Kingsman: The Secret Service

[DarthSkywalker]

It definitely has that Mark Millar stank in some areas though, for better or for worse.

The movie often chugs along and is quite fun only to be somewhat derailed by moments that don't really fit the tone or the intent behind them is kind of unclear or are somewhat misguided.

There are certain scenes in which while not filled with gore, push the violence to the point of being numbing and are just weird character and storywise. The movie clears up the reason why these scenes happen but overall it seems to try and have it both ways. As these scenes of ultra-violence take place they are presented in such a purposefully "cool" way that it seems that you should be rooting for it, but then just in case you didn't buy into it they handwave it away as mind control and such.

I got no Mark Millar here, like how I got no Mark Millar with Kick-Ass.

Could you name some these scenes that didn't fit the tone, or were misguided? I would think one of those scenes would be the hate church sequence, which is brilliantly shot, while still capturing the desperation of the situation.

The movie also has a bit of identity crisis. It frequently and literally has characters say "This isn't that kind of movie" when referring to old spy films but at the same time desperately wants to be, borrowing and referencing stylistic cues. It also tends to play into some of the worst aspects of the early bond films, in terms of sexism and such in certain areas. Again, it really wants to have things both ways.

Sexism, when it is [BLACKOUT]Roxy who gets the spot[/BLACKOUT]. Yeah, I don't see it. Even with that certain scene at the end.

And that isn't identity crisis. That is Vaughn being Vaughn. It is the wink and the nod. He has been doing it since Layer Cake. These characters are living out their dreams. Being those super spies, and the film never denies that. Having it both ways would have seen the film having the tone of say a Bourne film, as oppose to something more classical Bond.

 

[Vapor]

I can't decide what my favorite action scene was. They do what they do, brilliantly. Also, loving Vaughn calling back to his Kick-Ass FPS sequences.

All the action is handled well as in all his films but it's got to be the Colin Firth Church scene.. Yes it's uber violent but it's so well choreographed and shot.. Kudos to Firth. It reminded me a lot of the big bar fight in The Worlds End in how it's presented like one big take.

I also really enjoyed Eggsy tearing through the compound at the end.

 

[Vapor]

I took the "This isn't that kind of film" lines as Vaughn winking at the audience and sort of saying "you thought it was going to be Bond but think again, this is what I do"...

 

[DarthSkywalker]

All the action is handled well as in all his films but it's got to be the Colin Firth Church scene.. Yes it's uber violent but it's so well choreographed and shot.. Kudos to Firth. It reminded me a lot of the big bar fight in The Worlds End in how it's presented like one big take.

I also really enjoyed Eggsy tearing through the compound at the end.

Vaughn and Wright.

Those two sequences stand out for me as well, but I also adore the smaller sequences, involving the Kingsman at work. The bar fight and Lancelot rescue work just as well for me.

 

[redhawk23]

I got no Mark Millar here, like how I got no Mark Millar with Kick-Ass.

Could you name some these scenes that didn't fit the tone, or were misguided? I would think one of those scenes would be the hate church sequence, which is brilliantly shot, while still capturing the desperation of the situation.


Sexism, when it is [BLACKOUT]Roxy who gets the spot[/BLACKOUT]. Yeah, I don't see it. Even with that certain scene at the end.

And that isn't identity crisis. That is Vaughn being Vaughn. It is the wink and the nod. He has been doing it since Layer Cake. These characters are living out their dreams. Being those super spies, and the film never denies that. Having it both ways would have seen the film having the tone of say a Bourne film, as oppose to something more classical Bond.

That's the thing, the film was doing quite well at avoiding the pitfalls of Bond films but then instead at the end makes the prize for saving the world [BLACKOUT]****ing a princess in the ass. [/BLACKOUT] After being a refreshing change of pace for a time, it falls into the same hackneyed bull****.

As for the Church in Kentucky

Spoiler

At this point in the film we've already seen that Gallahad can be pushed to want to teach people a lesson, as seen in the bar fight.

