Kingsman: The Secret Service – ****

Kingsman: The Secret Service, based upon a comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn, is a thrilling, campy ride through the dark and mysterious world of espionage. It is a fun look at how would-be James & Jane Bonds would be recruited into the spy game. ‘Eggsy’ (Taron Eggerton) is a typical, London hooligan, from the working class and who’s had a rough life as a teenager. His stepfather’s a jerk, mother’s an alcoholic, and is constantly harassed by the local gangster’s kid. Nothing seems to be going right until he gets into a bar fight with said punk lands him into lockup.

Then his savior swoops in to bail him out, in the form of Harry Heart (Colin Firth), codename “Galahad”, tailor extraordinaire. Of course, nothing is ever as it seems, and the tailor is more than just a tailor. This instantly reminds one of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, although I’m not sure if that’s a deliberate reference or not. Regardless, young Eggsy is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime after he agrees to meet with Harry at his tailor shop. Not before long, Eggsy realizes that Harry does not just specialize in impeccable suits, but is actually an agent for an independent espionage service that has existed for decades, and is not beholden to the bureaucracy that state-funded agencies are subject to, known as Kingsman.

And as they follow the model set down by King Arthur, all agents are given codenames based on members of the Knights of the Round Table. When one knight falls, a replacement knight (agent) is selected through a recruitment process, hence giving Eggsy the opportunity to apply to be a Kingsman, after a legendary agent is slain in the opening scene. Harry explains a bit about them before revealing what’s really behind the racks of suits in the shop.

Still not convinced, though, Eggsy doesn’t finally commit until Harry demonstrates his skill set on the gangster’s clan in the pub. And boy, does Colin Firth get it done, and armed only with an umbrella and bar glass! He gives Liam Neeson a run for his money. The fight scenes are nothing short of impressive, with over-the-top violence. Now, many may complain that it’s too cheesy or whatnot, but they probably fail to understand that it is in fact based on a comic, as mentioned initially.

Once the training gets underway, however, is where the real fun begins. Eggsy meets his rival candidates in the racks, and commence with a series of training exercises that test their mettle and creativity under pressure. The most exhilirating scenes are, of course, the aerial sequences, just as with a certain Bond franchise. Speaking of which, there are a plethora of tongue-in-cheek references to 007 and other famous agents, and makes a startling comparison between them.

Harry is dangerously attacked, however, and Eggsy must save him before the megalomaniac, Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson in a hilarious role), can take over the world with his devious plans. Helping him along the way is his colleague, Roxy (Sophie Cookson), and Harry’s handler, Merlin (Mark Strong). With time always against them, Eggsy and Roxy must work together to save the world! Kingsman is an enjoyable film once you get past the corniness and just enjoy it for what it is: a better than average, winter popcorn flick.

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Divergent – ****

Divergent is an exciting introduction to the worldwide, best-selling, young adult series of the same name. It draws immediate comparisons to The Hunger Games. And although there are quite a few similarities, there are also equally as many differences that separate them apart.

Certainly, many will claim that it is just capitalizing on the groundbreaking successes of The Hunger Games, but the same can be said of the so-called “Twilight clones”. Of course, it is always best (in this reviewer’s humble opinion, anyway) to judge each piece of work (whether film, music, tv show, or even video game) on its own particular merits.

In Divergent’s universe, citizens are divided into five different factions based on human traits upon turning of age, 16: Erudite – intelligent (the thinkers), Dauntless – brave (military & security), Candor – honest (lawyers & judges), Amity – peaceful (farmers), Abnegation – selfless (politicians). To determine which faction each person will ultimately join, they each must undergo what amounts to a sadistic version of the SATs, involving psychological drug use that induces hallucinations and severe mental trauma.

After successfully passing the ‘assessment’, one must decide to either stay with their family’s faction, or select another faction to join. In this case, it differs from The Hunger Games, since candidates have choice over where they go. In contrast, in The Hunger Games, Katniss and her competitors have no choice whatsoever, and are subject to fate alone.

Beatrice Prior’s (Shailene Woodley) family is in Abnegation, so have dedicated their lives to serving others, while her father is a member of the council. She, however, has different plans for herself, and decides to join the Dauntless faction during the Choosing Ceremony instead, seeking a more adventurous life.

