partly funny, mostly disturbing

Rating: 5/10 (4 August 2010)

I actually went into the theater with high hopes. I saw the trailer and really liked the idea and most of the gags I saw in there. Also, I can usually rely on the IMDb-ratings, as they resemble my taste in movies. I was highly disappointed this time.
The good things first: The movie has its moments. Some jokes are really funny and the overall idea still stands on solid ground. The acting by Aaron Johnson and Nicolas Cage is really solid and carries the plot, Mark Strong pleases as the really bad guy that he already pulled off in "Sherlock Holmes" and "Rock'n'Rolla". The directing is far from brilliant, but it is solid and doesn't annoy.
The problem with the movie is that it can not decide what kind of flick it wants to be. It quickly alternates between "American Pie"-like teenage humor gags, serious character builds (thanks to Nic Cage) and really, really mindless killing sprees. Don't get me wrong, I have seen and enjoyed movies with tons of graphic violence (e.g. "Shoot 'em up"), but they differed in two ways: First they were consistent in their presentation. It is really not funny, borderline disturbing, to see a movie change from children's buddy movie to a little girl slaughtering people, accompanied by aggressive music. And secondly, the killings are far from being taken seriously here. I guess, death is supposed to be funny and that made me forget most of the giggles I squeezed out during other scenes.
Over all: "Kick-Ass" would have gotten a solid 7/10 in my book if it sticked to the feeling of the trailer. It would not have been a great movie, but good entertainment if they had eased down on the violence a little. (Yes, I sometimes like violence in movies, it just seemed inadequately placed here) The way it was presented in the cinema, I can not give it more than 5/10 stars. The funny parts were ruined by the cruel action sequences, the action sequences were ruined by the strange split between not taking it seriously but still accompanying it with The Prodigy, and the serious parts alone were very rare and not able to save the whole movie.
Sorry, but I can not understand how this can be so overrated. Except if mostly kids saw it and found it cool to get some graphic violence in the cinema for once.