What I think separates Kingsman from other movies of the like is its successful modernization of a worn-out genre...one that doesn't stylistically fit with today’s modern media... by infusing a new-age twist that dares not sacrifice the human story at its core, despite the beautiful fireworks show of form we’re receiving. Upon first glance of a film like this, our expectations are automatically for something juvenile, similar to the retro James Bond canon, but Vaughn successfully hones into these classic genre tropes and produce something appealing for the 21st century.
Ironically, we get to view the maturing of the genre through the eyes of someone who needs a little bit of maturing himself: a rebellious youth in the midst of an abusive stepfather, a hostile troupe of kids, and a serious knack for trouble. But just like any egg, it'll blossom into a chicken very soon: it’s this growth that allows Vaughn to forges the audience's connection with the film, never losing touch with that human story as we watch Eggsy come to realize and embody the adult responsibilities that come with being a Kingsman, grow to take after his father's legacy, and show honor and respect to those who continue to protect that legacy.
Vaughn brilliantly takes his inspirations from Bond, involving its spy-tech knife-in-the-pen tropes, and creates very solid setups and payoffs with it, always finding very satisfying conclusions to his tense, uncertain action scenes, which virtually never go by in a blur: there's always something character-driven going on, using superficially small actions like a switch of brandy or an inclusion of “Pomp and Circumstance” to mark a solid growth in the character...a scene in a church involving Galahad just shows how powerfully this technique can be used.
Finally, Vaughn’s crafting of a thematic coherence within the characters’ goals, on both sides, further strengthens the narrative framework, finding a common thread of liberalism between the central trio. Valentine sees a prevalent immorality among humanity, therefore wishing to wipe them out for a new age to unfold, Gallahad seeks to break the conservative standards of the Kingsmen to accommodate a new age of agents, and Eggsy brings his own modern sensibilities to this establishment, all making for a totally cathartic and fun spy movie.
Besides the film occasional reliance on quick montage to chronicle Eggsy's growth, preventing us from having that transcendent feeling a bit of empathy that we would otherwise have, as well as the the occasional pacing hiccup here and there that prevents a consistent graceful flow, the first Kingsman is a really intelligent twist on what was once well and worn. I mean, it easily could have repeated and emulated the same ropes, but, hey...this ain't that kind of movie, bruv!
Review by DeletedBlockedParent2017-09-22T22:37:31Z
What I think separates Kingsman from other movies of the like is its successful modernization of a worn-out genre...one that doesn't stylistically fit with today’s modern media... by infusing a new-age twist that dares not sacrifice the human story at its core, despite the beautiful fireworks show of form we’re receiving. Upon first glance of a film like this, our expectations are automatically for something juvenile, similar to the retro James Bond canon, but Vaughn successfully hones into these classic genre tropes and produce something appealing for the 21st century.
Ironically, we get to view the maturing of the genre through the eyes of someone who needs a little bit of maturing himself: a rebellious youth in the midst of an abusive stepfather, a hostile troupe of kids, and a serious knack for trouble. But just like any egg, it'll blossom into a chicken very soon: it’s this growth that allows Vaughn to forges the audience's connection with the film, never losing touch with that human story as we watch Eggsy come to realize and embody the adult responsibilities that come with being a Kingsman, grow to take after his father's legacy, and show honor and respect to those who continue to protect that legacy.
Vaughn brilliantly takes his inspirations from Bond, involving its spy-tech knife-in-the-pen tropes, and creates very solid setups and payoffs with it, always finding very satisfying conclusions to his tense, uncertain action scenes, which virtually never go by in a blur: there's always something character-driven going on, using superficially small actions like a switch of brandy or an inclusion of “Pomp and Circumstance” to mark a solid growth in the character...a scene in a church involving Galahad just shows how powerfully this technique can be used.
Finally, Vaughn’s crafting of a thematic coherence within the characters’ goals, on both sides, further strengthens the narrative framework, finding a common thread of liberalism between the central trio. Valentine sees a prevalent immorality among humanity, therefore wishing to wipe them out for a new age to unfold, Gallahad seeks to break the conservative standards of the Kingsmen to accommodate a new age of agents, and Eggsy brings his own modern sensibilities to this establishment, all making for a totally cathartic and fun spy movie.
Besides the film occasional reliance on quick montage to chronicle Eggsy's growth, preventing us from having that transcendent feeling a bit of empathy that we would otherwise have, as well as the the occasional pacing hiccup here and there that prevents a consistent graceful flow, the first Kingsman is a really intelligent twist on what was once well and worn. I mean, it easily could have repeated and emulated the same ropes, but, hey...this ain't that kind of movie, bruv!