Dubious 007 pot boiler....

Rating: 4/10 (11 May 2015)

The Kingsman is a rather dubious proposition for so many reasons. The key character, a young working class lad, is taken under the wing of a super secretive organisation that has a knights of the round table meets 007 thing going on.
In spite of unconvincing protests to the contrary, the only way the working class lad can make good is by aping his upper crust "betters". Transformed from a working class nobody surrounded by dodgy, listless criminal types, into a Savile row suited snob with a weaponized umbrella. Oh and to prove your upper crust, psychopathic character, apparently thinking you are killing a beloved pet is the way to go ("ugh"). Its ugly, judgmental stuff and the nastiness doesn't end there.
Environmentalists also take a jolly good thrashing, as does any bounder who thinks the anachronistic, Royal establishment, is a worn out symbol of inequality, that's had its day.
If you don't delve too deeply Kingsman is moderately entertaining, 007 knock off. If, on the other hand, like me, you can't help but take a closer look, this flick is actually a pretty nasty, negative piece of work, that reinforces toxic social and political norms. Four out of ten from me.