Watch Kick-Ass
Watch Kick-Ass movie
- IMDB rating: 8.40
- IMDB votes: 34900
- Release Date: 2010
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- Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan with a few friends and who lives alone with his father. His life is not very difficult and his personal trials not that overwhelming. However, one day he makes the simple decision to become a super-hero even though he has no powers or training.
- tags: Kick-Ass, Dave, Lizewski, unnoticed, high, school, student, comic, book, with, friends, lives, alone, father, life, very, difficult, personal, trials, that, overwhelming, However, makes, simple, decision, become, super-hero, even, though, powers, training
Added: 8 December 2009
Vote: 42
Awesome superhero movie in a different way
I was very excited to see this movie and I was lucky that I was invitedto a screening of the movie. If I have to describe the movie in oneword: awesome. Not only because of the story, the action and thesoundtrack, but also because the genre of super movie took anotherdirection and instead of focusing on adult superheroes like Batman,Spiderman etcetera, you've got now the young and cool Kick-Ass (playedby Aaron Johnson) even without any special powers! Now I forgot onething: the acting. That was excellent, and especially Strong and ChloeMoretz delivered a good job. To keep it brief: go and see the movienext year in cinemas!
User: Alex da SilvaAdded: 26 March 2010
Vote: 3
This film rocked!
Kick Ass is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year, and wehaven't even reached July yet! The hype surrounding this film truly wasreal, and didn't seem a tall like a con. If you want action, then youget action, in bucket loads. The violence is served in a comedic andbrutal style that is pure brilliance to watch. It delivers again andagain, without making you wait, or feel bored- not in Kick Ass! Thecomedy i also thought worked exceedingly well, and at the most unusualof places. To sum Kick Ass up, it is a full throttle roller-coasterride that will have you gagging for more and more, and gives it to youupfront in what is surely to go down as one of the best films of theyear.
User: arthur lang (grindhouse74)Added: 26 March 2010
Vote: 3
A movie that truly Kicks-Ass
Just back from Kick-Ass and all i can say is WOW what a blast, this hasto be one of the best superhero movies ever made, dare i say it "its upthere with The Dark Knight". The basic premise is simple, what we haveis a geek that dreams of being a superhero, then one day he finallybuilds up the courage to go out there and fight crime, however he isvery rusty around the edge's because he has no real training andtherefor gets his Ass-Kicked from time to time, but the kid has heart..He then comes across too other superhero's (Big Dady & Hit Girl) butthey are the real deal, and they have been trained well especially HitGirl. So what follows are these crime busting hero's who are out to getthe bad guys and when the action hits, it hits hard. Not only does itwork as a great action film it also works as a great comedy, and one ofthe cool things about the movie is that we really do care about thecharacters and what they go through. The overall look of the film isvery slick, the violence in some parts are brutal but fun, and some ofthe set pieces towards the end are just OTT, but it all mergesperfectly in the confinements of this beautiful comic book world.. Thiscomes highly recommended, hope they bring out a sequel...
User: LaurensAdded: 10 December 2009
Vote: 10
Surprisingly good 'superhero'-movie, if you liked Snatch, you'll love Kick-Ass!
I was one of the lucky ones who was invited to the test-screening inAmsterdam.
Like most people I spoke after the movie, I was expecting an slightlyamusing low quality comedy (that is probably what the title suggests).But I was blown away in the first 30 seconds of the film! Greatcamera-work, loved the soundtracks, acting was great considering theage and background of most actors! In my opinion it was one of the bestperformances of Nicolas in years, especially thanks to the chemistrybetween him and the little girl. The storyline was awesome! I reallyfelt for the boy, and one moment you're laughing your ass of, the othermoment you're blown away with amazing action shots with great violenthumor! Which brings me to my statement: If you liked Snatch, you'llLOVE this movie!
The beginning was quite long, as mentioned in the comments before mine.But I couldn't think of one scene the movie could do without! Only thelove between the boy and the girl was a bit strange. I don't know howto explain this without giving any spoilers, but in the beginning thegirl seemed important. He was doing like everything to get her, butwhen he got her she was pushed to the background of the story verysuddenly. Also the scene where he gets her felt a little cheap andunfinished. But this perhaps because the version I saw wasn't finished.
