Kingsman: The Secret Service

I recall the words of Stephen King several years ago, when he explained why he was resigning his column for Entertainment Weekly - he felt he was merely repeating himself.  I struggle with that as I write this blog.  It is hard to review films (and your own life) without trotting out the same themes and ideas.  With things like 2014's KINGSMAN THE SECRET SERVICE, I find that I will summarize this less than satisfying experience with descriptions bandied about many times before.  When discussing a contemporary action film based on a comic, it's hard to know what's left to say, honestly.

The trailer told me everything.  A dapper secret agent kicks the arses of several punks in a pub. His name is Harry Hart (Colin Firth), leader of the Kingsman Secret Service, fronted by a tailor shop.  The fight choreography uses that same slow mo CGI that ruins all the superhero films these days.  Hell, every "big" movie with such scenes.  It is repeated a few times in this movie, including a lengthy brawl/killfest in a church. Yes, that's correct.  Had that scene used some old fashioned slow motion and skillful editing, you might have had one of the best action set pieces of all time; it's that elaborate.  But as I've said many a time, it just looks like a video game.  See, I'm repeating myself.

KINGSMAN also has this terrible habit of being so damned self aware.  Meta has grown tiresome.  When you have characters commenting on their place in this fantasy world you've lost something, Matthew Vaughan (director and co-screenwriter). I read that Samuel L. Jackson always wanted to play a villain in a James Bond movie; here he gets to be a meglomaniac named Richmond Valentine, sporting an unexplained lisp and a devious plot to control the world's overpopulation and its rampant destruction of the environment through free cell and internet service.  Timely, at least.  Jackson is always a formidable presence, but his role is weakly written and his performance is not one of his best. And, he comments on the state of spy movies in the 21st century, not to mention the dynamics between 007 and his antagonists. Ugh.

The plot follows the training of a young delinquent (but smart, and with potential of course) named Eggsy (Taron Egerton), whose father was a Kingsman and died saving Harry's life years before.  There are treacherous tasks and daunting tests, part of a competition with several others.  Only one can join the kingdom.  And somebody has to stop Valentine.

This deservedly R-rated feature spouts yards of profanity and bloodletting, to say nothing of an embarrassingly goofy sex joke near the end, leaving it (in theory) unsuitable for adolescents but they are the ones who will lap it up the most.  There is a part of me that still enjoys destructive action adventures, but a little realism (and fewer tired references) goes a long way.   I'm not much fond of watching video games in which I'm not a participant.  Vaughan should screen the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE films for some inspiration.

P.S. - Yes, I'm quite aware there are sequels.  Your point?