‘Kingsman’ plays successfully with the spy genre
“Spy Kids” or “Agent Cody Banks,” it’s not – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing in the case of “Kingsman: The Secret Service.”
Whenever moviemakers tackle the idea of a younger James Bond, the result usually is too child-targeted for its own good. Leave it to director Matthew Vaughn to change up that concept, though, as he did with young superheroes in his two “Kick-Ass” films.
His franchise-launching 2014 release “Kingsman: The Secret Service” – which HBO shows Sunday, May 14, and which prompted both a sequel and a prequel – keeps many of the Bond trappings while aiming for audiences of all ages. Vaughn (who also guided, before the actor’s James Bond tenure, Daniel Craig in “Layer Cake”) really ramps up the violence in the home stretch; to those familiar with Vaughn’s work, though, that shouldn’t be a shock.
Inspired by a comic book, the original “Kingsman” casts Taron Egerton (later acclaimed for his portrayal of Elton John in “Rocketman”) as Eggsy ... only a nickname, luckily for him). He’s a young ruffian chosen to succeed his late father in the service of Her Majesty the Queen. As the newcomer’s bosses, Colin Firth and Michael Caine add acting heft, yet a fun spirit at the same time.
So does Samuel L. Jackson as the piece’s villain, a fabulously wealthy man who wants to launch a high-tech scheme to turn much of the world homicidal and rule those who remain. It’s a Bond-worthy plot, and it’s also tantalizing to think what an actual 007 adventure would be like with much of this cast.
Add clever gadgets and lethal cohorts (including Jackson’s henchwoman, whose legs essentially are swords), and Bond fans will feel right at home with “Kingsman.” It would be the perfect vehicle to introduce younger viewers to that world, if not for that major spurt of mayhem toward the end – perfectly in keeping with Vaughn’s modus operandi, but not necessarily that of the parents of pre-teen viewers.
One neat touch is how getting to know Egerton here parallels how the public got to know Sean Connery as Bond in “Dr. No.” He seemed to become more refined as that picture went along, and the same applies here, as the initially rough-around-the-edges novice spy settles into his new career.
To go with British colloquialism, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is bloody good fun. And you can take that phrase in any sense you want, and it still will be accurate.