Original if anything else

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2010)

What I enjoy about Kick-Ass is its originality. The idea of ordinary people attempting to become superheroes without any extraordinary powers or super-strength seems so simple, yet this film somehow derives a rather complex plot out of the concept.
The sheer violence that dominates most of the movie is a little shocking at first, but then you realize that this is an R-rated picture for a reason. I'm not sure all of it was necessary, but if anything else, the brutality adds to the film's uniqueness.
I think Kick-Ass is also successful because it has some serious character development, an essential ingredient to any highly rated motion picture. The narration takes the viewer directly into the mind of David/Kick-Ass. It's the simplest -- and often most over-used -- method of getting the audience attached the central character, but it works in this case. A genuine sense of urgency is created as you find yourself rooting for the good guys.
Even though it doesn't exactly play by all the rules, at its core, Kick-Ass is a superhero movie, with super characters, super villains and super sidekicks. The climax is rather ostentatious and the conclusion fantastic, but it doesn't come unexpected. By the end of the movie, the viewer has a firm sense of the direction and shouldn't be disappointed with how things finish.
Kick-Ass is NOT a children's movie and should be avoided by anyone under the age of 15-16. Not only are heads and limbs blown completely off, but there is a scene of cocaine use and slightly graphic teenage sex. It's up to parents to keep this movie out of the hands of their children. I mean, even the title has a curse word.