Review of Kick-Ass (2010) by Noah Abraham G — 27 Sep 2013

Who doesn't love a good superhero romp? I have no idea, and frankly, I don't wish to meet them. I've said it once, I'll say it again- superheroes are awesome. And while "Kick-Ass" isn't the best superhero film around, it provides a wonderful deconstruction and an inspiring reconstruction.

Aaron Johnson plays Dave Lizewski, a comic book nerd determined to become a superhero: Kick-Ass. Reality soon sets in, however, as he constantly gets beaten to a pulp, only finally getting recognition thanks to YouTube. This draws the attention of crime boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong) and his son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who have been bothered by a costumed man. It's not Kick-Ass, however, but two heroes called Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and his ten-year old daughter, Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz). Hilarity ensues.

Kick-Ass is a believable protagonist, and very easy to identify with. Big Daddy and Hit-Girl are ridiculous, of course, but they're also loads of fun to be around, with Cage giving one of his best performances in years. Mark Strong is a fun villain, never going over the top but still managing to place humor in every scene. The key players all bounce off of each other quite well, and it's frankly fantastic.

The film is very funny, sending up tropes of superhero fiction (before gloriously rebuilding them in the film's manic final act). The jokes all work rather well, and there are a lot of really good laugh-out-loud moments. The movie just works as a comedy.

Props also have to be given to Matthew Vaughn as director. This is a beautifully shot film, containing some great uses of color and lighting. The action is fun and kinetic, even though it's incredibly bloody at times. Honestly, the blood just makes it better.

No, this film won't please everyone. Sometimes the profanity feels gratuitous as opposed to necessary for the dialogue's cadence. The film also gets very dark and mean at times, which feels a little nasty for a comedy. There are also some subplots that feel underdeveloped (the romance seems tacked on, and interesting characters like Dave's friends and father aren't very well used).

All in all though, Kick-Ass... well, kicks ass. You should see it. I'd bet you'd like it.