By James Hartley

“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” based upon the popular comic book and adapted to film under the direction of Matthew Vaughn (“X-Men First Class”), is a funny, suspenseful and at times distasteful story about a kid named Eggsy (Taron Egerton), who grew up fatherless in London, always the underdog.
When he is arrested for joyriding, Eggsy calls in a favor, which leads to his introduction to a world of gadgets, manners and intense gore. This movie is not for those who can’t stand the sight of blood, which is ironic for reasons the moviegoer will understand when they see the movie, but shouldn’t be disclosed here for the sake of the no-spoilers target we’ve set for ourselves.
Featuring Samuel L. Jackson as possibly the world’s most powerful, ironic and comedic villain ever, Valentine, “Kingsman” is a movie many have been anticipating since the first trailer hit circulation. The story captivates the audience throughout most of the twisting and turning plot with a focus on a classic mystery similar to those of “Alex Rider: Stormbreaker” or really any spy movie with a villain like Valentine.
“Kingsman,” though it has a very serious endgame, is reminiscent of the classic James Bond movies. Yes, the ones starring Roger Moore. Though the plot of the movie is very serious, the colorful characters and comedic action sequences are enough to have the entire theater howling in laughter or erupt into oohs and ahs. It’s not all fun and games, though.
Some scenes disappointed: over the top sexual references, nudity and violence for the sake of violence. Until about halfway through the film, the movie was great. After that point, the story entered possibly the dullest, most drawn-out combat scene in a major production in the last decade, where members of a hate cult begin attacking each other with “The Purge”-like aggression.
The violence, though tied to the story, was simply boring in the end. Had this scene been cut in half, it would have better held the attention of the viewer. The nudity, on the other hand, was pointless, simply in the movie to pull cheap laughs from the audience.
Without allowing the small cons of the movie to overshadow the pros, “Kingsman” is a fantastic movie that recalls the memory of the origins of spy films, beckoning references to “Get Smart” and James Bond. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” opened Feb. 13. If it weren’t for the unnecessary nudity, the movie would be a must-see. Still, if you don’t mind the sight of blood and want a funny, action-packed film, you’ll probably like this.