Matthew Vaughn directs KINGSMAN from a screen play by himself and Jane Goldman based on the graphic novel THE SECRET SEVICE by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. The creators developed the property in response the recent run of very serious James Bond films featuring Daniel Craig as the superagent. The KINGSMAN wanted to bring back the humor, pinache, style and joi-de-viver from the early Bond films, and if the promotional materials are anything to judge by, they have succeeded in spades.
In a video interview and supporting article with the UK Independent newspaper, Firth responds to a question about the level and glamorization of violence in KINGSMAN. There's a video in the link below and the question comes about 2:27. Firth responds that without violence in story-telling, “you're taking away a great deal of Shakespeare, Greek drama, Punch and Judy, Westerns. Conflict is inevitable and it's in comedy as well. I think this [KINGSMAN] is more in that category [comedy]. [KINGSMAN] reminds me more of the old Batmans with word bubbles saying, 'Pow!', or even Monty Python...”
Can you believe it? Firth references The Bard and the Adam West version of Batman within seconds of each other. More great quotes from British actors! Putting The Bard and Adam West together is highly ironic since Shakespeare is widely regarded as the finest literature in the English language, yet the Adam West Batman is the height of American TV camp.
The article actually bemoans the glamorization of violence and focuses on Firth's response, but there is more to the interview. Firth talks about the staging and training for the fight scenes and even fields a question about whether or not he could follow Daniel Craig as 007 himself. Take a moment to check it out.
Article with video clip/interview: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/colin-firth-defends-violence-in-kingsman-the-secret-service--i-dont-think-its-glamourous-i-think-its-silly-9991028.html
Image credits:
https://s.yimg.com/cd/resizer/FIT_TO_WIDTH-w2048/122211f38e7397553f33e7ff7e69a4e0002f0f66.jpg
http://www.beyondhollywood.com/uploads/2014/09/Colin-Firth-Samuel-L.-Jackson-and-Taron-Egerton-in-Kingsman-The-Secret-Service-2015-Movie-Image.jpg