Wild and Crazy Examination of the Human Condition

Rating: 7/10 (24 April 2010)

I waited a really long time to see Kick Ass because I have a lot of comic book, fan boy friends who always gripe and complain about how inaccurate the adaptations are and how little attention is paid to details from the original story whenever we get together to watch one of these movies. Honestly, I would rather take a brutal ass kicking than sit through another movie with one of them painstakingly tearing the movie apart. It was for that reason that I stayed home when they went out and saw it and waited until now to get my own, unbiased and completely fan boy free opinion.
The film takes great elements from good old run and gun Kung Fu shoot em' ups, blood soaked, gore fests and sadistic, dark comedies. It combines these elements with initially traditional hero and villain archetypes which audiences members are used to and creates a new, offbeat and non contemporary world where everyday citizens are afraid to face any kind of evil that lurks in the shadows.
That is until a few misfits realize that there are no REAL superheros out there and there's a desperate need for change- as well as a bit of well placed retribution.
In my opinion they cast the Kick Ass character perfectly. Aaron Johnson is the epitome of pathetic and invisible until he dons the skin green and yellow tight scuba suit and Timberlands and takes to the streets. Nick Cage is still Nick Cage, but I take back a few of the things I've said about him (only some). He really diluted himself and became something different than what we're all used to seeing. He didn't even have overtly goofy hair! But, it was really Chloe Moretz that took the cake. Her comedic timing was perfect and, out of all the characters, I felt for her the most. As Hit Girl she was a miniature Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. There are not many movies that come to mind when I think cold blooded killer and also prepubescent girl. It was new and different to see a girl portrayed in movie like this doing the kind of things she did.
Overall, it's a fun movie. On the core it's a mixture of a few very different kind of films. It's both feel good, semi-comedy and also a commentary on society; while it still serves up enough gun Kata inspired violence and fighting to win over even the most stoic of movie nerds. It makes one consider the plight of the human condition when people will turn the other cheek when they see a mugging, although, it sends kind of a positive message that if people are pushed far enough they can do some pretty crazy, amazing things.