I would definitely recommend this movie to everyone I know! 8/10
Added: 26 March 2010
Vote: 4
Cannot Praise This Enough.
Literally just got back from Kick-Ass Go watch this movie now. I cannotpraise it enough.
Casting was perfect. Music was perfect. Characters were perfect.Direction was perfect. Visuals were perfect. Action scenes wereperfect. Comedy was perfect. Story was perfect. Kick-Ass is perfect.
In fact. Kick-Ass is so good, I cannot find fault. Nicholas Cage'sshort and sharp speech as if there was a full stop after every wordwhile he was dressed up as Big Daddy was pretty annoying....but at thesame time...perfect.
The comic moments were genuinely laugh out loud funny, and there wereplenty of them. The heart-warming moments were so heart-warming youcouldn't help but smile. The emotional scenes were so moving you couldalmost cry. The action scenes were so spot on. Everything from theaction itself to the music and camera angles couldn't have been better.Genuinely thrilling and exciting, and the bad-assery was literallybad-ass and...dare I say it...they Kicked-Ass!! Actually amazing.Seriously. I cannot praise this film enough. Just go and see it.
10/10 And no, the rating isn't the result of it being the shiny newfilm. It earned every single star.
Added: 26 March 2010
Vote: 4
Best film I've seen in a long time
I'd seen the trailers to this film and they didn't give much away. Ifyou've ever thought you could be a superhero then this is the film foryou. The fantastic mix of comedy, emotion, parody and sheer downrightawesomeness make this a film not to be missed.
While high in comedy and creating some moments where I was doubled overwhile watching it the film doesn't pass up on scenes that draw you intothe characters either. Sometimes the things you're laughing at arebecause if you didn't you'd cry. There's a dark gritty story behind thehumour that can live up to Sin City, it's just put across in adifferent manner. As with all comic book superheros this one deliversthe drama and background that make the heroics themselves just anotherpart of fleshing out the individuals.
The only way people could possibly pick fault with this film is withthe language and gratuitous violence, but it fits in so well and makesthe picture better for it. This picture deserves to become a cultclassic and I know I'll be buying it as soon as it's out.
Added: 1 April 2010
Vote: 4
A Bazooka?........Okay.......
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fanwith a few friends and who lives alone with his father.
His life is not very difficult and his personal trials not thatoverwhelming.
However, one day he makes the simple decision to become a super-heroeven though he has no powers or training...
This movie feels like it's been a long time coming, I was even worriedat one point that the film would ever get released. How glad I am thatthis film is getting the hype and the coverage it's getting at themoment.
From the upstart, Kick-Ass is a clever, funny, and bittersweet movie,that has so much in common with the films it's 'complimenting' than youwould expect. But obviously Kick-Ass has no special powers, which isthe novel part of the film, but he loses someone close at an early age,has an accident that 'changes' him in someway, a girl he findsattractive but does not know how to approach, the villain, and ofcourse the gaining of self confidence.
Some of the film is very close to the knuckle, and will probably get afew complaints from the stiffs who don't know how to read a movieproperly and have a good time. For instance, when Big Daddy shootsHit-Girl at point blank range, is in bad taste, but it got the biggestlaugh in the cinema, and on the subject of Hit-Girl, she is easily themost likable character in the whole film, even though she has beenbrainwashed and been devoid of a childhood.
Another thing this has in common with other movies it 'compliments',the main character is put in the back seat for the majority of the timein favour of supporting characters. Plasse as Red-Mist is more seriousand evil than the trailer suggests, and pits in a great performance.Strong is good, but sadly wasted as the main villain, but he is reallygreat and is as watchable as always, it's just people familiar withStrong know he has done better before.
Cage gives the best performance he has in nearly ten years, his BigDaddy coming as a cross between Ned Flanders, Patrick Bateman, and ThePunisher, even though he isn't in it much, he steals the show wheneverhe is in it.
The action is frenetic and visceral, but the soundtrack makes theviolence just that little more lighter on the eyes.
The narrative is brilliant, and everything just goes along at such agood pace, that you never get bored of it.
