Manners maketh the person

Rating: Null/10 (26 February 2015)

Let me begin by trying to describe how I feel. How does it feel when something surpasses your expectations to such an extent that you have to grope for words to try and articulate how happy you are? Especially when that something happens to belong firmly in the mainstream milieu, something that has forgotten that it can be as fun, as creative, as those blossoming in the Indie milieu as well. That's how I feel.
I did not want Vaughn to direct this. I wanted him to do either Kick-Ass 2 instead (I still do), or the sequel to '1st class' ('Days of future past' was made possible due to his vision, though Singer has turned out to be a sellout). But he chose to follow his heart, and his vision, surrounding himself with his trusted team (Jane Goldman for one), who've consistently churned out top-class, top quality fare ever since their mutual association began since 'Layer cake' turned out to be the Bond audition for Craig.
Well, to the movie in question: I have not read the Mark Millar graphic novel (The Secret Service) on which this movie is based. Perhaps a good thing. I had read KA2, and was disappointed by the movie. Maybe had I not read the novel (but then again, Vaughn could only produce that, and did not direct).
Its a throwback to the Bond (and non) spy flicks of the 60s (maybe a little from the 70s), when the villains motives were simple enough, and dashes of primary colors determined where your allegiances lay. While giving us a close look into the process that dictates candidate selection, it also metaphorically brings to the fore King Arthur and the Knights of (a not so round) table, sans Guinevere.
The casting is spot-on, and bringing together Colin Firth, Michael Caine and Mark Strong in the same flick has to be something of a coup. The younger cast is also spot-on, and the tale is nothing like the way mainstream movies treat their imperfect match-ups - the older person and the younger one, the female and the male and so forth. Each and every clichéd plot detail is dealt with in all sincerity, and you will never question the motivations that each character has that takes them in a particular arc/path, or allow the audience even to treat each dalliance as casual.
Whilst doing that, Goldman/Vaughn also give us refreshingly surprising, and adrenaline-pumping set-pieces, that surprise, sometimes amaze, and are always dealt with sincerely (that word once again, but how important it is!) and keeps things fresh.
There is also a meta element to the whole thing, with characters in the thick of things being self-aware of all the goings-on, their impact on their surroundings, consequences surrounding their actions et al, but not to the point that it becomes (kind of rolling-one's- eyes) distracting. Things are brought up, and let go of, at the right time. Most movies do not get that balance right (here's looking at you, self-aware 'Birdman', with the golden statuette).
There are action set-pieces that would be right at home in a hard-R Korean movie, that are pulled off with aplomb, and elicit the right level of shock, awe, disgust and revulsion at the perpetrators of such gross acts. Style is used, but always in the service of the narrative/plot, not just for effect like it almost always is in other mainstream works (I'm looking at you, Michael Bay).
To me, this is a signature Mathew Vaughn movie, something he has been capable of since directing balls-to-the-wall action sequences in 'Stardust' (not including 'Layer cake' for now, since that was smaller by choice, in ambition and execution, and remarkably effective for all that nevertheless).
Samuel L Jackson, when given free rein, can become a caricature of himself, and I confess that I was bothered about that, and was hoping that Vaughn had not cast him. However, chalk it down to Jackson being aware enough to rein it in, or Vaughn being in complete control of his craft throughout, Jackson's demeanor, character tics (even the not-so-affected lisp, apparently), motivations et al, are in perfect service to the plot, and he makes for a suitably menacing villain, with one of the perfectly nasty sidekicks (front and back too, pun completely intended) to boot. Not menacing enough though, and perhaps that was 1 small almost mis-step in a mostly perfect spy genre thriller.
Taron Egerton, who could have turned out to be 1 more forgettable character among all the heavy-weights, should really be grateful to the helmers (Vaughn, and Goldman, + Millar, for sure) who give him one of the most 3-dimensional characters that a young protégé kinda character has ever been asked to enact. His character is treated with a respect almost never seen in movies of this genre, especially in the mainstream/commercial milieu. More points to the makers, and pointers to those who wanna follow suit, whilst crunching studio numbers. Not much to expect, but something to focus on when it has been done right, with this as a showcase to that aspect.
Every frame looks perfect, and the score contains a few gems from the yester-years, and are used in a good way. One of the slickest made mainstream features in a long while. All the technical aspects are used in the service of narrating the tale, the way they always ought to be, and never call attention to themselves while doing so.
Not to be missed on the big screen, in spite of a few reservations that one might have. Not for the conservative/safe viewer though. you can't please them all, for sure.