Kingsman: The Secret Service

Kingsman: The Secret Service is brought to us by the same team behind Kick-Ass. Just as Kick-Ass was conceived by comic-book writer Mark Millar, so too was The Secret Service.
Having established a good working relationship with Kick-Ass, Matthew Vaughn was on-board early with The Secret Service, acting as co-plotter on the comic-book series.
Comic books are being mined left and right within the film industry. With The Secret Service, it was a parallel process of comic series and film adaptation being brought simultaneously to life. The result (for all those who have read the series) is a looser adaptation than the aforementioned Kick-Ass (a series which had already completed it's first arc).
The plot and major beats of the comic-book are intact, however many details have been altered. From a creative perspective it's fascinating to discover what's been retained and what's been jettisoned.

Like Kick-Ass, Kingsman is to spy films what Kick-Ass was to super-hero films. An edgy take on the sub-genre, which takes place in reality (or a very close approximation). Nods to previous entries to the genre are peppered throughout, with both protagonist and antagonist playing to and against expectation (Millars calling card).
Despite being the original co-plotter, one imagines many of the alterations came from Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman. Vaughn is a self-proclaimed Bond aficionado. Like many a Bond film, Kingsman features; a larger than life villain (complete with hidden base);colourful henchmen; women in peril; and gadgets a plenty. And in Colin Firth, Vaughn has found a terrific Bond parable!

Kingsman is no spoof however. Very much it's own entity, Kingsman pays homage to it's inspiration - a far more respectful approach than sending up the genre completely. The devilish plot from entrepreneur and chief villain Valentine for example, is chillingly poignant. This viable threat was present in the comic-book also, emphasising what fans already know. More than just sugary super-hero fare, comic-books are a significant art-form, spreading (among other things) political and cultural concerns!

Colin Firths character, Galahad is mentor to Eggsy (Taron Egerton), the son of Galahads previous protege. Eggsy has grown up amongst the council tenements of London, living off welfare and committing petty crimes with his direction-less friends. A Kingsman replacement is needed just as Eggsy is charged with grand theft auto. A tradition of the Kingsman is to pull potential recruits into the fold. Seeing great potential in him, Galahad volunteers Eggsy - absolving him of his crimes and bringing him to task, alongside a handful of young upstarts.
Eggsy is our window into the world of the Kingsman, as he and the other recruits are put through their paces until a clear winner emerges.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is great fun! It wears it's references on it's sleeve and subtly becomes the film it so clearly adores (in much the same way Spike Jonzes Adaptation did).
A formidable partnership has emerged with Kingsman (and Kick-Ass before it). Millar and Vaughn are populists making entertainment for themselves fundamentally. This skewed reality of theirs takes no prisoners. Some may argue that it's gratuitous or even crass. In this age of great power and great responsibility however, Millar and Vaughn respect their audience enough to take responsibility for themselves!

4/5


Poster image courtesy: http://theilliteratereader.com