Leaving the film open for a sequel is good, but predictable, but mixingthe comedy with crushingly dark undertones about loss, makes it alittle more emotional.
A great movie, probably the best film released so far this year, anddestined to become a cult phenomenon.
See it before everyone starts quoting line to you on the street.
Added: 31 March 2010
Vote: 5
Inception and Toy Story 3 seriously have their work cut out.
I'm not going to repeat the plot outline because that's been done inall the other reviews so I'll make this short and sweet. Kick-Ass hasraised the bar for the rest of the summer films headed our way. If anyof them are as entertaining as this, then I'll sell the computer I'mtyping this on. Every character is so well done, the action istop-drawer and the dialogue, well, it's razor sharp. Especiallyanything that comes out of Hit-Girl's mouth.
And it really is her movie. Chloe Moretz is one hell of a discovery andis destined to be forever remembered for this role, her debut, and THATline. She simply dominates every scene she's in and is one-to-watch forthe future. Her along with Nic Cage are simply outstanding and it's sonice to see an actor of his calibre doing something decent after whatseems like an eternity of making dross. Mark Strong is also brilliantand actually gets some of the films best lines.
I can't find fault with this film. As well as being a)very, very funnyand b)a corking action picture it is also a very subtle critique on thewhole notion of celebrity and wanting to be famous and the crazedimpersonators it encourages and the resulting swamp of money that canbe made from it. But that's not really the point of Kick-Ass now is it?It's an entertainment first and foremost and I honestly can't rememberthe last time I saw a film that was this much fun. The blackest ofhumour, the slickest comic-book violence - all put together with oodlesof confidence by Matthew Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman, who afterLayer Cake, Stardust and now this, are fast becoming the best creativedouble-act in Britain. It only makes you wonder what Vaughn could havedone with X-Men 3, considering the budget for that was about $150m andKick-Ass had a budget of $28m. After Kick-Ass, the movie world willhopefully be his oyster, and rightly so.
Kick-Ass is out in the UK already but to readers from the US, youshould be very excited, because you're about to get your ass kicked bythe first genuine candidate for film of the year!
Added: 17 April 2010
Vote: 2
Wow. Don't listen to the crybabies.
This movie is very very good. I'm not going to go into why just knowthat its better than the dark knight. The real reason im on here is tocounteract the lame crybabies. (roger ebert im talking about you.) Yesthe violence isover the top. But this is a masterful movie and at thecenter of it shines hit girl. This movie isn't really about kick ass atall. Its about the story of big daddy and hit girl's revenge. Its agripping tale that can only be achieved by extreme violence as the badguys here are truly bad. People are way too used to the lame comic bookbad guys that stand around and chat away giving the hero time to foiltheir plans. Not these guys. They don't f**k around. They will shootyou in the face and laugh about the way your head exploded. So to takethem down calls for extreme measures. All i can say is grow the f**k uppeople and grow some balls. This movie works on every level.
User: ezrahugereviewAdded: 10 April 2010
Vote: 5
Kick-Ass V. The Dark Knight, which one to choose?
KICK-ASS! I finally saw Kick-Ass on April 8th with a crowd ready for agreat time, and YouTube reporter/movie reviewer/practical joker EricStriffler. I even met the dude and he saw it three times (SXSW, Collegescreening, and the screening I attended).
Now let's talk about the film, Kick-Ass:
Kick-Ass is the story of Dave Lezewski who has wondered, "How comenobody's ever tried to be a superhero?" When he attempts this, he getshis ass kicked. Then, he is sent to a hospital where he was able to getmetal plates in his head. He goes and tries to be a superhero once moreand kicks the asses of a few muggers. As a result, he becomes aYouTube/Myspace phenomenon. This gets many into the superhero businessincluding Red Mist, Big Daddy, and Hit Girl.
Let me say right off the bat that this is by FAR the best film of 2010so far! This is the first perfect film of the year. It has a perfectcast ranging from Nicholas Cage giving a sort of Adam West/Batman feelto his Big Daddy character, to a vulgar, violent, and hilariousperformance by Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl. Even the small roles likeFrank D'Micco's bodyguards, to Katie are great. Not a single badperformance in this movie.
