As an explosive cross between Kick-Ass and Nuts magazine, Kingsman: The Secret Service struggles in its attempts to be whatever it is it wants to be; on one hand, it wants to be a wry action movie in the vein of a James Bond spoof with discussion on the British class system thrown in for good measure. On the other hand, it wants to embrace the mentality of a low-brow men's magazine. It's a bit awkward. That's not to say that Kingsman doesn't offer up a good time for those choosing to watch it; for the most part, it is a relentlessly entertaining and perfectly paced affair; the performances - the best of which come courtesy of Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson - are hilarious in their self-awareness. But there are quite a few moments of "nastiness" that seem implemented purposely to provoke audiences, and the movie comes across as being a bit obnoxious and repellent as a result. Which means that, ultimately, there is no place for a movie like this is in the Top 250 - not even close.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.