The initiates are still not through, though. They must first prove themselves through further trials and psychological examinations before they can be accepted as full-fledged members of their new factions. If they fail, they will become ‘factionless’, which is essentially ‘homeless’, and will be exiled from all of the factions. After the first heart-stopping test, they are allowed to choose their own names. Beatrice chooses “Tris”. It’s interesting to note how close this sounds to “Katniss” of The Hunger Games trilogy.

Tris continues her rigorous training with the rambunctious Dauntless, doing her best to keep from washing out, and becoming a lost faction-less. During the preparation for her final exam, yet another round of dangerous psychotropic drugging, she discovers from Tori (Maggie Q), who administers the drugs, that she is actually in fact a Divergent, meaning that she is endowed with traits from all of the factions. She does not fit neatly into any of the society’s prescribed categories.

This is especially dangerous, because the Erudite faction, lead by the ruthless Jeanine (Kate Winslet), are planning a massive coup d’etat to overtake governmental control from the Abnegation. Jeanine believes that as the most intelligent faction, they should also hold all of the power. Tris and her allies must prevent Jeanine from succeeding. 

Shailene Woodley, quickly becoming Hollywood’s darling, gives a powerful performance as Tris/Beatrice. She is remarkable in softly quiet scenes, as well as full-blown action sequences. Her mentor and love interest, Four (Theo James) does well, too, and gives her the room to fly (quite literally) on her own two wings. The supporting cast is wonderful as well, especially her mother, Natalie, (Ashley Judd) and Tori. It is also somewhat amusing that one of her biggest bullies, Peter (Miles Teller) is her lover from last year’s indie hit, The Spectacular Now.

Divergent is a fun, springtime popcorn film that is significantly lighter fare than the last of the Oscar season entries. And the ending nicely sets up the next chapter in the series.

Need For Speed [3D] – ***

Need For Speed is a thrilling new entry into the racing genre, filled with high-octane racing sequences, but also with a great deal of heart. It is also hot on the heels (pun intended, from the film) of The Fast And The Furious franchise. And while this film bears some similarities with The Fast & Furious, Need For Speed also borrows from the intense rivalry of last year’s F1 biopic, Rush. Yet the film itself is, for all intents and purposes, an extended illegal street race / police chase that seems to pulled right out of the synonymous video game series for which it is adapted from.

As the film opens, the protagonist, Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) is a mechanic who is dealing with the passing of his father by participating in underground street races in his sleepy town of Mt. Kisco, NY to keep the banks from repossessing the automobile shop his father built, Marshall Motors. After his latest victory, his former rival, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper), returns to town, albeit with his ex-girlfriend, Anita (Dakota Johnson) in tow.

To add further insult to injury, Dino is a recently retired professional racer turned exotic car dealer himself, after winning the last iteration of the covert DeLeon, a high-profile underground race reminiscent of the classic Cannonball Run, with the jackpot of this one being all of the cars of the competitors. The mastermind and MC behind the DeLeon is DJ Monarch, portrayed with all the passion and humor of an AM shock jockey by none other than Michael “Batman” Keaton. He is a former racer who set out to create the most exclusive and elaborate underground race ever devised. He monitors all of the action from the comfort of his home radio studio, with cameras and GPS trackers covering all of the action on the course.

After the street race, Dino approaches Tobey at his shop with a proposition: finish building an exclusive edition of a Ford Mustang that the legendary Carroll Shelby was last working on, so that he can then sell it to one of his clients for $2 million. After they’ve finished, they debut the car at an auction. The crew is amusingly introduced to the beautiful Julia Maddon (Imogen Poots), who they all mistake for a random model who doesn’t know the first thing about cars. She quickly dispels any doubts by rapid-firing all of the car’s stats. Julia also bets Tobey that if he can get the car over 200 mph, she will buy the car for her employer for $3 million.

Dino is reluctant, but orders Tobey not to drive it. However, Tobey disobeys Dino and takes it out on the test track himself before Dino even arrives. Tobey and his team are able to push the car to 234 mph. The buyer is impressed and agrees to buy it for $2.7 million. With a successful deal, Dino and Tobey’s crew celebrate. Dino invites Tobey and Little Pete (Harrison Gilbertson) over to his uncle’s opulent estate to show off his exotic car collection, replete with 3 identical Koenigsegg Agera’s, European racers which are not even street legal in the US.

