An Acceptably Average Action-Comedy.

Rating: 5/10 (23 September 2011)

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) always wanted to be a super hero. For the life of him he couldn't understand why nobody ever tried to be one. A few online purchases (and a whole lot of nerve) later, and he's become "Kick-Ass." After a few unsuccessful bouts of crime-fighting, he becomes an internet sensation, inspiring a slew of equally flamboyant superheroes to take to the streets.
I neither understand the incredible critical praise nor the stern moral condemnation that this film has received. It struck me as neither good or lewd enough to illicit either response. Yes, the language was very, very foul, yes it glorified violence (especially in pre-teens) and yes it did, at least to some degree, sexualize an eleven year old actress (although it did so more comedically than seriously, given that Hit girl being "hot" was the punchline of at least one joke). The language was no worse than any number of other movies, only this time they came from a little girl. That too was part of the film, that such vulgarity came from such an unlikely source. As for glorifying violence, it is a super-hero movie, after all. It's simply following genre expectations. While I will admit that it was at times a little extreme (when Big Daddy and Hit girl handcuff a man to a car, put him in a running car compacter), it does so in its capacity as a comedy (presenting a caricature of Batman-esque violence). In short, it doesn't transgress arbitrary moral boundaries any more than any number of other films have already done.
As for the praise, I just don't see why. The movie was entertaining, but that was all. The plot, while functional, was more than a little uninspired: Dave and Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca) get together because she thinks that he's gay and always wanted a gay best friend. The acting oscillates from perfectly average (mot of the main characters) to completely inept (most of the minor characters). The dialog was jilted and awkward, even by the standard of teen romances; Aaron Johnson and Lyndsy Fonseca have a unique anti-chemistry between them that just doesn't get the job done. These flaws might not sink the film, but it does little more than keep it afloat.
For all of its negative qualities, however, it does accurately portray the cult-like fascination modern culture has with superheroes (even the most incompetent of them): meme-like fandom followed by a plethora of imitators. It gives us, if nothing else, a pathetic lens through which we can view what our own dreams of super heroism would look like.
The film's apropos use music and genuinely impressive fight choreography are perhaps its most strikingly positive qualities. Their conjunctive use, however, create a lackluster tension between comedy and action. Sadly, the film never really excels in either genre. Fans of most contemporary comedies, superhero culture and perhaps mass communication as well should find "Kick-Ass" at least passingly enjoyable.