The humor is spot on, although not the best humor I've heard this year.Most of the humor does come from Clark Duke and Evan Peters who dobring some great laughs here. I would say that this is the best film inthe comedy genre, but I'd still say that Hot Tub Time Machine is thefunniest film this year.
Now let's talk about the violence which is why people want to see themovie. The violence/gore was beautiful! It was just amazing watchingthese people die in very creative ways. This film is filled with bloodflying everywhere. People are being shot in the face, people explode,and people get their throats slit as if Sweeny Todd was doing it.
I adore this film on a level that people feel with The Dark Knight.This film is the best superhero film I have seen and the best film ofall- time other than Avatar.
Overall, I give Kick-Ass a 5 out of 5 (*****)
Added: 3 April 2010
Vote: 4
Kick Ass: Supers With Bruises
Superhero movies have ruled the box-office for the last decade. TheX-Men, Spider Man, the Incredible Hulk and Iron Man have all becomeintegral parts of popular culture, migrating to Hollywood from therelatively enclosed world of the comic-book. Kick Ass then, with itsfocus on the potential for 'real' super-heroes in a world governed bysilence and complicity, is best described as timely.
Pop culture references abound. 'Youtube' and 'MySpace' (now I'vethought about it, who uses MySpace anymore? Maybe the script waswritten before the Facebook explosion) play integral roles in thenarrative, and in a great self-referential moment the hero of the film,unapologetic geek Dave Lizewski (played with a pitch-perfect accent byAaron Johnson), learns that his crime-fighting exploits are to beadapted into a comic book (the film itself is adapted from MarkMillar's comic book series of the same name).
The story of Kick Ass is simple, which is probably why it's soappealing. Dave Lizewski is a nerdy, comic-book fixated teen,struggling to deal with his burgeoning interest in the opposite sex aswell as the thugs who regularly snatch his lunch money. One day, heasks himself a question; why has no one has ever tried to be asuperhero? He decides to take things to in his own hands, ordering acut-price diving suit and heading out to fight crime as the eponymousKick Ass. By the end of his first mission, he has been knifed in thestomach - not a great way to start a career.
Dave's next mission is more successful, and footage of him literally'kicking ass' goes viral, attracting millions of viewers worldwide. Itsoon emerges that Dave isn't the only super-hero in town. Ex-cop BigDaddy (Nicholas Cage, doing a great Adam West impression) and hiseleven year old daughter Mindy (alias Hit Girl) have an armoury thatlooks like it belongs in a government bunker, and more fighting prowessthan characters you see in 18-rated video games. To watch an elevenyear old girl sprinting along walls and performing back-flips isextraordinary, especially when you consider that the said eleven yearold is also slicing peoples' legs off. 'Big Daddy' is taking hisrevenge on crime-lord Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong) for setting him upfor drug possession before his daughter was born, systematically wipingout swathes of his thugs.
Chris D'Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) - the rich-kid son of FrankD'Amico - also suits up as Red Mist, and as he and Dave join forces thethreat of Chris's increasingly frustrated father becomes steadily moreimmediate.
Some of the best moments in the film are the most taboo. Hit Girl(Chloe Moretz) is clearly the stand out character here, a cyclone ofkilling prowess who takes out six knife-wielding junkies withoutbreaking a sweat. The sheer wrongness of this situation isn't ignored,and in some senses Mindy is a normal kid. When her father takes her toa stretch of concrete wasteland to introduce her to the sensation ofbeing struck down by a bullet, she whines for a trip to the bowlingalley and a bowl of ice-cream. She is simultaneously a ruthless killerand a whiny little girl. Now I look back on it, it's quite unsettlingto think how delighted I was to watch her cut down a ware-house full ofcriminals.
Kick Ass is a marvellous film, consistently funny and heart-felt in theright places. Although its opening sequence would seem to indicate it'sa 'realistic' attempt to portray a super-hero, it's just as absurd asmost other comic-book films. At points it came across as purewish-fulfilment (case in point, an overweight, smug geek pal of Dave'sgetting a spontaneous kiss from one of the hot girls at school), butthat doesn't matter. If anyone goes into Kick Ass expecting adocumentary or a lesson on ethics, they will be sorely disappointed.However, if you want a film that will have you smiling from beginningto end, book your ticket now.
