Kingsman film mixes action with comedy

Veering away from his classic roles in romantic comedies, Colin Firth gives a humorously theatrical performance in the film Kingsman: The Secret Service. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, who is known for other dramatizations of classic action movies such as Kick-Ass, this film takes diverse elements from traditional action movies and comically draws out the farfetched elements these films typically contain.

From King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to the typical plotline of any of Ian Fleming’s James Bond adventures, this film has elements that appeal to diverse audiences.

The plot follows a young man named Eggsy who lost his father at a very young age and as a result, now lives with his mother and abusive stepfather. Eggsy immediately draws sympathy from the audience for his circumstances, yet his band of cronies and his subsequent reckless actions, designed to spite his stepfather, push viewers to the edge of their seats, rooting for the moral outlaw.

After one of Eggsy’s larger acts of rebellion in which he steals one of his stepfather’s thugs’ cars, he lands himself in jail, forced to call for help. Eggsy chooses to dial the number on the back of a medal of honor that his father received posthumously for bravery. When this medal was given to Eggsy and his mother, the man doing so promised that dialing that number would resolve whatever problem at hand; hence, Eggsy tries his luck with it.

Miraculously, Eggsy is released instantly, and leaves the police station only to find a dashing Colin Firth standing outside, awaiting him. Through meeting Firth’s character, Galahad, Eggsy soon embarks on a wild journey of training, and then, later, of fighting evil.

Despite the well-choreographed action scenes that inspire suspense, the film balances its comedic moments. Rather than creating a full on spoof of Bond-like action films, the movie makes a point only to push the eccentricity of the action to a point of subtle humor. This is achieved greatly by the dynamic the cast is able to achieve.

Kingsman draws both on incredibly experienced actors like Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine and Mark Strong. Relative newcomers such as Taron Egerton, who plays Eggsy, and Sophie Cookson, who plays Roxy, also add to the Kingsman team. This helps emphasize the mentor-mentee relationship between the new recruits and those with more experience as this translates from real life to the lives of the characters.

Viewers truly sense the paternal bond formed between Galahad and Eggsy as the vast respect Eggsy feels for his mentor grows organically and never feels forced. In creating relationships that come from a very real place, the movie creates a balance between satirical comedy and a plot that can be followed without seeming too much like a sketch. This is further achieved through the diverse humor paired with looming threats that do have their place in our world.

The film makes a point to play on diverse character studies without singling out any specific stereotypes. From the multimillionaire entrepreneur whose sudden wealth has left him with completely distasteful spending habits to the eccentric environmentalist professor who cannot seem to fully consolidate his drastic theories with real world applications, the film uses humor to reach a deeper level. By keeping the humor fairly subtle, the audience also sees these characters as real people we often see in society, as opposed to simply over-the-top stereotypes.

This is seen from the beginning when Eggsy is forced to deal with his stepfather and his band of thugs. Although they are portrayed as people who feel compelled to exert a powerful persona by walking around their small town and harassing locals, there is still the underlying tone of domestic violence felt by Eggsy’s mother.

In doing so subtly, the audience picks up on diverse nuances that can often be hidden and considers them with just the right amount of emotional weight. This is one of the elements in which the film excels, further emphasizing it’s appeal to diverse audiences.

For a film that will have you both laughing and cringing from the suspense, Kingsman does an excellent job at achieving what it set out to do: provide a humorous twist to action movies with a relevant plot given today’s prevalent issues. This is definitely worth a watch and certainly will have you thinking of Colin Firth as far more than a tragic character of romantic comedies.