Kingsman (4¼ Stars)

I have to admit that I had my doubts when I went to see this film. Of all the actors who could have been picked to play an action film's super-spy, Colin Firth seemed the least suitable. I needn't have worried. Within five minutes of appearing on the screen he won me over. His cool reserved personality, which I already know from his other films, is perfect for a James Bond parody.

The film is based on the comic book "The Secret Service", published by Marvel Comics' creator-owned subsidiary, Marv. I haven't read it, so I'll restrict myself to the film. It's about a high-tech secret organisation based in London, which considers itself to be a continuation of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. In the film Harry Hart (Colin Firth) and a new recruit Eggsy Unwin (Taron Egerton) have to battle against the ecological activist Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) who believes that the only way to save the planet is to cull the world's population to a few thousand.

I said it's a James Bond parody, but the film is actually a mash-up of 1960's spy stories. Apart from Bond there are obvious references to "The Avengers" (the TV series) and "The Man from UNCLE". But even if you're too young to have seen them you will enjoy the film.

P. S. How many of you noticed that the picture above is a parody of the poster for the James Bond film "For your eyes only"?