Not quite what I was expecting, but still an entertaining movie.

Rating: 7/10 (18 August 2010)

7.5
I don't like superhero movies. In fact, I don't like superheroes very much at all. I can't quite understand what it is exactly about superheroes that makes people my age so attracted to them. I think it's a juvenile fantasy, and it looks dumb. Little kids fantasize about having unique super powers, and having great strength. Spiderman even babies us, and tells us, "yeah, you can have all that power, but you need to use it responsibly."
Here comes Kick-Ass, a superhero movie that is not about superheroes, but rather, normal people who aspire to be superheroes. In premise, it sounds interesting. However, the final product becomes an unrealistic and over the top excuse for slapstick. In fact, the interactions between the main characters in Kick-Ass are pretty juvenile, and it's pretty clear this movie is aimed for tweens. The villain is a rich mobster who takes his anger out on superheroes who seem to be dedicated to ruining his vile business. The main character, Kick-Ass, acts like a child most of the time and his interaction with Red Mist, who is actually the mobster's son, is like watching teenagers interact awkwardly. OK, maybe there's nothing wrong with a movie for youth, but if you were expecting more, this is what you're getting instead.
Kick-Ass's main hook is that the so-called "superheroes" do not actually have any super powers. Unfortunately, they either have an incredible ability for martial arts, a knack for avoiding death, or shrugging off fatal injury. If you ask me, those are pretty good super powers. The movie loses its ground to reality when the little girl is flipping around the room dismembering adults (armed ones) with her weapons. I was expecting Kick-Ass to be sort of like the original Watchmen graphic novel, and explore what human discipline and willpower can achieve. However, it's just a shallow comedy.
The filmmaking in Kick-Ass isn't bad, but it also isn't anything special. The film is obviously professionally done, but then there are those typical camera angles. Sure, it's nice to be able to comfortably take in what's on the screen, but there's so much more that can be done with a camera. And there's also so much more that could have been done with the film's idea.
I hate to knock on a film for being either bad or mediocre. I appreciate all films and I hope that the experience of creating one serves as an aid to the abilities of those involved. Kick-Ass will entertain young audiences, especially those who love comic books and superheroes. But for those that were hoping for something more, do not expect a lot, for fear that you will be disappointed like I was. I hate to succumb to peer hype, but unfortunately Kick-Ass is a victim of this. Or am I the victim, because I didn't enjoy Kick-Ass as much as everyone else did? Either way, if I sound like a jerk, you'll probably enjoy Kick-Ass.