Rage Review: Kingsman The Secret Service

So I watched Kingsman The Secret Service yesterday and found it extremely fun and hilarious (complete with colorful multiple head-blowns because fun is obviouly not complete without any head-blowns) but (spoiler alert!) that last exchange between Eggsy and Princess Tilde threw me off the guard and totally ruined what was going to be an A+ movie experience for me. I already have a problem with the persistent old trope of "man will get a sexual reward from woman after saving the world because you know, hero!" but that scene (which is totally unnecessary to the plot, by the way) is obviously man-driven and man-centered.

Okay, here's why I found that scene offensive and stupid (to say the least):

Princess Tilde is an amazing woman who refuses to be a part of this movie villain's major scheme to destroy the whole world and  her refusal lands her in the villain's prison. To have such a great woman character with great moral principle offers a sexual reward out of the blue for a stranger under such stressful circumstances (audiences know he's the hero but what does Princess Tilde know? He's still a stranger who shows up unexpectedly in front of her while being locked down), reflects a major character inconsistency. I know Kingsman is an action comedy movie and it does not take itself rather seriously, but comedy still requires character consistency, don't you think? Or should I just throw my brain out of the window? 

Not to mention, Eggsy is groomed to become a GENTLEMAN. A freakin gentleman who takes advantages of the situation?!! *flips table*

And then, Mr. Vaughn has the audacity to call that last scene empowering because it shows how it's the woman who offers sexual rewards, instead the opposite.

No, Mr. Vaughn. You offer the sexual rewards to Eggsy by using Princess Tilde and turning her into your laughing stock. If you stick to your character, to your own story, to your own plot, to your own logic, there is no way Princess Tilde offering that sexual innuendos in that problematic scene and there is no way Gentleman Eggsy would take advantage of distressed Princess Tilde in such a way (Manner maketh man, remember?! *flips table again*). You have empowered her so much with huge bravery on the first part of the movie, only to attenuate everything in the end and incites my rage. Frankly, I can't think of any better words to explain the scene other than misogynist.

Look, there are good things about this movie. It's fun. There are Colin Firth and Mark Strong who lures me (and all the ladies) in.

But then that scene happened and all I wanted to do was throw my popcorn to the screen.

I thought I was the only the one who felt this way but there are other people who thought the same (here and here are the two examples. They talk about the problematic scene more eloquently than I do and point out some great points in the movie that I missed. Have a look).

Overall, this movie was a great ride until it forgot its manner, ruined everything and left me with a bitter aftertaste.

Manner maketh man, Mr. Vaughn. What does this make you?


Si Mbak.