All clouds have a silver lining.

Rating: 8/10 (14 May 2010)

I didn't see Kick-Ass at a movie theatre, so I don't know how audiences reacted to it. But judging by its rating here many people liked it. I liked it too, and that's because it's the most original film I've seen in a while. Its violence and sexual content will turn off some viewers though. The film centers around Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a teenager who wonders why there aren't any superheroes in real life. This thought leads him to try out being a superhero. The film's realistic approach to this is often amusing. Did I mention that there is violence? A bit of it is hard to watch on first viewing, but just when you think it's gone too far things turn around. Dave isn't really a charismatic character. The film makes up for this with Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage). Hit-Girl is (at least for me) the star of the film. The girl's like a Mongol; determined, inventive and a great fighter. She doesn't have a lot of screen time, but whenever she's on screen things are more interesting. Moretz is very good in the role; she has almost the same effect as Heath Ledger's Joker in the Dark Knight (2008). In addition, she swears but in her case it's just plain cool.
Kick-Ass isn't just about the humour and the action. There's some good character development. Most of the fights are amazing, but the story turns out to be good and varied as well. There are thrills as well as genuine drama. The villains aren't a bunch of pushovers, so the heroes really have to give it their all here. And then there is the effective use of music. Yes, Kick-Ass has a lot going for it. Director Matthew Vaughn should get much of the credit, but every actor delivers too. Last decade's comic book and action films were obviously an inspiration on Kick-Ass, especially Spider-Man (2002) and Kill Bill (2003). However, the film's hero elements seem more effective than those of its inspirations. Because the fantasy elements are kept to a minimum here what the heroes go through really hits home. It's not easy to watch when they're in pain, but it's also thrilling when they succeed. The filmmakers smartly used this to good effect, especially in the second half of the film, which is even more exciting than the first half. And to top it all off Kick-Ass features one of the best (if not the best) uses of a bazooka in film. I recommend Kick-Ass; it even has a lot of replay value.