This is just one of many of my reviews. You can read more at my blog:http://picturehouseshots.blogspot.com/
Added: 27 March 2010
Vote: 3
Will make you care about superheroes again.
Watching the trailer for Kick-Ass I was pessimistic. It appeared to beextreme for its own sake, the characters were lazy and unoriginal. Therelationship between hit girl and her father especially struck me asforced and weird for its own sake. Having now watched the film in fullI can't say I was wrong.
The difference, though, is that all of these elements work perfectly incontext, because when a human being decides to go superhero they'relikely to be an unoriginal weirdo, and are certainly taking things tounnecessary extremes. This is the beauty of Kick-Ass, and allows it toeffortlessly achieve that which a recent crop of big budgetdeconstructive superhero flicks have fruitlessly strived for in recenttimes. The Nolan Batmans, Hancock and, most significantly, Watchmentried to show us the consequences of putting a hero in the real world,then laid before us vastly unrealistic and exaggerated characters forour consideration. The problem with these films was that they gotbogged-down in their own significance, imploring us to stop and deeplythink about what a superhero is and the consequent moral implications,etc, etc. They failed to realise that comic book superheroes do nottruly exist, and if they do it is for no other reason than to entertainus. By grasping this, Kick-Ass shines as wonderfully easy to relate toand batsh*t insane, simultaneously.
Many reviewers have praised Kick-Ass as a "thinking person's film" forits unconventional approach to the superhero, but I would argue theexact opposite. Its characters occur so naturally and its events sotypically that the viewer just has to sit back and enjoy the show. Itstreatment of superhero legend somehow avoids both damnation andmockery, and feels like nothing other than joyful celebration andhomage. The glue that holds all of this in place is the film'smagnificent sense of humour which, despite the odd self-aware joke thatmight lose its potency over time (not wanting to die "before findingout what happens on Lost" an example) sure as hell made me laugh.
Added: 28 March 2010
Vote: 3
Spiderman meets Superbad meets Ninja Assassin
Super Kick-Ass film. The level of bloody action never disappoints witha good dose of humour. I have seen the clips and read the reviews.Thought cool I have to see it to believe it. The story is a about atypical geeky high school kid who's real super power is invisibility togirls until he decided that he can no longer stand and watch the pettycrimes that takes place. He donned a rubber costume that he bought online and decided to do something about it in the form of 'Kick-Ass'. Iwon't spoil the rest of the story. Just go and watch it. If you are afan of hard core comic violence you are in for a treat. EspeciallyHit-Girl. You will feel a bit uncomfortable about what looks like a 11year old girl with killer instincts of The Bride (Urman Thurman)in KillBill, but she is so awesome that every time she is the screen trashtalking or mass murdering you will cheer her on. My bad.
User: hughesyhughesyAdded: 28 March 2010
Vote: 5
Well , they got title right.
Maybe I'm getting ahead myself giving it 10 out of 10 . Maybe notbecause Kick Ass is one of those movies you can't find anything wrongwith .
The comedy is top notch , even though it's not totally comedy .Christopher Mintz - Plasse gives the comedy it's edge and the humorelement is completed by Nic Cage's Adam West rendition and ChloeMoretz's shock comedy factor and last but not least Aaron Johnson'sgeeky hero .
The plot ties in everything tightly with no loose ends , twisting andturning but not losing you .
The action sequences are the best I've seen in a long time , MichaelBay would be proud of it .
The Cast are fantastic too . I was unsure of Nic Cage since he isusually cheesy and moody , but alas what a surprise .
I would highly recommended this movie , it doesn't matter if your eightor one hundred and eight SEE IT .
Added: 29 March 2010
Vote: 3
This is how you do it!!!
There is a line where Johnson's Kickass compares his need for actionafter fantasising for a long time with that of a serial killer. Thefilm shares pretty much the same attitude; unconventional in it'sattribution to the more cosmic superhero flicks and dethroning the s**tout of them to claim an entirely unexpected yet commanding fanfollowing. If you think this is an exaggeration, u obviously are aliento the internet.
