Quirky And Entertaining Nod To Old-School Spy Films

Rating: 8/10 (14 April 2020)

Pros:
1. The opening scene with Lancelot (Jack Davenport) dispatching a bunch of goons, only to then ultimately meet his own demise by Gazelle (Sofia Boutella), is really stylish and compelling.
2. The action scenes are well-shot, fast-paced, and extremely entertaining. The first bar fight and the mesmerising church fight stand out as prolific examples.
3. The editing is done really well. The fast and quick-cut edits, in particular, help the fight scenes to pop more.
4. The score and soundtrack are used superbly to build up tension, suspense, drama, chaos, sadness, and everything inbetween.
5. The humour is inserted well, it produces charming moments - especially between Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Galahad (Colin Firth) - and it's never too ridiculous or distracting.
6. The film provides an empowering message of taking responsibility for yourself and learning to overcome your natural disadvantages.
7. Samuel L. Jackson (Valentine) gives an amazing performance as an old-school over-the-top spy villain.
8. Galahad's death is shocking and impactful, especially as he served as a father figure for Eggsy.
Cons:
1. Somehow, when Gazelle fights Princess Tilde's (Hanna Alström) bodyguards, she's able to dodge close-range bullets by simply moving her head.
2. During the parachute training scene, there is obvious use of green-screen which is a little distracting.