Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman: The Secret Service

4/5

1/5 (hated)...................... - watch at your own risk

2/5 (Ok).......................... - Redbox worthy

3/5 (Liked it).................. - Redbox worthy/free movie theater ticket worthy

4/5 (Loved it)................. - Theater worthy

5/5 (REALLY Loved it) - Multiple theater visits / I-Max / 3-D worthy

 

 

This movie is A LOT of fun, with it's

amazing action sequences, refreshing comic bits . . . and even with a little of America's favorite fast food McDonalds ... this movie gets a 4 out of 5 on the Movie Master Movie Rate.

Based off of the "Secret Service" comic book series, the entire set up seems to be an homage to all of the famous spy movies and TV shows to grace our eyes. The over all plot itself is like that of a classical Bond film. The bad guy and the head henchman (or in this case the head henchwoman) showing a physical or mental abnormality, often both, and a macro level plan to shape the world, or their wallet sizes, as they see fit.

Now, Samuel L. Jackson has become the quintessential charismatic actor that can fit any role and draw an audience. Who better to play a villain in a film reminiscent of the classic Bond stories. Playing the character Valentine who has a Mike Tyson styled lisp, something the actor had true to life and yet overcame growing up, and having a queasy demeanor contradictory to his psychotic and neurotic tendencies, this makes for a classic Bond villain type. His abnormalities are more subtle though, which is good. This keeps Valentine in the realm of The Kingsman and not 007.

His head henchwoman, being a small foreign girl with razor sharp stilt leggings which replace the characters real legs, would make Oddjob proud. Played by beautifully Algerian born Sofia Boutella, Gazelle is, unlike her boss Valentine, completely in the realm of 007. She is what REALLY makes the bad guys and the evil plot feel very familiar to Bond fans.

As for The Kingsman, the good guys of the movie, they are their own creative entity, but they borrow traits from another famous realm of the spy genre . . . that being The Avengers. And no, I don't mean Marvel's Avengers. Have you ever seen Hulk dress in a nice three piece suit to do battle in the movies . . . NO! But, just like in 1998's The Avengers, based off of the 1960's television show of the same name, these spies are the epitome of "dress for success" with their unique attire of three pieces suits, deadly high class accessories, and ... an umbrella. 

There are also many gadgets and lines that give homage to classic and modern day spy favorites. Gadgets seen through out which are like those you would find in Mission Impossible, Wild, Wild, West, or even Get Smart (they had an awesome cell phone in that show *hint hint*). 

Through out the movie there are also some one liners mentioning various famous spies, from James Bond to Jack Bauer, which makes it all the more fun.

My final note on this is it's surprising brutality. If you've seen the Blood and Ice Cream collection, as it's called by some (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's Shawn of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and At The Worlds End trilogy), or if you're just a fan of British entertainment then you'll feel right at home with this film. If not then prepare yourself. The film is set at a very calm pace for the most part, until the action takes place. This film employs many extravagant action sequences including parkour, shoot outs, close quarter combat, and sometimes all 3. In other words, these action scenes have a pick up speed of about 0-100 in 1 second flat! And while I won't ruin anything I will say that Colin Firth is involved in one of the bloodiest, most intense, savage, and jaw dropping fighting/killing scenes I've ever seen. Something that might even make Quinton Tarantino jealous. In fact, I would say that this Colin Firth scene is up there with the House of the Blue Leaves battle scene between Uma Thurman and the Crazy 8 gang from Kill Bill Vol. 1 . . . and yet maybe even a little faster, brutal, and intense. 

There has been word that this is suppose to be the first installation in a series to come, but I guess we will just see how this first one does first!

See you at the movies!!!