Just as Kick-Ass set superhero movies on their collective ear, Kingsman: The Secret Service -- also based on a graphic novel by Mark Millar -- is a sideways take on the gentleman spy.

The Kingsmen are a cadre of British tailors turned secret agents, and as such their suits -- bespoke, and bulletproof -- are as much a part of their image as James Bond's tux and gadgets. Colin Firth is Harry Hart, aka Galahad, who owes his life to a brave trainee in the corps. He repays the debt by making a promise to that trainee's son, who grows into a rough-edged, streetwise kid named Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (Taron Egerton).

When an agent -- codename Lancelot (Jack Davenport) -- is killed on a mission, Kingsman chief Arthur (Michael Caine) launches the search for a replacement. Hart brings Unwin into the elite training program, although his rough upbringing doesn't prepare him for the snobbery of his peers in the class.

Of course, that becomes a strength, as you know it will.

Aided by Kingsman adviser Merlin (Mark Strong) and fellow trainee Roxy (Sophie Cookson), Unwin is forced to challenge the villain Valentine (a lisping Samuel L. Jackson), whose plan for world domination -- and a drastic culling of the human herd -- rivals anything a Bond villain might have conjured. And, like all Bond villains, Valentine has a deadly henchman, Gazelle (Sofia Boutella), whose acrobatic skills and razor-sharp prosthetic legs make her a tough opponent.

There is plenty of thrilling action and an incredible amount of brutal violence -- the brutality of which is a few steps beyond what you'll see in the typical Bond adventure. (Check out the scene at a racist southern revival and you'll see what I mean.) The violence doesn't step on the plot, however, and the cast does an excellent job of bringing comic-book heroes and villains (of the non-super variety) to the big screen.

Characters such as Hart and Valentine are larger than life, but not so over the top as to be unbelievable. Director Matthew Vaughn makes full use of the film's R rating -- primarily for language and violence, as there's very little sex or nudity -- to push the boundaries well beyond where a Bond film will go. (I read a review that said Kingsman is to the Bond franchise what Game of Thrones is to The Lord of the Rings; it's an apt comparison.)

Additional strong performances include Samantha Womack as Unwin's weak-willed mother, Michelle; Geoff Bell as her thoroughly unlikable and abusive boyfriend, Dean; and Mark Hamill as the hapless Professor Arnold.

It's all sewn together in a seamless mix that's fun, funny and ultra-violent. With a second film already out and a third in production, Kingsman has the potential to launch an iconic new brand.