Review of Kick-Ass (2010) by Xgary X — 23 May 2013

When teenage geek Dave Lizewski decides to become a superhero even though he has no powers whatsoever he becomes an overnight internet celebrity, not reckoning on meeting a couple of real vigilantes in the form of a vengeance obsessed ex-cop and his daughter.

In the real world, what kind of people would want to don tights and become crime fighters? It would probably be a combination of inept, comic obsessed nerds and violent psychopaths, and so it is in Kick Ass.

The film is a kind of homage to comic book heroes. Or a grittily dark high octane action film. But neither. And both! It's a bit hard to describe because it's quite shizophrenic in nature; one minute teenage nerd comedy as it concentrates on the character of Dave, the next a kick ass action movie when Hitgirl and Big Daddy crash the screen.

It's always done with its tongue firmly in its cheek however and it never descends into the typical action-comedy formula. It has plenty of references to keep the comic fans happy, Cage's insistence on talking like Adam West every time he donned his costume despite the gruesome violence he doles out is particularly amusing and seeing a gang of ruthless criminals taken apart by an eleven year old girl is something glorious to behold! It does have a couple of cheesy crowd/studio pleasing moments, but generally it's a genuine oddball that's immensely entertaining.

The film Kevin Smith would have given his left testicle to have made.