Saw this at Cineworld Haymarket in London at a preview screening. Hadheard great reviews about it and was sceptical it may not match my highexpectations which has been not infrequent in the past. But Kickass wasFUN!!! right from the shrewd opening scene to the super violentculmination, the movie was just one great ride. Clich?s are over turnedon its head and given new dimensions. Like the inevitable love angle,mental trauma of the superhero- his constant struggle with hisalter-ego and the society's take on his avatar- everything is likenothing you have seen before.
Performances in a superhero flick tend to be incredibly wooden unless agenius like Nolan is at the helm. Without making any comparisons, itssafe to say Mathew Vaughn knows how to mold his actors into thecharacters he has envisaged. Aaron Johnson is confident and quiteperfect as kick-ass with the right amount of vulnerability on show. HisAmerican accent is perfect. Nic Cage makes a welcome comeback in asmall but well written role. Mintz Plasse is competent and is gettingthere. It's always great to see the super cool Mark Strong and he isbrilliant in this too. But as you expected sweet and cuddly ChloeMoretz steals the the thunder and makes Hit Girl an iconic pop culturalphenomenon. The foul mouthed ultra violent 11 year old may have yourgranny fuming at her real life parents but she is sure to have createdan indelible stamp on your mind you will just sympathise with poorgranny for not having nearly as much fun as you did. Trust me, like thenerdy friend of Kickass, you too will fall in love with her! Kudos toVaughn and team for this entertaining little gem and an extra pat onthe back for him for daring to move out of the studio system to fundthe project himself. The film is so much better for it. Don't believeme? Watch studio pet child Wolfman...
Dunno wen this releases in the States but drop your pants and see thiswhenever that is. The most incredibly entertaining flick of the year!!!
Added: 16 April 2010
Vote: 2
A Fun, Sure-Fire Hit!
Few movies can actually have so much blood, carnage, and absolutepolitical incorrectness, and actually get away with it, and Kick-Ass isone of those films. I'll get to the bottom line, while Kick-Ass is notthe greatest superhero film of all-time, and is not as much of a satireof the whole genre as I would have wished, it's just such a good timeat the movies, I completely forgot about anything other than just beingentertained.
The film is a what if scenario. What if superheroes were real? In a waythough, the superheroes in this film are not your average superheroes,more like vigilantes, like the Punisher and such. They kill, they don'tjust bring the crooks to justice, which is one thing that irks me atouch about the film, but not so much that I didn't enjoy it.
It's all about a gawky teen, named Dave, who decides one day to takehis love for superheroes, and put it into practicality by becoming onehimself. One thing that the film does, is it doesn't allow Dave (a.k.a.Kick-Ass) to become Batman or the Punisher, he remains as Peter Parkerwould have had he never been bitten by that spider and still tried tobe a superhero. Like the great hero Spider-man, the film isidentifiable to just about anyone who grew up as a comic book nerd,like myself, which is partly why the film is a joy to watch.
Like Spider-man, Kick-Ass has his Mary Jane in Katie, and unlike thecomic, they actually allow Dave and Katie to hook up in the end, whichI like a lot more to be honest. In both the comic and the film, Daveand Katie become best friends cause Katie thinks Dave is gay, thedifference is, in the film when he reveals he isn't gay, Katie wants tobe his girlfriend, and in the comic she calls him a perverted freak,essentially. For me, this actually gave the film an added layer ofemotional connection, maybe because I am a hopeless romantic, but itmade what could have been a mindless, raunchy, gore-fest, somethingthat actually had a beating heart at its core.
The film is raunchy at times, actually a lot of the times, but it neverseems to be as raunchy as something like Superbad or Knocked Up. It'sjust the right amount of humor at the right times to make you laugh,and most of these laughs are generated by the pint-sized, 11-year-oldassassin Hit-Girl (played marvelously by Chloe Moretz) and her dad, BigDaddy (Nicholas Cage, who does his best to be Adam West). Hit-Girl hasall of the great one-liners in the film, and her and Big Daddy arereally the only two superheroes in the film anyways that actually seemto know what their doing, but their story also lends an emotional coreto the final act of the film that I wont spoil by divulging, but itmakes the action at the end of the film actually feel as if it wasworth something.
