Kingsman: The Secret Service was released in January 2015 starring several big name actors including Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson and Michael Caine. The British made film was directed by Mathew Vaugn and based on the 2012 comic books of the same name by Mark Miller and Dave Gibbons, in total generating around $412 million. Skyfall is the 23rd film in the James Bond series and was released in 2012. The film recruited Daniel Craig as Bond and also stars Judi Dench. It became the highest grossing film in the UK at the time generating over $1,000 million.
Kingsman: The Secret Service and Skyfall explore similar themes and ideas, however differ at times as well. Both films are British made, both follow Todorov's theory , and overlap in genres such as Spy and Action films. Kingsman can also be referred to as a coming of age film as it shows the evolution of Eggsy a boy who works his way up in the secret service. It could also be listed as a comedy due to certain parts of the film being solely for humour, for example Samuel L Jackson's lisp and the 'arsehole' scene.Interestingly, CinemaBlend reports that it was Jackson's idea to have his character of Valentine with a speech impediment. He explained to director Vaugn that he has suffered with a lisp when he was younger and it drove him to want to succeed. 'If you're Steve Jobs and you've got money, you've got power and you've got everything you want - but you've still got this god damn stutter and lisp, and people aren't 100% taking you seriously, it can take you to that next level of going mad.' Contrastingly, Skyfall explores a genre of its own in that it could be classed under Thriller or Adventure. Despite both films being Action, Skyfall seems to conform to the genres conventions more with significantly more car chases and explosion than Kingsman, none the less Kingsman does include several such as the police car chase at the beginning of the film. Amongst similar themes between the two are saving the world and becoming a hero. Both main protagonists Bond and Eggsy, although very different, succeed in 'saving the world' as it were.
The two films overall convey opposing political views. Both films showcase the dominant ideology. With Bond being a white, heterosexual, middle aged man, clean shaven and in a suit. He is also a protagonist with great power, skills and authority suggesting the dominant ideology is the criteria for his abilities. Similarly, Harry Hart is of the same nature however Kingsman is about embracing 'Eggsy' a boy despite his low social class being able to become/ being considered for a Kingsman. Vaugn here conveys social realism through Harry Hart's left wing political views and through the film in general including characters of a working class - unlike Skyfall.
There are positive representations throughout Kingsman with disability represented through Gazelle who has blades for legs. She uses this in her favour as she fights offthe kingsman and protects Valentine, although failing to do so against Eggsy in one of the final scenes. In addition, there is also a positive representation of females throughout as Roxy a woman, much smaller in weight and height than the other contenders, manages to win the position of Lancealot showing capability over men who are suggested to be seemingly more able. On the other hand, Skyfall over sexualises women as the mysterious lady is tied up and a game made of trying to knock the whiskey from her head. Bond's colleague Eve Moneypenny is also shown to shoot Bond instead of the opposition. In addition to her being shown to not be able to do what she aimed to do, she becomes a sexual object. A scene by which Bond is shaving, a masculine act, she takes over shaving him suggesting women are below men, before he unbuttons her blouse without consent.
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