Starring: Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Taron Egerton
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Running Time: 124 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: January 29th 2015

The idea of updating James Bond and making him a younger character has been done before – witness the Alex Cross films and even Jason Bourne. Matthew Vaughan’s attempt, with a script by Jane Goldman, could have worked in theory, but it doesn’t, because of disastrous shifts in tone, and dreadfully cynical product placements. Director Vaughan seems to have become so carried away with his Kick-Ass franchise that he has transposed the idea to Britain, but used pretty much the same formula. The result leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth, which is a shame, because there are a few strengths on display here. [Read more…]