another obnoxious over-the-top performance; really needs to dial it down a bit) hellbent on destroying humanity via technology (that old Bond chestnut). While it plays like an ode to the aforementioned 007 (and even nods to America's Jason Bourne with some clever fight sequences adrenalized with '70s soundtrack hits) it does enliven the genre with some nifty nips and tucks (i.e. an Odd-Jobian Asian henchman with a sex change and Ginsu-sharp artificial legs played by the sly, lithe Boutella and to see dapper, mild-mannered Firth kick some serious ass) it does become predictable and old hat in its grande finale of carnage (not a dig but OK, we get it) no thanks to the shoot 'em up screenplay adaptation by young turk filmmaker Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman). Veddy good ol' bean!