Another Comic Adaption

Rating: 5/10 (29 July 2013)

I was entertained by this movie, but a little disappointed as well. The beginning of the movie felt like I was seeing something different, and with all the superhero/comic movies being made now, it would be an accomplishment for someone to make one that felt like it had a unique perspective on the the genre. I think that for a little while, the fact that the movie has an R rating is what made it feel different, since the dialog didn't have to be as clean. I enjoyed most of the setup of the movie, with the kid becoming a hero and getting closer to the girl. Mid-way through the movie, we get the back story of Nicholas Cage's character, and the plot then becomes a typical action story (ex-cop turned vigilante trying to bring down big city drug lord???) It was the first big letdown, going from something fresh and different to a story we've heard a million times. The filmmakers keep it up in the air a little longer with the subplot about the gangleader's son becoming Red Mist and the ambiguity as to what he really wants. I wasn't sure if the kid wanted to really help his dad, or if he would break away and join Kick Ass. By the end, it really does turn into a by-the-numbers action movie with a climax ripped off from another big dumb action movie, True Lies. I think some viewers think that the fact that one of the characters was an 11 year old girl doing martial arts and killing lots of bad guys made this movie "surprising" or "original," but under the surface, it was nothing new.