The church massacre is played off in much the same way at first. It goes back on it later, in that hey he was just being manipulated but the film also lets you off the hook for enjoying the violence because, oh well, he's just slaughtering a bunch of white supremacists.

Damn well shot and coordinated but after a while it just becomes tiresome.

 

[redhawk23]

I took the "This isn't that kind of film" lines as Vaughn winking at the audience and sort of saying "you thought it was going to be Bond but think again, this is what I do"...

But then it just does the worst aspects of Bond anyways.

 

[redhawk23]

Damn near every performance in this was great.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

That's the thing, the film was doing quite well at avoiding the pitfalls of Bond films but then instead at the end makes the prize for saving the world [BLACKOUT]****ing a princess in the ass. [/BLACKOUT] After being a refreshing change of pace for a time, it falls into the same hackneyed bull****.

As for the Church in Kentucky

Spoiler

At this point in the film we've already seen that Gallahad can be pushed to want to teach people a lesson, as seen in the bar fight.

The church massacre is played off in much the same way at first. It goes back on it later, in that hey he was just being manipulated but the film also lets you off the hook for enjoying the violence because, oh well, he's just slaughtering a bunch of white supremacists.

Damn well shot and coordinated but after a while it just becomes tiresome.

That is the thing, it is a play on the classic Bond idea, turning it into a modern, rated-R laugh. It is kind of the setup for the whole film. He ask for a kiss, like a kid playing Bond, doing what he thinks Bond would do. Then she offers... well, what she offers. It takes away the "romance", without getting rid of the fantasy. If it was hackneyed BS, it would have ended with some [BLACKOUT]ridiculously corny love scene between Eggsy and Roxy[/BLACKOUT] imo.

On the hate Chruch:

Spoiler

I don't understand why you think the scene goes "back on itself". They establish from the first moment that something is different. Galahad only beat up the idiots earlier, and he did so in a cool, calm and collected manner. Here, he shoots a woman in the face, and then all hell breaks loose. He is missing the cool, the calm that all the Kingsman fight with.

But then it just does the worst aspects of Bond anyways.

I can see what you are saying, I just honestly don't agree. But then again, I don't agree with most on the problems with old Bonds. Probably why my favorites are CR and Skyfall.

Damn near every performance in this was great.

We definitely agree on this. It is hard to pick my favorite. Sam Jackson kills it here, same with Firth, Strong and Edgerton. I simply go with Strong as my favorite, because he is a man crush.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Early reports from deadline indicating a potential $40m 4 day weekend. Sounds like a pretty good start. Now come on you foreign BO.

 

[CB Fan]

It was alright, I wasn't jumping up and down but I wasn't upset with it.

 

[Raiden]

How some the mods haven't changed the title of this thread to Kingsmen: the Secret Service?

 

[Asr]

How some the mods haven't changed the title of this thread to Kingsman: the Secret Service?

FTFY.

There's another thread for the movie here btw: http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=455175

I already saw the movie (advance screening a couple of weeks ago) and it was awesome. Will probably go see it again sometime over the weekend or next week.

 

[Mars452]

Sexism, when it is [BLACKOUT]Roxy who gets the spot[/BLACKOUT]. Yeah, I don't see it. Even with that certain scene at the end.

Only [BLACKOUT]even though she beats Eggsy out for the spot she's shuffled offscreen for the climax so that he can get the big action beats.[/BLACKOUT]

And yeah, the [BLACKOUT]sex scene is just a load of "woman's body as reward" immature bull.[/BLACKOUT] It's gratuitous and unnecessary.

 

[TheVileOne]

Only [BLACKOUT]even though she beats Eggsy out for the spot she's shuffled offscreen for the climax so that he can get the big action beats.[/BLACKOUT]

And yeah, the [BLACKOUT]sex scene is just a load of "woman's body as reward" immature bull.[/BLACKOUT] It's gratuitous and unnecessary.

And it got one of the movie's best reactions.

