Colin Firth Portrays A Hard To Kill Suave Spy
Harry Hart (Colin Firth) is a highly-skilled secret agent with a mission to help the son of his departed partner. Harry takes the boy on as a protege. In tailored suit and with a sleek manner, they are modern-day knights in the 21st century.
As a new trainer, this will be easier said than done, since besides completing the requisite Navy SEAL-like training program, the young apprentice has a lot of rough edges that need smoothing off, including a grating cockney accent. The boy grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, so he could use a few lessons in etiquette, ala My Fair Lady’s Eliza Doolittle.
Meanwhile, a matter of more pressing concern comes to Harry’s attention, namely, a plot being hatched by a proverbial diabolical villain bent on world domination. That would be Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a twisted tech mogul who’s in the midst of giving away billions of free SIM cards ensuring free phone calls and free internet access for everyone, forever. All over the planet, people are standing in long lines for the freebies, oblivious of an apocalyptic app they’re about to simultaneously download into their cells.
Adapted from the comic book series The Secret Service, Kingsman is an adrenaline-fueled satire of the espionage genre. At each step forward, you may have a sense of deja vu, as you think back to the early James Bond adventures starring Sean Connery. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, Kingsman is excellent, but be aware there is profanity and graphic violence. Vaughn co-wrote the script with Jane Goldman, with whom he collaborated on the equally-inspired Kick-Ass in 2010.
Colin Firth is delightfully debonair, here, whether turning on the charm or dispatching bad guys. Samuel L. Jackson is just as amusing, cast against type as his worthy adversary with a flamboyant persona complete with lisp.
This is a nostalgic homage to 007 and also the most mesmerizing movie of the year thus far.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Excellent (4 stars)
Rated R for profanity, sexuality and graphic violence
In English and Swedish with subtitles
Running time: 129 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Watch Kingsman: The Secret Service trailer:
