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KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE Movie Review

Kingsman delivers on the action and the laughs.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is hard to apply a comparison to, because there are elements of various popular action and spy and comedy movies in there.  It can remind you of Mission Impossible with some scenes, any James Bond films in others, and maybe even a bit of Austin Powers splashed in (sorry, no shooting nipples or sharks with lasers, though.)

It’s not like Kingsman has copycat scenes from those other films, but the feel of it sometimes is reminiscent.  However, it’s chiefly in its own game.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is based on the comic book The Secret Service, written by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.

In the comic book, a group of terrorists kidnap Hollywood actor Mark Hamill and imprison him in a cabin in Switzerland, and is then rescued by a British secret service agent.  But during their escape from the terrorists, both the agent and Mark Hamill fall to their deaths when the parachute they use opens too late after they jump off a cliff.

In the movie, however, it’s a genius professor that is kidnapped.  What clues you in about the type of humor you’ll deal with in this movie is that the professor is played by, you guessed it, Mark Hamill.

Mark Hamill in Kingsman: The Secret Service
Mark Hamill as James Arnold

 

There are some other nods to the comic book, but the movie changes enough where people of the comic should still be entertained by it while not being insulted that the movie didn’t follow the comic so strictly.

The action sequences are unique in that a blend of superfast and superslow motion makes for some effectively awesome scenes.  Although, be warned, if you’re a bit squeamish about blood, as humorously displayed and stated by Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Valentine, then there might be too much red for you in at least a couple of major scenes.

One church scene in particular comes to mind, which is pretty much a replacement of the wedding scene in the comic.

And if you’re like me, then you’ll be delighted in the way the scenes were crafted, because really, who doesn’t love a good movie bloodbath every now and again.

Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and Michael Caine give out really great performances as agents of the secret service, or as they are nicknamed the Knights of the Round Table, with aliases Galahad, Merlin, and Arthur.

Kingsman: The Secret Service still
l. to r. – Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Sophie Cookson, Alastair MacIntosh

Hamill plays Professor James Arnold and newcomer Taron Egerton plays the new recruit of the service, Gary “Eggsby” Unwin; both do a fine job playing their roles, especially Egerton, who carries a good portion of the movie as the troubled youth who’s recruited by Firth’s Galahad.

But I have to give props to Samuel L. Jackson in his role as evil genius, and Hollywood bigwig, Valentine.  As Jackson has always been able to do, his persona comes through in film and demands attention every time he’s up there on the screen.  And he does so, even with a lisp that is just too hilarious to ignore, especially coming from Jackson.

This movie is great fun and has lots of good action (blood included) and laughs.  The only thing us Americans might have trouble with is the accent, as most of the actors are British and their accents quite strong.  Still, it’s a lot of fun to watch, unless you’re from Westboro Baptist Church.

Kingsman: The Secret Service opens in the U.S. on Friday, February 13, 2015.

Check out the Super Bowl TV spot for it!

kingsman-secret-service-teaser-poster-600x889

 

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