Matthew Vaughn is a master when it comes to wit, charm and flare on screen. He showed us the essence of a superhero movie in Kick Ass, an equally blatant foul-mouthed anti-kid friendly comic book adaptation. He also did X-Men: First Class with a totally different type of adaptation, which introduced strong characters and smooth dynamics and had a rogue for a well-structured jump into that universe. To this day, mind you, First Class lives up to be the best X-Men film this world has seen (in my opinion).

Kingsman: The Secret Service is like a spiced-up James Bond film with self-aware sides and over-the-top violence, aided by a macho Colin Firth kicking ass (all while wearing a suit). Very loosely based on the comic by Mark Miller (who also wrote Kick Ass), Kingsman centers on an independent spy agency, which is headquartered in London’s Savile Row and outfits the agents with bulletproof umbrellas, perfectly tailored suits, and high-tech state-of-the-art glasses. This is an exaggerated nod to the era of the Cold War, during which spy shows and films prospered, with plenty of references to martinis and the espionage escapades of it all.

Self-awareness can be subversive (as my headline suggests). The film is far from being the normal gentlemen spy movie that your grandparents are used to, and yet I can only imagine this would be the movie James Bond would actually want, taking a realistic back-seat approach with a villain (more on him later) who doesn’t squander or waste time. The third act of the movie plays out so clear-cut and in focus that it leaves the viewer in a trance. The movie is insanely fun and, from a visual standpoint, strikingly well done. As with First Class, Vaughn shows much control and has an act for some visually appealing effects sequences, especially in the hand-to-hand combat scenes; he uses much of the same techniques in these moments  with a slightly better grip and tone than he’s ever had.

Colin Firth, of course, stars as Harry Hart, a veteran kingsman agent tasked with finding a new recruit to fill the void left by his fellow comrade, who was sliced neatly down the middle by the world’s sexiest henchwoman (dancer, Sofia Boutella) with razor sharp prosthetic legs while trying to protect a klutzy climate professor Arnold (a barely recognizable Mark Hamill). Harry’s pick is a working class low-mannered delinquent on the streets, Eggsy (Taron Egerton). He then finds himself competing against a dozen candidates to fill the role of “Lancelot.”

The central conflict can most likely be described as a battle of wits, but really it is the world’s most elite heroes convoluting around. They are trying to chase down a maniacal villain by the likes of billionaire-philanthropist, Richard Valentine (played by Samuel L. Jackson), who speaks with a lisp and apparently has a plan to save the population problem by killing off everyone in the world. He plots to send a transmission through their cell phones, which makes them enact with rage. Seems logical, right?

However, I’m sure if you delve deep enough within the boundaries of the screenplay, you can find a subtext of material gained about the socioeconomic upper class. I just feel that Kingsman doesn’t want you thinking that hard, and neither do I. The relic (or crux) of the film comes from the characters. Firth has never taken a liking to such a character, and yet I watched him murder a whole room of people, with heads falling off and blood spewing all to the tune of a guitar solo by Freebird; a part of me deep down wanted to walk out in disgust–but I couldn’t. At that point, I was already invested into the movie plot threshold, which is extremely palatable, yet eerily easy to adapt to. In addition, Samuel L. Jackson brings his villainous ego to life, adding quirks and mannerisms to Richard Valentine, who says things like “Can’t understand you people sometimes. You talk so funny,” or “I can’t stand the sight of blood.” Note that he says all this with a lisp; the slight gags there and tongue-in-cheek humor is laughable. As he orders the genocide of millions, you won’t have the inkling to hate him. He’s just misunderstood.

But for me, it’s newcomer (and popular British actor), Taron Egerton, who displays so much talent and falls right into the role of Eggsy, that soars Kingsman above excellence. He is a benevolent character of sorts we can easily root for who captures the essence and integrity of a young man trying to make his mark, while taking leadership and guidance like a champ. The audience grows with Eggsy, and I enjoyed watching him every second.

How much audiences will enjoy Kingsman will probably depend on their willingness to ignore the overall interest of being entertained, as this film requires a mutual suspension of disbelief, or if they prefer the kind which requires the mind to rest for a good two hours. All that can be confirmed now is that Vaughn is three for three in my book, and Kingsman is a film that will be talked about for years to come. Grade: A-