Stars Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Sofia Boutella, Sophie Cookson with Mark Hamill and Michael Caine Directed by Matthew Vaughn If anything, Matthew Vaughn does more than prove his capabilities as a director, wrangling a fairly diverse cast of veterans and newcomers, while delivering what has to be a solid James Bond flick. of course, Bond isn’t the only fictional spy to get name dropped as a couple of other JBs get mentioned too. Even with acknowledging the Bond films, Kingsman manages to chart its own course and stand apart from the venerable franchise and its upstarts. Colin Firth may seem to be playing a Bond-like character but looks more like Harry Palmer with those glasses on. It must have been a casting coup to get in the original Palmer, Michael Caine, to play the head of the Kingsman, while reliable Vaughn standby, Mark Strong, gets to inhabit a vastly different character than he’s commonly known for. Samuel L Jackson manages to steal scenes as the lisping Valentine and that’s despite being partnered with the awesome kick-ass Sofia Boutella as his assistant/body-guard, Gazelle. Relative newcomers, Taron Egerton and Sophie Cookson (among others who cut their teeth on TV shows) do well to keep up with the veterans, with nary a bum note in casting. Even with Mark Hamill’s accent. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the design aesthetic which gives the movie a certain timeless quality. The sets and costumes may reflect a certain era, particularly coupled with the music, but there is a very nice retro design in certain areas, reflecting the timeless quality of being a gentleman spy as required by the story. I’ve never read the comic on which this movie is based, but if Kick-Ass is anything to go by, Vaughn and fellow writer, Jane Goldman, did a fine adaptation to suit the cinematic form. Then there are the action beats, which is sure to please most action movie fans. The bravura scene of Kick-Ass was a single take set-piece with Nicolas Cage’s Big Daddy storming the bad guy’s warehouse, and we have a couple sequences here that match, if not surpass that. The design, choreographhy and filming of the action / fight sequences are amazing to behold with some very inventive moves, both physical (for the stars and stunt professionals) and technical. The inventiveness and execution of the action, coupled with the storytelling and Vaughn’s direction sets a high bar indeed for the upcoming spy movies of the year, which include The Man From U.N.C.L.E. as well as the next James Bond film, Spectre. Kingsman may dip its toe into the Bond pool, but it also manages to create its own world and mythology. The use of music alone is outrageous, particularly once you get to the Pomp and Circumstance. As they stress within the dialogue itself, “It’s just not that kind of movie.” Rating: ****/5
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