Recently, it
occurred to me that comic book writer Mark Millar, director Matthew Vaughn, and
screenwriter Jane Goldman may be one of the most dynamic teams in cinema today.
Mr. Millar’s comics pop with inventive
post-modern ideas and an inkling towards black comedy, despite being sometimes
bogged down by his desire to instill shock and awe by pushing the boundaries of
good taste (read up on issue #3 of his series “Nemesis” for a prime example);
Mr. Vaughn is more than capable of elevating Mr. Millar’s books by ironing out
their wrinkles and adding his own eye for spectacle; and Ms. Goldman’s writing
adds a healthy dose of wit and cleverness to make the whole affair shine.
The trio’s
previous collaboration, “Kick-Ass,” was a terrific example their synchronicity,
being both cleverly written and brutally violent—while also infused with a
sophomoric streak that turned off to some audiences. Their follow-up, “Kingsman: The Secret
Service,” has less of its predecessor’s deliberate immaturity, but ironically
ends up being less memorable since it never commits to a single cohesive tone. Still, “Kingsman” is a wildly entertaining
action romp and, better yet, a giddy love-letter to sixties spy movies.
The hero of the
piece is Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton). Once, he was an exceptional military
candidate; now, he’s a broke, unemployed hoodlum living with his family in
London. After landing in jail, Eggsy
calls in his one and only favor from Harry Hart (Colin Firth) who, as it turns
out, is a member of the Kingsmen, a clandestine order of gentlemen spies.
Years prior,
Eggsy’s late father saved Harry’s life; now, Harry returns the favor by
enrolling Eggsy in the Kingsmen training program, where our hero’s blue collar
origins cause him to clash with his silver spoon classmates. As Eggsy’s training transpires, Harry and the
Kingsmen begin investigating tech mogul Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson)
and his connection to the kidnapping of numerous world leaders and celebrities
(it’s that kind of spy movie).
The cast certainly
relishes these shenanigans in spades. Mr.
Firth has a ball playing Harry (who’s the kind of over-the-hill ass-kicker
normally portrayed by Liam Neeson or Bruce Willis) while Mr. Jackson chews the
scenery as Valentine, a lisping Bond villain with Steve Jobs’ resources and Jay
Z’s wardrobe. And attention must be paid
to Mr. Egerton, who sells both Eggsy’s young punk shtick and third-act
transformation into a fully-formed gentleman (even as he holds his own
alongside reliable character actors like Michael Caine and Mark Strong).
Meanwhile, Matthew
Vaughn (whose movies include “Stardust” and “X-Men: First Class”) continues to
be one of the most reliable action directors out there. The fighting in “Kingsman” is a fast-paced and
beautifully-choreographed blend of gunplay, hand-to-hand combat, and a
seemingly limitless arsenal of covert weapons. The zenith of it all? Harry battling his way through a Southern hate
group in a church while the guitar solo from “Free Bird” spurs him forward.
The moments where
“Kingsman” blends this brand of stylish violence with broad, subversive comedy
shine. But unfortunately, such scenes
are few and far between. The movie jumps
back and forth between cool sophistication and lowbrow jokes, which work
perfectly well individually, but rarely mesh in a satisfying way. The result is a movie that reaches for the
stars and without quite making it.
Still, “Kingsman”
is definitely worth your time. Slick,
fun, and funny, it’s both a blast from the past and a modern classic. Go check it out.
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