Far out

Rating: Null/10 (19 April 2010)

You know, a funny little thing happened on the way to see this film at the theatre. My friend drove me and he's a rough driver. For the whole trip, the car would go fast, then slow, stop quickly, and make sharp curves; all while loud music (mostly rock and rap) was playing. Relaxing in the car was impossible. Why am I telling you this? Because "Kick-Ass" is one of those flicks that also dares you to relax. In fact, it might as well put a gun to your head and dare you. I sure as hell don't mean this in a bad way, though, because "Kick-Ass" delivers with its humour, fast-paced action, and general awesomeness. It doesn't work the entire time, but I got what I wanted: pure escapism.
I wish I could end the review right there, because this doesn't seem like the kind of film you should analyze and, instead, just enjoy with your buddies. Nonetheless, all films are fair game for reviewing. There are always reasons for liking or disliking a film. (Captain Obvious could tell you that.) So, let's dig deeper.
We meet Dave Lizewski, a geeky high school student who decides to become a vigilante superhero, like in the comics. Well, not quite, as he doesn't have any superpowers or training. Still, he buys a green suit online and gives it a go. After trying to fight two car jacking thugs, one stabs him and he subsequently gets hit by a car in an amusing manner because of how unlucky he is. However, his luck changes for the better as he gets out of the hospital with nerve damage giving him the ability to not feel pain and his bones have been repaired with metal plates. Therefore, he tries again. One night, he walks around in public wearing his suit (lol) and finds some more thugs beating someone. This time, Dave successfully fights them off and since the fight is videotaped, his alter ego Kick-Ass becomes an overnight sensation and, well, the story has just begun.
There are so many funny lines and moments that it would be ridiculous to name them all. The humour skews towards the kind you'd find in a Tarantino film; black. Right at the beginning of "Kick-Ass", a superhero wannabe jumps off of a tall building attempting to fly and, instead, plummets to his death. That immediately tells you this isn't gonna be a feel-good comedy. I have to admit I laughed at that, too. The most memorable scenes probably come from Mindy/Hit-Girl and her father Damon/Big Daddy. They're the utmost unusual parent-child pairing I think I've ever seen in a movie. Damon, played excellently by Nicolas Cage, trains Mindy to be a killing machine. This makes Mindy, herself, to be really bizarre for a child. In one scene, she cuts up a bunch of bad guys in a room, which is amazingly hyperreal and funny. It might even slightly remind you of the infamous restaurant fight scene in "Kill Bill: Vol. 1".
"Kick-Ass" is stylish, but also has substance. I found Dave and his friends to be relatable, since I actually have friends like them, including the guy who drove me. Mindy and Damon are given a backstory that's shown through a superbly animated comic. In spite of the film's unique quality, another film came out recently called "Defendor", also about a superhero wannabe, starring Woody Harrelson. I personally like that film more because it's abundant with humanity and I didn't feel overwhelmed during the last quarter as I unfortunately did with "Kick-Ass". The grand conclusion and the scenes prior to it didn't amuse or thrill me quite like the rest of the film. They're even sort of predictable. The good news is those are the only real complaints I have.
"Kick-Ass" is based on a series of comics, which I haven't read. Regardless, the film feels like it was written and directed by movie lovers. Props go to all the actors for helping to make it come alive. I'm going to close with a clichéd pun, but I don't give a f**k: "Kick-Ass" kicks ass.