Dino makes a new proposal: Race for 100% of the $2.7 million. This could set Tobey up for life, or utterly destroy him and his father’s legacy. Little Pete, who also happens to be Anita’s kid brother, is anxious to get behind the wheel and wants in, too. Tobey, who looked out for Little Pete while Anita was off living the high life with Dino in NYC, is reluctant to let him race, but finally agrees. The three proceed to duke it out, but trouble occurs before the finish line. After the debris is settled, Tobey is arrested and sent to prison for illegal racing, among other charges.

Fast forward 2 years later and Tobey is released on parole. He’s out for vengeance towards Dino. But first, he requires a vehicle so that he may enter into DeLeon and also prove his innocence. He finds the British buyer of the Shelby Mustang and promises to return it, along with $4 million. He agrees, on the condition that his buyer, Julia, accompanies him. At first, he is hesitant to allow anyone to escort him, let alone a woman. With Benny’s (Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi) assistance, he tries and fails to shake her.

However, after more run-ins with Dino’s henchmen and law enforcement (taking cues from the Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit game series), Julia and Tobey’s relationship continues to grow, despite Dino placing a bounty on their heads. With some thrilling chases through deserts and forests, the heroes finally make their way to California, with the sixth and final bid in DeLeon. Another incident with thugs puts the crew’s lives in danger, but they are undeterred. Tobey has made the registration check-in and will take his place at the starting line.

The final race is a wonder to behold, with fast-panning zoom-in shots, police choppers from above, and beautiful super cars racing typically tranquil Northern California streets below. Some of the cinematography is simply breathtaking. The best use of the 3D imagery is during ‘in-cockpit’ shots, which make it feel like the viewer is actually behind the driver’s seat. There is also another scene where a car seemingly jumps out into the audience. Otherwise, it is mostly pointless. (Read my views on 3D effects here) However, it’s good to see the technology continue to advance, with ‘full-size’ subjects.

Tobey is finally able to clear his name, while Dino gets what’s coming to him. Overall, Need For Speed is an entertaining racer that will keep audiences sated till the next installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise.

300: Rise of an Empire [3D] – ****

300: Rise of an Empire is not a true sequel in the traditional sense of the term. It is more of an augmented, parallel story line, with bits of back story in the lengthy introduction, and then swiftly picking up after the events of the original 300 (2006) nearly midway through. In this arc, Athenian commander, Thermistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) slays Xerxes’ (Rodrigro Santoro) father, King Darius (Igal Naor), ten years prior to the Battle of Thermopylae which claimed King Leonidas’ (Gerard Butler) life. This sets in motion the events of both films, at least according to the tortured soul of Thermistocles, who blames himself for incurring Xerxes’ wrath.

In another flashback montage, the audience is introduced to this film’s villain, Artemisia, wickedly portrayed by the intimidating Eva Green, as she rises from abused slave to powerful admiral of the entire Persian fleet, under King Darius’ tutelage and protection. This obviously causes quite a bit of jealousy within Xerxes, which causes tension far beyond typical ‘sibling’ rivalry once they are engaged in the heat of battle.

The audience’s heart almost breaks for her, once it understands the intentions behind her extreme ruthlessness. However, she quickly loses its trust upon committing her next wave of violent acts. Yet it is her aggression that makes her even more formidable than the self-proclaimed ‘god-king’, Xerxes’ himself. Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey), David Wenham (Dilios) and Andrew Tiernan (Ephialtes) also reprise their roles, bringing a welcome continuity to the franchise.

The bulk of the film is consumed by lethal, yet almost balletic, slow-motion combat, much like its predecessor. This time around, though, it is shot in full 3D. This is the first live-action film since Avatar to truly implement true-to-life, non-gimmicky 3D effects, and throughout the entire film. Most other movies tend to throw on 3D imagery as an afterthought as a means to artificially bump up ticket sales. They also typically make subjects onscreen appear miniaturized and out of scale, and is incredibly distracting.

In 300: Rise of an Empire, all of the characters appear proportional to the frame, especially in extreme close-up shots. This makes for a more realistic and captivating experience. Arrows and spears seem to thrust out towards the viewer, and rain, fog, and fire effects build compelling atmosphere. Every 3D element is meticulously crafted to optimize the depth of field.

The true stars of the show, however, are the intensely epic naval warfare sequences. It is thrilling to see these giant wooden beasts engage in combat upon crashing waves. The sight of thousands upon thousands of ships battling it out is awe-inspiring, to say the least, no matter if they’re CGI. This is the first “must-see” popcorn film of 2014.