Admirable action

Ervell E. Menezes

Slam-bang action, a plethora of interesting cameos and a vague agenda are all put together in Kingsmen: the Secret Service, a fair entertainer. It all begins with the Kingsmen, a sort of modern knights in a West-Asian war in 1987 where Harry Hart/Galaghad’s life is saved by his friend. In return Galaghad decides to help his friend’s son Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin (Taron Egerton) by recruiting him in the Kingsmen.
Cut to 2004 London, where things have changed and ecology is now a key issue for survival of planet Earth and environment scientist James Arnold (Mark Hamill) has been kidnapped. Enter Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), a do-gooder bent on saving the world, but with a secret agenda. In his employment is Gazelle (Sofia Boutella), an assassin with bladed prosthetic legs.
Arthur/Chester King (Michael Caine) is also in this milieu. That director Matthew Vaughn is able to keep this dubious story going is indeed creditable. In this he is aided by some witty lines like “to pee or not to pee” with apologies to the Bard of Avon! That ‘Eggsy’ is kept going by pilot Merlin (Mark Strong), who suddenly becomes a hero by getting him “on the home stretch.” And finally fixing his step-father (Geof Bell) who ill-treated his mother.
Colin Firth is his usual confident self and comparative newcomer Taron Egerton shows promise. Samuel L. Jackson is clearly typecast and Michael Caine just nominal, a sad shadow of his Alfie days.