An Explosively Entertaining, Near-Perfect Movie

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2010)

A costumed man stands at the top of a skyscraper, dramatic music playing in the background. As the public looks on in awe, the figure spreads his home-made wings and jumps. He drops towards the street, and smashes into a taxi. This is Kick-Ass, a movie which, whilst lampooning super-hero movies, also manages to be one of the best films that the genre has to offer.
After the opening splat, we meet Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson). A normal teenager (invisible to girls, small group of friends etc) and a huge comic-book fan, Dave tries to answer the unanswered question; why has nobody ever tried to be a superhero? So he dons a silly suit and becomes Kick-Ass. His first attempt at playing the hero lands Dave in the hospital with metal plates attached to his bones and severed nerve endings, making him more than able to take a beating. Dave's second attempt results in his becoming an instant celebrity. However, his new-found stardom catches the attention of gangster Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), who thinks that Kick-Ass is responsible for the deaths of several of his men. Seeing a chance to impress his distant father, Frank's son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, he of McLovin fame) hatches a plan to hand Kick-Ass to his father on a silver platter. However, Frank doesn't know that the two real culprits, disgraced cop Damon Macready AKA Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and his 12-year-old killing machine daughter Mindy AKA Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) are on the prowl for revenge.
Combining pure rock 'n' roll, crowd-pleasing energy with old fashioned film-making expertise, Kick-Ass isn't just a blast of pop entertainment, but a startling achievement. If it wasn't for a little film called The Dark Knight, Kick-Ass would easily be my favourite comic-book movie. As it is, it will have to do with a more-than-comfortable second place. Kick-Ass earns the title because it's one of those rare movies where, as an audience member and as a critic, I couldn't ask for anything more. There is a huge dose of side-splitting humour, a nice splattering of mind-blowing action and a surprising amount of emotional weight. It is perfectly paced without a dull moment in sight, and I was actually sad to leave the cinema when it was over.
Much of the credit for this must go to director/writer Matthew Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman. Whilst Vaughn proved with Layer Cake and Stardust that he was more than able of delivering entertaining, smart movies, his work here is incredible. He handles the tonal shifts with immense confidence (something which he sometimes struggled with in Stardust), making sure that there are no jarring moments between the action, comedy and teenage/revenge drama. He directs with fresh creativity (Michael Bay, go find your dictionary), with his use of comic-book visuals especially inspired. The fantastic sequence detailing the reasons for Big Daddy's vendetta against D'Amico is a stand-out. He also stages some of the most electrifying action sequences of the year as if he has been doing this sort of thing since the day he was born. Both he and Goldman craft a hilarious, smart and knowing screenplay, throwing in references to superhero movies (Big Daddy's costume may be just a little bit similar to a well-known superhero), whilst crafting a genuinely ensnaring and original cinematic experience.
As Dave, Aaron Johnson is never anything less than perfect. Whilst it could have been easy to lose track of Kick-Ass in the midst of colourful characters like Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, Johnson crafts a character so interesting and sympathetic that you want to stay with him, whilst nailing the American accent to boot. As Frank D'Amico, Mark Strong crafts another powerful, menacing villain. Strong, as well as Johnson (another Brit), delivers a superb American accent, whilst creating a character just as colourful and unforgettable as the heroes. Christopher Mintz-Plasse delivers an intriguing and entertaining turn as Chris D'Amico AKA Red Mist. This role is meatier than the usual comedic roles that Mintz-Plasse is seen in, and he bites into it with relish. In an unexpected stroke of casting genius, Nicolas Cage is absolutely unforgettable as Big Daddy. Apart from a few select performances, Cage has been a bit, well, dead recently. Here, it's like watching a corpse being re-animated. Cage is clearly having fun here, crafting a performance which blends comedy (his loving expression as he shoots his Cavlar-wearing daughter is hilarious) and drama (a confrontation with one of his former colleagues is beautifully handled) brilliantly. However, the film is absolutely swiped by Chloe Grace Moretz. Whilst I think that all of the costumed individuals are locked for iconic status, Moretz's swearing, knife-wielding, near psychopathic Hit-Girl is a truly stunning character. Few child performers would have the courage to tackle a role like this, but Moretz's conviction and faultless acting make this a performance of unspeakable success.
The technical credits never disappoint, either. The soundtrack's note-perfect, recalling the work of Scorsese in the spot-on placement of each track. The production design elicits the feeling of reading a motion picture comic, which suits the film terrifically. And finally, as mentioned before, the action sequences are jaw-dropping. From a stunning, one-shot warehouse shootout, to a gun battle which effortlessly captures the video game craze, to the final OTT showdown at D'Amico's lair, this is one thrilling movie.
Kick-Ass is easily my favourite film of the year so far. It is near-perfect. As a Film Studies student, someone who has to listen to continual dissection of a film until you just want to cry, Kick-Ass is a breath of fresh air; a movie made by people who know how to make a movie which says from the get-go, "shut the hell up and enjoy this!" I did shut up, and I loved it. If the final, brilliant line is anything to go by, then we can expect a sequel. Personally, I can't wait. Kick-Ass by name, Kick-Ass by nature.