This Thrilling Spy Movie Gave Samuel L. Jackson a Chance at His James Bond Dream

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Kingsman: The Secret Service

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 The Secret Service Image by Nimesh Niyomal

Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most popular and successful actors of all time. In addition to a plethora of memorable roles in standalone films and other productions, the prolific star is known for his involvement in some of the most famous franchises in movie history, appearing in films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, and Incredibles series, among others. The man behind Marvel’s iconic spymaster, Nick Fury, once revealed that he also longed for a chance to join cinema’s most famous espionage franchise, the James Bond films, but feels he is unlikely to get the chance to do so. Fortunately, his role in a separate blockbuster spy movie allowed him to enjoy something close to the Bond villain experience despite not actually facing off with 007 directly.

In 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' Samuel L. Jackson Parodies Bond Villains

Jackson explained his desire to appear in a Bond film to The Guardian while promoting the 2015 film Kingsman: The Secret Service. Referring to his role as the film’s main antagonist, Richmond Valentine, Jackson explained that, “I don’t think I’ll ever get to be in a Bond film, so I felt like this was an opportunity to play a really great Bond villain.” For those who have seen Kingsman, it’s easy to understand why he feels this way. Based on the comic book series of the same name, the film is both a satire and a celebration of the cinematic spy genre, so naturally, it contains an assortment of references to Bond films, including the franchise’s memorable villains, with many of the tropes associated with said characters integrated into Valentine.

Kingsman follows Harry Hart (Colin Firth) a.k.a. Galahad, an operative of the titular fictional spy agency, as he takes Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton), the son of a fellow agent who died protecting Harry, under his wing, training him to be both a spy and a proper English gentleman. At the same time, Harry, Eggsy, and the rest of Kingsman investigate Valentine, a billionaire suspected of terrorist activity. Operating undercover, Harry accepts an invitation to dinner with Valentine. As the pair share an ornately displayed meal of McDonald’s, their conversation turns to their mutual love of spy films, specifically their preference for older, more campy installments in the genre, such as old Bond films, rather than the more realistic and dark films released recently. Thinly veiling their suspicions of one another, Valentine says that, as a child, said films made him want to be a gentleman spy, with Harry replying that, “I always felt the old Bond films were only as good as the villain. As a child I rather fancied a future as a colorful megalomaniac.” Valentine remarks, “What a shame we both had to grow up.”

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Valentine’s connection to Bond villains extends beyond this self-aware reference. Like many of 007’s antagonists, he has an over-the-top presence thanks to an ostentatious wardrobe Jackson had creative input on and the fact that he speaks with a noticeable lisp, an addition Jackson made to the role while imagining a backstory for the character as part of his extensive preparation process. Although Jackson told The Guardian that including the lisp was intended to make the character come across as underestimated, since, “people tend to dismiss people with defects.” This also makes Valentine even more similar to many of the most famous Bond villains, who have striking physical traits, including scars, injuries, and other distinctive features.

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 The Secret Service Image via 20th Century Fox

However, given Kingsman’s elements of parody, the character also subverts viewers’ expectations of similar characters, with the film often directly calling attention to how he does so. The most overt instance of this comes after he tests his doomsday weapon, a signal that sends people into homicidal rages, on a bigoted, alt-right U.S. church where Harry is following a lead. Harry’s elite spy training allows him to get out of the horrendously violent disaster alive, but not before the signal’s influence leads him to personally kill many of the churchgoers in one of the most elaborate and famous action sequences of the 2010s. When the signal ceases, Harry leaves the church and confronts Valentine outside. The latter notes that, if they were in one of the movies they both love, this would be the point where, “I tell you my whole plan, and then I’ll come up with some absurd and convoluted way to kill you, and you’ll come up with an equally convoluted way to escape.” Harry answers, “Sounds good to me,” but Valentine replies, “But this isn’t that kind of movie,” and promptly shoots Harry in the head, leaving Eggsy to take over as the film’s remaining hero.

Ironically, Jackson’s involvement in Kingsman might be a further hindrance to his appearing in a future Bond film, as his hypothetical Bond character would likely be compared, favorably or not, to his performance as Valentine. That said, he’s certainly a versatile enough actor to create a completely disparate character, even in the same genre, and the creators of any Bond film would be lucky to have him in their cast, so maybe he will get to live out this particular dream in full one day.

Kingsman The Secret Service

A spy organization recruits a promising street kid into the agency's training program, while a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Release Date February 13, 2015

Director Matthew Vaughn

Runtime 2h 10m

Writers Matthew Vaughn , Jane Goldman

Studio(s) 20th Century

Kingsman: The Secret Service is currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the U.S.

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