I'll just say it, I enjoyed the movie more than I enjoyed the comic.The movie actually allowed itself to have more fun, and that's what Iliked about it. The film reminded me so much as to why I got intocomics as a kid in the first place. I didn't get into comics to havethought provoked, or nothing of that ilk. I got into comics to beentertained, emotionally charged, and taken to a different world for ashort period of time, which is what Kick-Ass does exceptionally well.It is over-the-top and kind of cheesy, but it's enjoyable for the kidinside of me to watch. I mean, Hit-Girl and Kick-Ass flying over NewYork City in a jetpack is so cheesy, but it was my favorite sequence ofthe film. Or what about the badguy getting blown to bits by abazooka!?! Ultimately, if any faults come with the film, it is that thestory kind of lags in the middle sections a bit, and it also missed outon a great many opportunities to be smarter than your average comicbook film and actually be a genuine satire and not just another clich?'comic book film or spoof. But I can't really hold any of this againstit, I had fun watching it, and while I don't think at the end of theyear I'll really remember it all that much, for a night on the town, itwas well worth my $8.25 ticket.
I give Kick-Ass an 8 out of 10!
Added: 19 April 2010
Vote: 6
"Superbad" directed by Quentin Tarantino could've been the pitch in this remarkably revisionistic comic book adaptation ; one of the year's best; Moretz steals the pic!
KICK-ASS (2010) **** Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, ChloeMoretz, Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong, Lyndsy Fonseca, Clark Duke, EvanPeters, Dexter Fletcher, Xander Berkeley, Yancy Butler, KatrenaRochell, Kofi Natei, Elizabeth McGovern. "Superbad" directed by QuentinTarantino could've easily been the pitch for this radically, graphicadaptation of the graphic novel series by Marvel Comics' Mark Millar &John Romita Jr. (who collaborated on the screenplay with Jane Goldmanand the film's director Matthew Vaughn) which is a unique spin on thecomic book genre to say the least. Gawky, teenager geek Dave Lizewski(newbie Johnson in an amiable turn) decides to take up his own "What IfOrdinary People Who Indulge in SuperHero Comics Actually Decided toBecome One" scenario, kicking it up a notch as a self-made vigilante inNYC but faces some serious consequences (i.e. pain inflicted reallydoes hurt!) Also up for some titular t?te-?-t?te (and personalvengeance vendetta) are "Big Daddy" and "Hit-Girl" (Cage having a fieldday as an ex-cop/"Batman" manqu? and newcomer Moretz who truly stealsthe film as the whirling dervish combo of The Tasmanian Devil and TheJoker with her half-pint stature clearly a perfect foil for herhomicidal tendencies with deft aplomb and filthy language to boot; hergauntlet run at the film's climax is truly one for the film vault andworth the price of admission). Stunning, blackly funny and shocking tosay the least, but damn entertaining as well. For the kiddies? NO. Forthose grown-up kiddies: HellzYeah!! One of the year's best and one ofthe best comic book adaptations to date. Revisionist to say the least!
User: the_rattlesnake25Added: 23 March 2010
Vote: 5
Kick-Ass - Fighting for justice 25/8...
Matthew Vaughn's (Layer Cake) latest film is an insane concoction ofaction, comedy, romance and drama under one big superhero-genre roof.Based on Mark Millar's comic of the same name, 'Kick-Ass' follows DaveLizewski (Aaron Johnson), your typical male teenager, who followsthrough on every boy, child and grown man's dream of becoming asuperhero (despite the fact that unlike most modern-day superhero's,Dave has not one extraordinary power or ability what-so-ever). Throwinto the mix a Father-Daughter vigilante team, a love-interest, awannabe superhero with an ulterior motive and a crime boss antagonist,and you have a pretty god-damn fun film worth two hours of your time.
