Kick-Ass. It most certainly does.

Rating: 7/10 (17 April 2010)

Greetings again from the darkness. Just when you are convinced the comic book movie thing has been overdone, in swoops director Matthew Vaughn (the excellent "Layer Cake") to reach an entirely new level through a unique, unconventional and twisted approach. It does't take but a few minutes to realize that clichés mixed with shocks will mess with your movie-processing mind!
Somehow we are treated to teen angst,superhero-ism and most every human emotion and type between the two. WARNING: this movie is rated R and it is a strong R ... IT IS NOT FOR KIDS! The film slam-dances between ultra violence and uber-geekdom and satire driven slapstick. We get a 12 year old Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl, wielding weapons even more deadly than her shockingly adult tongue. Moretz was also a standout in last year's "500 Days of Summer". We get her revenge-driven ex-clean cop Big Daddy father (Nicolas Cage) in Batman costume mentoring her to the ways of a world class assassin. I busted out laughing when I realized that Mr. Cage's voice mannerism mimic that of the great Adam West while donning the black cape. A very nice touch. Our other home grown, would be superheros are Aaron Johnson as Kick-ass (replete with green scuba suit) and McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) as Red Mist. Most of these characters are one step removed from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
Of course a comic book story must have a top notch villain and these days there are few better than Mark Strong. He delivers another terrific dead-pan performance as a drug lord and father to Red Mist. Strong's character is the driving force behind Big Daddy's quest for revenge.
Aaron Johnson's Kick-ass is an example of the clunky teenager who has a good heart and is desperate for attention from the girls. He even accepts being labeled as gay by the hot chick he adores just so he can spend time with her. He hangs at the comic book store with his equally geeky friends and then "transforms" into Kick-ass, a superhero with no powers other than a desire to do what's right and help those in need.
Mark Millar's script balances many cultural and societal observations while delivering a visual parade of images and sounds (wondeful music and score ... including ELVIS) and moments that will keep the viewer unsettled. You might think it odd that an early scene lingers on a giant advertisement featuring Claudia Schiffer. Ms. Schiffer is married to the director and becomes one of many tributes and satires throughout the film. It is quite a different experience and one that not all will enjoy ... but it is to be admired for reaching for new levels.