KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE is a beautifully made piece of English craftspersonship. Many of the cast are familiar, established actors. Michael Caine as Arthur leads the KINGSMEN, Mark Strong as Merlin is M, the quartermaster and trainer, and when needed, pilot and valet.

KINGSMAN is a combination of the classic Pygmalion theme -- the makeover, transforming the street rat into a person of manners. Manners, not breeding, maketh man. Sigh. There may be a token female agent but they do bang on about man-kind.

Colin Firth and Taron Egerton in KINGSMAN-THE SECRET SERVICE, Festivale film review

And, of course, this is a secret agent story, done as the British do, very, very well.

The explosive lighters and guns big and small, the high tech gadgets are all lovely to look at, give the special effects artists and prop makers a chance to shine, and are handled with just the right reverence, humour and reality by the actors.

When Mike Myers made AUSTIN POWERS he showed a deep knowledge of the spy genre, but he played it broadly. He could take the joke past its logical conclusion into boring and detrimental to the film's pacing.

By contrast Vaughn and Goldman pace the film with just the right combination of character development, exposition and action. More, the story is played straight. In the best tradition of British comedy, the performances are made with a commitment to the inner reality of the world and its characters. The humour is left for the audience to discover for themselves. From the dry humour of the lines to the candidates' uniforms, the actors deliver unabashedly and without any snide behaviours.

Harry Hart: [to bigoted church lady] I'm a Catholic whore, currently enjoying congress out of wedlock with my black Jewish boyfriend who works at a military abortion clinic. So, hail Satan, and have a lovely afternoon, madam.

Colin Firth about to kick arse in KINGSMAN-THE SECRET SERVICE, Festivale film review

There's a charm, a certain style in KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE that is the hallmark of the best British export -- the quintessential clever comedy. And for an added bit of fun, Samuel L. Jackson swaps the mf-bomb for a lisp as the tech entrepreneur and villain.

KINGSMAN is one of those films that we can return to again and again and still find it fresh and fun. Well done to everyone concerned.

by Ali Kayn Due for Australian release 05 Feb, 2015 (2015-02-05) For credits and official site details, see below Search Festivale for more work by the film-makers below. See also: The Kingsman series -- Kingsman: The Secret Service; Kingsman: The Golden Circle; The Kings Man (2021); Colin Firth is in lots of great things, such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, Love Actually, The Importance of Being Earnest (2002), Bridget Jones's Diary etc; Mamma Mia!; Empire of Light and more.

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Just the facts: Title: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) Written by: Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn Directed by: Matthew Vaughn Running time: 129 min Rating: MA15+ The Players: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Jonno Davies, Jack Davenport, Mark Strong, Mark Hamill, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine Official website: https://www.foxmovies.com/movies/kingsman-the-secret-service IMDb entry For scheduled release dates, see the coming attractions section. For more information about this movie, check out the internet movie database. For the latest additions to Festivale, check out the change history section.

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