 

[TheVileOne]

I got no Mark Millar here, like how I got no Mark Millar with Kick-Ass.

Could you name some these scenes that didn't fit the tone, or were misguided? I would think one of those scenes would be the hate church sequence, which is brilliantly shot, while still capturing the desperation of the situation.


Sexism, when it is [BLACKOUT]Roxy who gets the spot[/BLACKOUT]. Yeah, I don't see it. Even with that certain scene at the end.

And that isn't identity crisis. That is Vaughn being Vaughn. It is the wink and the nod. He has been doing it since Layer Cake. These characters are living out their dreams. Being those super spies, and the film never denies that. Having it both ways would have seen the film having the tone of say a Bourne film, as oppose to something more classical Bond.

I think you are taking it way too seriously.

 

[smallville fan]

Wasn't there a thread already established for Kingsmen in the Misc. Comics Films. section?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Only [BLACKOUT]even though she beats Eggsy out for the spot she's shuffled offscreen for the climax so that he can get the big action beats.[/BLACKOUT]

And yeah, the [BLACKOUT]sex scene is just a load of "woman's body as reward" immature bull.[/BLACKOUT] It's gratuitous and unnecessary.

She was never the main character. She had her role, which worked very well in context. [BLACKOUT]How can she be shuffled off[/BLACKOUT]?

And how was that scene and more gratuitous or unnecessary then the buckets of violence in the film? Or is it because it is [BLACKOUT]sex[/BLACKOUT] and thus bad.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

And it got one of the movie's best reactions.

In my theater, you could hear when the crowd realized where [BLACKOUT]Eggsy[/BLACKOUT] was going.

I think you are taking it way too seriously.

 

[TheVileOne]

Everyone's being all puritanical and PC about one actress showing her butt that probably wasn't even hers, in an R-rated movie that had virtually no nudity in at all. It's sickening.

Didn't even look like a real butt. That shot could be in a PG-13 movie and it wouldn't have gotten it an R.

Have any of you guys ever read a James Bond book or even seen a Bond film? This was tame in comparison. How about the way Sean Connery routinely hits women and/or basically coerces them into sex? People just accept it and say its OK because it was part of the times.

Then don't complain about what this movie does.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Everyone's being all puritanical and PC about one actress showing her butt that probably wasn't even hers, in an R-rated movie that had virtually no nudity in at all. It's sickening.

Didn't even look like a real butt. That shot could be in a PG-13 movie and it wouldn't have gotten it an R.

Have any of you guys ever read a James Bond book or even seen a Bond film? This was tame in comparison. How about the way Sean Connery routinely hits women and/or basically coerces them into sex? People just accept it and say its OK because it was part of the times.

Then don't complain about what this movie does.

You handled that far better then I did.

 

[Raiden]

Everyone's being all puritanical and PC about one actress showing her butt that probably wasn't even hers, in an R-rated movie that had virtually no nudity in at all. It's sickening.

Didn't even look like a real butt. That shot could be in a PG-13 movie and it wouldn't have gotten it an R.

Have any of you guys ever read a James Bond book or even seen a Bond film? This was tame in comparison. How about the way Sean Connery routinely hits women and/or basically coerces them into sex? People just accept it and say its OK because it was part of the times.

Then don't complain about what this movie does.

Hugh Jackman shown his butt in DOFP and nobody complained about it. I'm surprised that people will be so sensitive to a butt shot in a movie, and in the same weekend that 50 Shades premieres, as well.

 

[TheVileOne]

You handled that far better then I did.

I always make good points. t:

My official review.

 

[bullets]

This film was absolutely wonderful.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

This movie was awesome. Vaughn has a great track record.

 

[JJmelo]

Vaughn is now one of my top favorite directors. The way he captures action and can make stories so silly yet completely satisfying is a true wonder. Loved this film. Had it not played to such an archetypal story I probably would have given it a perfect score.

Here is my review:
http://otlnews.net/2015/02/14/kingsman-the-secret-service-review/