Thin but Electrifying, It's Best Enjoyed with a Healthy Appreciation for Old Bond Movies

Rating: 8/10 (1 June 2015)

Roaring, overly indulgent fun amidst the rubble of the classic spy films and programs that dominated the 1960s. It's a more deadpan, action-focused take than Austin Powers, of course, but I'd hardly venture to call it serious. The tone is decidedly carefree, which should be no surprise given the creative team's track record. Director Matthew Vaughan and comic book author Mark Millar, who teamed to bring Kick-Ass to the screen a few years ago, are also the guilty parties in this case, and it's right in the same ballpark. Tons of effective punchlines, a few really great cornerstone action sets, and a wide spectrum of colors to cover for a very simple, shallow, recycled plot. And it works, honestly, both as a standalone mind-number and as a winking, grinning, elbowing satire of Bond and company. For my money it lingers too long in the training room, but once the cast graduates it's basically balls-to-the-wall the rest of the way home. Gratifying if not nourishing, like the big McDonald's spread enjoyed by a certain nameless character in a key scene, I had a great time but felt a little guilty about it later. The chapel brawl and the series of colorful explosions at the film's climax are two spots I'll have a hard time forgetting, though, and I feel like I'm richer for having experienced them.