AT THE MOVIES Kingsman: The Secret Service

Lets go to the movies.

Let’s go to the movies.

Brandon Carpenter '15, Video Crew

The following is an R-rated movie. Here is a link to The Motion Picture Association for more guidance on how movies are rated and what to expect when viewing R-rated movies.

I don’t watch many movies at their theatrical releases, so when go out of my way to schedule a viewing with a few friends I expect to get my money’s worth out of a film.  And let me be clear with you; Kingsman: The Secret Service is well worth your money.

Now, fair warning. This is an R rated film for good reason…OK, mostly for violence and a smidge of nudity. There is a particular 30+ man melee that one of the main protagonists gets into, as well as a short scene at the end of the film that I will not be detailing here. If you don’t have the stomach for a surprisingly gory film, turn away now. But you’ll be missing out.

Kingsman is an adaptation of the comic series, The Secret Service; it’s a modern day “gentleman spy” film, paying homage to the James Bond films while also poking fun at them in almost every opportunity.  It’s directed by Matthew Vaughn, the same man behind the well received Kick-Ass films.

Our story starts with Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton) coming under the mentorship of a tailor by the name of Harry Hart (Colin Firth). Eggsy’s father saved Hart’s life in exchange for his own, and Hart has been waiting for years to return favor.  Hart (spy name = Galahad) offers Eggsy a chance to become an agent of the clandestine intelligence organization; specifically to become the new Lancelot after the former had passed away.  (Why not trade in that horrible name? Now the title is also starting to make sense.)

Eggsy is not alone in the quest to be the next Lancelot; other Knights have selected their own apprentices, and only one will become Lancelot.  Their training comes to a halt when a sinister plot surfaces to drown the people of the world, bringing all to ruin. It’s hard to describe this film without going into too many spoilers, so I will stop there. Just know, if you like outlandish megalomaniacs with questionably effective weapons of mass destruction having their plans foiled by spies with equipment of equally bizarre caliber, (The bulletproof, see-through umbrellas which shoot tasers and rubber slugs are the most memorable) then you will not be disappointed with Kingsman.