A truly original superhero film which has its' cake and eats it

Rating: 9/10 (20 August 2013)

Where to begin? I have to say I was never that fussed on the whole nerd-to-hero side of this film, when I watched the DVD I basically fast forwarded through a great deal of that. Hit-Girl steals the whole damn show and deservedly so, they could ditch the entire Kick-Ass storyline and just make the film about Hit Girl and Big Daddy, the character of Kick-Ass himself only really shines in the finale when he finally comes to the rescue (twice!). Good stuff? Plenty to go around, Nick Cage's fantastic Adam West impression is bloody wonderful although I'm sure entirely lost on most of the target audience who think Christian Bale is Batman. They should definitely get Adam and Burt Ward to guest star in the sequel. The 'crazy' dance scene in the Mistmobile and the 'I know!' scene with Kick-Ass's nerd friends and the hot girl in the diner cracks me up every single time.
But ultimately this is Hit Girl's film and she shines throughout convincing both as an ordinary sweet girl who loves her dad and death-in-pigtails. I have to say the violence isn't as shocking to me as the swearing, to hear an 11 year old use the C-word and MF word left me pretty speechless. You have to question Big Daddy's motivations, it's one thing to seek revenge himself but to drag his 11 year old daughter into it too? Hard to watch Hit-Girl getting stomped by the villain at the end, actually cheered out loud when she was saved. Big Daddy's death scene is also quite affecting and well played. The ending is great, she lost her dad but fulfilled his dying wish and now has friends, a loving guardian and an ordinary schoolgirls life, she can get that puppy and Bratz doll instead of playing with butterfly knives.
Truly interesting thing is that this breaks two of the golden rules of superhero films. Firstly we have a truly asexual heroine. When was the last time you ever saw a super-heroine who wasn't also a sex-goddess whom everyone drooled over all the time? Even Wonder Woman's little sister Wonder Girl was clearly a nymphet. But Hit Girl is 11 years old and thus entirely non-sexual (and if you disagree, seek therapy). When she dresses as a schoolgirl to gain entrance to the villain's lair it's to emphasis her innocence rather than exploit any sexual fetish. Although you have to wonder what they will do in the sequel when she will be in her mid teens?
Secondly they use guns. Unwritten rule of superheroes is that they don't use guns but Hit Girl and Big Daddy obviously read The Punisher rather than Superman or Spiderman. Kick-Ass eventually joins them, becoming a full blown vigilante and killing at least three people. Ultimately unless you genuinely have superpowers nothing beats lead (or bazookas).
So, great film and I can't wait for the sequel.