Living up to its name, it does kick some serious...

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 2013)

I remember when Kick-Ass came out and it was like instant cult status. Everyone was talking about it. For whatever reason it didn't seem all that important to me and I didn't see it. Ever since then this is one film that people BUG me constantly for having not seen. Well, the sequel is due out next week and since 2010 I have become a HUGE fan of Chloe Grace Moretz so I finally decided to give it a go. What a wild fun ride this was!! In many ways I think Kick-Ass is the ultimate super-hero spoof movie. They simply don't even know how to make spoof movies anymore but this one is smart and subtle in its style but in your face outrageous in the same breath. It is gratuitous in every sense of the word. It is ridiculously violent, the language is outrageous and for whatever reason it works perfectly in this film. It is an adult super-hero flick that holds nothing back. Throughout the film you will hear multiple superhero references from Spiderman to Batman but this is anything but. Bullets are flying, cursing everywhere, blood splattering and plenty of morbid laughter. It was fun. Very adult, ridiculous, over the top but insanely fun.
They could not have cast the main character better. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the perfect mis-understood "nerd" who wants to be something more. He is very stereotypical but then that is the whole point of his character. He feels like the everyday Joe and yet becomes something so much more. He does this great physical comedy where you believe what he is trying to do but still laugh at his mistakes. Lyndsy Fonseca is the object of his affections. She's the popular girl and wants her to be his "Mary Jane" so to speak. She does an alright job, nothing stand out but certainly serves her purpose and is absolutely a hot girl so it works. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is known for his comedy. He has had some really campy roles but he is very likable. He is used mostly sparingly in this, which I think is good because he might have just been a tad too much for a movie like this which is trying to be subtly funny and sarcastic. Mark Strong is excellent as the evil Frank D'Amico. Strong always makes a great villain and he fits this film very well. And what a terrific and iconic ending to his villainous role. Nicholas Cage has a small but vital role to the story. He is actually quite good in the part and takes a back seat to the other characters. I sort of saved the best for last in my books. Chloe Grace Moretz who has become something of an "It" girl in Hollywood as of late is terrific in her breakthrough role as "Hit-Girl" Her foul mouthed violent superhero is fun, disturbing and just almost too far and yet fits in so well with the film. She proves even then her star power and easily steals every scene. I wanted to see more interaction with her and Taylor-Johnson which perhaps we will get in the sequel.
Matthew Vaughan has chosen his projects carefully and it has paid off because everything I have seen of his has been excellent. He seems to know how to handle action scenes but tell a great story and get the very most out of his characters. I would hazard a guess that he is a die-hard geek because he presents his super-heroes like real people in a real world that happens to be so over the top. Kick-Ass is such a unique blend of spoof and action and comedy and adult entertainment. Everything from the music montages, the cheeky and campy costumes and the insane action. This is well worth watching and very entertaining. Glad I finally saw it and looking forward to the sequel!! 8.5/10