A Brilliant Revival of the Original Bond Format on Steroids!

Rating: 9/10 (14 February 2015)

After the success of Kick-Ass and X-Men First Class you would expect something special from director Matthew Vaughn; Kingsman: The Secret Service will blow your expectations to smithereens. This ultra-violent, super-charged reboot of the spy genre may be the most exhilarating blockbuster of the year. A gloriously bold venture, Kingsman furiously pushes the limits of mainstream cinema to bring you exactly what you never knew you wanted.
Colin Firth revels in the role of suave spy Harry Hart, who introduces us to elite super-secret organization, Kingsman. Hart recruits Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin (Taron Egerton), the least likely candidate, to join Kingsman's grueling eliminatory training process designed to test his mettle and loyalty. Relative newcomer Egerton displays impeccable talent as the rough-around-the- edges Eggsy, commandeering every scene with utter charm.
While Eggsy overcomes each challenge in this particularly unorthodox program, callous tech mogul Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) plots a global revolution of catastrophic proportions. Jackson is emphatic as the sadistic and flamboyant super-villain, Valentine who ironically cannot stand the sight of blood. Fortunately, a sexy sidekick with some killer blades is on hand to carry out his dirty work. Jackson's chemistry with Firth is particularly electric in an excellent postmodern scene, which sees the foes discuss their preferences in spy movies.
Brimming with crisp aesthetic and vibrant style, Kingsman displays high value and sophistication. The fight scene choreography hits every mark flawlessly, allowing the effervescent action to flow in a way only Vaughn can capture. The Kingsman agents manage to fight off mobs of mindless killers in marvelous locations without acquiring a sole crinkle to their immaculately tailored suits. An excellent soundtrack by Henry Jackman is teamed with fast paced, well-timed rhythm that barely allows you to catch your breath. Kingsman brings the fun back to spy movies with this hilariously irreverent and brazen proof that the concept never got old, but was rather in dire need of some fresh and innovative oomph.
Kingsman is not without fault, the gratuitous violence can become a tad tedious, but the sheer audacity to the step away from the watered down action to which we have grown accustomed is precisely what makes Kingsman special. An attempt to present a strong female character in Roxy (Sophie Cookson) is also admirable, but falls short when she constantly achieves by chance rather than skill. Unfortunately Roxy is left merely to overcome her fear of heights while the boys save the world. With Hit-Girl for comparison, Vaughn certainly could have done better here.
A brilliant revival of the original Bond format on steroids, Kingsman brings street to the elite with surprisingly hilarious consequences. With a wealth of talent that also includes Michael Caine and Mark Strong this British bombshell is cinematic gold. It even carries the solid message that anyone has the potential to be a gentleman; it is all about what you project and how you carry yourself, after all, "manners maketh man".