Kingsman: The Secret Service
A documentary on Kingsman: The Secret Service.
Despite a substantial budget of $81.0M, Kingsman: The Secret Service became a financial success, earning $414.4M worldwide—a 412% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015) exhibits precise dramatic framework, characteristic of Matthew Vaughn's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 10-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 9 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin
Harry Hart (Galahad)
Richmond Valentine
Merlin
Gazelle
Chester King (Arthur)
Roxy Morton (Lancelot)
Charlie Hesketh
Main Cast & Characters
Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin
Played by Taron Egerton
A street-smart young man from a London council estate who is recruited into the Kingsman spy organization and must prove himself worthy of the legacy.
Harry Hart (Galahad)
Played by Colin Firth
An impeccably dressed senior Kingsman agent who sees potential in Eggsy and becomes his mentor, seeking to honor a debt to Eggsy's father.
Richmond Valentine
Played by Samuel L. Jackson
A billionaire tech mogul with a lisp who plans to solve climate change through mass genocide, offering salvation only to the elite.
Merlin
Played by Mark Strong
The Kingsman organization's tech expert and handler who oversees agent training and field operations with dry Scottish wit.
Gazelle
Played by Sofia Boutella
Valentine's deadly henchwoman who has prosthetic blade legs and serves as his primary enforcer and bodyguard.
Chester King (Arthur)
Played by Michael Caine
The leader of the Kingsman organization who values tradition and class over merit, and harbors dark secrets.
Roxy Morton (Lancelot)
Played by Sophie Cookson
A fellow Kingsman recruit who becomes Eggsy's friend and ally, ultimately earning the Lancelot codename through her courage.
Charlie Hesketh
Played by Edward Holcroft
An arrogant, upper-class Kingsman recruit who bullies Eggsy and later betrays the organization to Valentine.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes 1997 Middle East: Kingsman agent Lee Unwin sacrifices himself to save Harry Hart and the team, establishing the secret organization and the debt owed to his family.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
At 65 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Harry attends Valentine's church in Kentucky to investigate, where Valentine activates his SIM card's rage signal. Harry massacres the entire congregation in an uncontrollable violent frenzy—a false victory turned horrific revelation of Valentine's true plan., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 97 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Harry is executed by Valentine with a shot to the head outside the church, right in front of Eggsy watching via glasses-cam. Eggsy's mentor and father figure is dead, and his Kingsman career appears over., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 103 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The finale assault on Valentine's mountain bunker: Roxy ascends via balloon to destroy the satellite, while Eggsy infiltrates disguised as Arthur. Spectacular action ensues—Eggsy battles Gazelle, the implanted heads explode in colorful fireworks, and Eggsy defeats Valentine with his own blade-leg., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Kingsman: The Secret Service's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 10 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Kingsman: The Secret Service against these established plot points, we can identify how Matthew Vaughn utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Kingsman: The Secret Service within the documentary genre.
Matthew Vaughn's Structural Approach
Among the 8 Matthew Vaughn films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Kingsman: The Secret Service takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Matthew Vaughn filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional documentary films include Black Butterflies, Bambi: A Tale of Life in the Woods and Eternal You. For more Matthew Vaughn analyses, see Layer Cake, The King's Man and Kick-Ass.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
1997 Middle East: Kingsman agent Lee Unwin sacrifices himself to save Harry Hart and the team, establishing the secret organization and the debt owed to his family.
Theme
Harry tells young Eggsy's mother about Lee's bravery and gives her a medal with a number to call if they ever need help, stating that a Kingsman's word is his bond—establishing themes of loyalty, legacy, and second chances.
Worldbuilding
Present day: Eggsy is shown as a wasted potential—brilliant but trapped in a council estate with an abusive stepfather Dean. He's a parkour-skilled dropout who steals cars and gets arrested, while Richmond Valentine emerges as a tech billionaire with mysterious plans.
Resistance
Harry reveals he's a spy and demonstrates Kingsman's capabilities in the pub fight against Dean's thugs. He proposes Eggsy for Kingsman recruitment, debating whether this working-class kid can become a gentleman spy while Eggsy wrestles with leaving his mother.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
Eggsy undergoes increasingly dangerous Kingsman training: underwater dormitory tests, skydiving with a missing parachute, and seduction challenges. Meanwhile, Harry investigates Valentine's kidnapping of celebrities and discovers the villain's connection to a hate church.
Midpoint
Harry attends Valentine's church in Kentucky to investigate, where Valentine activates his SIM card's rage signal. Harry massacres the entire congregation in an uncontrollable violent frenzy—a false victory turned horrific revelation of Valentine's true plan.
Opposition
Eggsy faces his final test but fails when he cannot shoot his dog JB, eliminating him from Kingsman. Valentine's plan becomes clear: free SIM cards that trigger mass violence, with the elite hidden safely. Arthur is revealed as a Valentine collaborator, and the organization is compromised.
Collapse
Harry is executed by Valentine with a shot to the head outside the church, right in front of Eggsy watching via glasses-cam. Eggsy's mentor and father figure is dead, and his Kingsman career appears over.
Crisis
Eggsy returns home devastated, confronting his failure and Harry's death. Arthur tries to recruit him for Valentine's plan, revealing the depth of corruption. Eggsy must process his grief while realizing the world faces extinction-level danger.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The finale assault on Valentine's mountain bunker: Roxy ascends via balloon to destroy the satellite, while Eggsy infiltrates disguised as Arthur. Spectacular action ensues—Eggsy battles Gazelle, the implanted heads explode in colorful fireworks, and Eggsy defeats Valentine with his own blade-leg.