Plot
A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
Release Year: 2014
Rating: 8.2/10 (10,510 voted)
Critic's Score: 66/100
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson
Storyline
Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by
Writers: Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Adrian Quinton -
Terrorist
Colin Firth -
Harry Hart /
Galahad
Mark Strong -
Merlin
Jonno Davies -
Lee
Jack Davenport -
Lancelot
Alex Nikolov -
Little Eggsy
Samantha Womack -
Michelle Unwin
Mark Hamill -
Professor Arnold
Velibor Topic -
Big Goon
Sofia Boutella -
Gazelle
Samuel L. Jackson -
Valentine
Michael Caine -
Arthur
Taron Egerton -
Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin
Geoff Bell -
Dean
Jordan Long -
Poodle
Trivia:
Director Matthew Vaughn previously directed Mark Hamill's fifth cousin, Kevin Bacon, in X-Men: First Class (2011). Bacon's character's name was Sebastian Shaw, the same as the actor who played Hamill's father in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). See more »
Goofs:
When Gary (Egsy) enter the Kingsman tailor shop, he enters twice. This can be seen by him opening the same door with the opening times on it. See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 10/10
I'm going to be honest about this: I like unabashedly violent action
films. I'm 42 years old, I'm from Texas and I can take it. Growing up
with films like 'Rambo', 'Die Hard', 'The Terminator' and 'Robocop', I
can't stand that watered-down "no-blood-no-swearing" gutless kiddie
fare that is being served as "action" these days. I know the real thing
when I see it - we used to see all the time back in the day - and I
hardly ever see it anymore.
Which brings me to this movie. 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' was being
shown just around the corner from where I live, and because I loved two
of director Matthew Vaughn's previous films, 'Layer Cake' and
'Kick-Ass', I naturally took the chance to see it. I had already read
some comments from previous screenings that this film was totally
bad-ass, and I can now say that's actually putting it mildly. This film
is nothing short of bat-shît crazy.
Years ago Tarantino said in an interview that he had written a James
Bond script and that he would love to direct a Bond film. Sadly, that
never happened, but ever since I read that I wondered what an R-rated
Bond might be like. I don't know, maybe Matthew Vaughn has read that
interview too and saw the potential, because 'Kingsman' is pretty much
that: An ultra violent, funny, crazy, foul-mouthed James Bond film
(with a little bit of 'Men in Black' and 'Mission Impossible' thrown
in). You could say that this is to Bond what 'Game of Thrones' is to
'Lord of the Rings': Where the former can't and dare not go (for
marketing and box office reasons), the latter joyfully and gloriously
ventures. Dirty and (very black) humor - check. Bad language - check.
Gratuitous violence - check. Needless to say, I was thrilled.
But it's also a fantastic action film with an amazing cast (Oscar
winners Colin Firth and Michael Caine, plus Sam Jackson AND Mark
Hamill) and spectacular, over-the-top fight-scenes that in some
instances even rival films like 'The Raid' for their sheer visceral
intensity. In short, if you're as fed up with lame wannabe Die-Hards
and Terminators as I am, go watch this film. Apart from the rare 'John
Wick' or 'Equalizer', 'Kingsman' seems to be pretty much the only
antidote to the toothless, generic tripe Hollywood tries to pass for
action these days. 9 stars for the film and the story, 11 stars for the
balls to pull this off the way they did. Average = a perfect 10.
EDIT:
P.S. I recently stumbled upon the link to an article on the importance
of R rated movies. If you're a film fan (especially of films that don't
cater to teenagers), you might find it as enlightening as I have:
0