Kingsman: The Secret Service

[Mister Six]

Based on a comic book by shithouse comic author/rather decent Hollywood pitch machine Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted), Kingsman: The Secret Service is basically Harry Potter, but with chavs instead of wispy-voiced middle-class fucks and a gun-toting Colin Firth instead of a pound-shop Gandalf.

And it looks like decent fun. It's certainly the first YouTube trailer I haven't instinctively skipped past in god knows how long.

I mean, it's a big-budget adaptation of a Mark Millar comic, so don't expect them to do anything too clever with the concept of a spy service for hire (I suppose Archer's already got that covered...), and it remains to be seen whether it takes the James Bond in Burberry concept any further than a bit of a chavs v toffs subplot with a fit posh bird on the side, but it still looks like it could be a very fun action movie.

Or it'll be shit, I dunno. Bloke who directed it also helmed Kick-Ass, Stardust and X-Men: First Class, all of which I enjoyed, and Jane Goldman's on a co-writer, so it has a decent pedigree there. And Millar does have a knack for coming up with a decent basic concept even if he completely fucks up the execution every time.

This thread's going to sink away to nothing, isn't it?

[Jack Shaftoe]

Saw the trailer last week, but I've never even heard of the original comic, is it any good? Quite like Millar's mainstream stuff, but when he goes off into his own world it's always a bit pleased with itself, I find.

The trailer also made me think of the start of Grant Morrison's Invisibles. Really must give that another go.

[ColonelVolestrangler]

The presence of Michael Caine helps sell it for me, with obvious nods to 'The Avengers' (60s telly series, not Marvel superheroes) which also help. Looks like fun, anyway.

[Mister Six]

Saw the trailer last week, but I've never even heard of the original comic, is it any good?

Never even heard of it, but I tend not to like Millar's stuff at all, particularly his creator-owned works, which these days especially feel like he's trying to monetise Hollywood pitches rather than just write a good comic.

The trailer also made me think of the start of Grant Morrison's Invisibles. Really must give that another go.

I was going to mention that, but the post was already going on a bit too long. Did you ever read the scripts Morrison wrote for the first two episodes of a proposed Invisibles TV series? They were on his website back in the day but now I can only find them here and here...

[Famous Mortimer]

I tend not to like Millar's stuff at all, particularly his creator-owned works, which these days especially feel like he's trying to monetise Hollywood pitches rather than just write a good comic.

I remember being super-excited when "Clint" came out, but I was never all that bothered about Kick-Ass and the rest of his stuff was just exactly as you describe. I rather liked Frankie Boyle's comic, as I recall, but Jonathan Ross's was a bit rubbish too.

But this? I find very little motivates me to want to go to a multiplex any more, so I'll probably pass. Sorry, I appreciate this isn't the most worthwhile thread contribution I've ever made.

[Operty1]

The comic was appalling, in both writing and illustration. Dave Gibbons seemed to give up towards the end with basic cartoonish figure drawing and panels with no background detail. The story itself was predictable drivel with nonsense cameos to sell it as a movie. The film version will nevertheless probably do really well, sold as the same team behind Kick Ass.

[Operty1]

I remember being super-excited when "Clint" came out,

Me to, Mark Millar talks up a good game, Clint never seemed to deliver on any of it's promises, and was a medium to push Ross and Millar comics. The 'features' were embarassingly childish and at odds with the comic material, and the promise of showing readers own comic strips went unfulfilled. Meh.

[pillockandtwat]

Man I must be feeling my age. That trailer is 100% concept and zero plot. Characterization appears non-existent. It's nice to see someone is still making vaguely independent action features, but nope. Excitement: nil.

[SavageHedgehog]

I think it looks like a fun kids movie, like that Stormbreaker thing from a few years ago if it had been a lot better. Will it be 12a, or is actually going to be "edgy" like Kick-Ass?

[terribleidiot]

I am wary as I think Wanted might be the most mean spirited, unpleasant, stupid and shit thing ever filmed.

[gmoney]

Man I must be feeling my age. That trailer is 100% concept and zero plot.

Isn't that quite good for a trailer?

[Mister Six]

Yeah, that's exactly what you want, surely? An idea of what the films is about (young tearaway becomes secret agent), a hint at the central struggle (working class kid vs toffs) a glimpse of some fun action scenes. I'm sick of trailers that lay out every major plot beat so that watching the film is more like joining the dots than discovering anything new.

Not that this is going to be Great Cinema or anything, but I'd say it's spot on for what's needed in an action trailer.