Dave and his friends (Clark Duke, Evan Peters) are nobodies. They arethe emblematic high-school students who waltz through their schoolhallways day-after-day, week-after-week, undetected by those at thepeak of the social hierarchy including the attractive Katie (LyndsyFonseca). Bored of simply keeping a tissue conglomerate in business,Dave decides to take up the challenge of showing everybody that anybodywith a costume can be a 'superhero' and thus his crime-fightingalter-ego of Kick-Ass is born. However Dave isn't the onlycostume-crusader cruising the streets as Big Daddy and Hit-Girl team(Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz) together, as any modern father anddaughter would, by fighting the bloody fight with their own purpose inmind. The main focus of their combined anger is resident crime bossFrank D'Amico (Mark Strong) who will stop at nothing to make sure hismerchandise reaches the streets. While Red Mist (ChristopherMintz-Plasse) also eventually joins in the fun, piggy-backing ofKick-Ass's success.
The true genius of Vaughn and Goldman's adaptation from page-to-screenis that they manage to brilliantly combine elements of pure violentaction, touching emotional relationships and moments of comedy to breakthe ice between brains being scattered and tears being shed. Theon-screen violence is brutal, unflinching and in your face, like ashotgun blast to your temple. From stabbings to the odd, inadvertent,accidental suicide, each action sequence is perfectly orchestrated tocreate maximum enjoyment. While true moments of tender, emotionalrealisations and witty teenage banter counter-act the vicious nature ofthis film, which is as disturbing as it poignant at times, especiallywhen you're transitioning from a brutal beating, to an awkwardfather-son moment within minutes. It all adds to 'Kick-Ass's' quirky,little charm however.
Despite attempting to be a 'superhero' by night, by day Dave is still anormal teenager searching for his true identity, and of course, thatelusive first girlfriend. Aaron Johnson plays this part perfectly, tothe extent in which we should all be able to find a side of Dave toidentify with (we were all young once...). Whilst despite competentperformances from the veterans; Mark Strong and Nicolas Cage, the truegem of this piece is Chloe Moretz, the young girl who plays thehit-girl beyond her own age to a beautifully tragic tee. Hit-Girl is aballsy, yet brilliant character who shows the audience that young girlson the big-screen don't simply need to be emotional vessels or tragicvictims (this could potentially lead to the rise of the aggressive,twelve year old protagonists!), but they can be as dangerous as theadults that hope to protect them.
Probing the depths of the superhero genre in which many fear to tread,'Kick-Ass' is something different which works pretty darn well. It's aviolent superhero film, with a lot of heart and many hilarious moments.
Added: 26 March 2010
Vote: 4
This isn't hyped at all - it's genuinely excellent
Watched it tonight, it is indeed very very good and surprised me. Insome ways the trailer is misleading - it's definitely very funny, nodoubt about that, but it's very dark in places. I'd say only very earlyscenes are played for laughs. A lot of the scenes in the second halfare full of suspense and only have 'light relief' for humour. It'scomic in the sense that, say, Snatch is. If anything it plays out likea gangster film, with goodies and baddies taking turns to have theupper hand. Certainly several places were brit-crime-flick in tone.(Before you ask, yes it does work along side the equally strong 'teencomedy' side of things - he's unwittingly drawn into this murky world)
It was great to see the shot and dialogue nods to, well, just aboutevery famous superhero film - usually quite subtly (I recognised someshots, although can't place from where), occasionally knowingly.
This definitely isn't a gimmick film - it's exceptionally well made,with an excellent story with no 'stupid' plot bits to think of,fantastic acting and characters you care for. Some of the action scenesare truly superb, and all different - there's some very imaginativestuff going on here. The trailer definitely doesn't have all the bestbits (something I was worried about)
Actually, more I think about it, the more I think I've watchedsomething superb tonight. Great entertainment and an excellent film.9/10
As an aside, come to think of it, if the entire film was no-substanceentertainment, like the trailer might imply, then there's no waycritics would be getting such high praise - it would be getting 3/5,6/10 etc.. Empire and Total Film have given it 5 and 4 stars becauseit's an exceptionally good film. Simple as that!
Added: 1 April 2010
Vote: 4
KICK-ASS Review (Minor Spoilers)
Violence - Check! Sex - Check! Drugs - Check! Foul Language - Check!Burning Buildings and crazy costumes - Check! And this was just my busjourney through East London to the cinema. I was off to see the newSuperhero film, Kick-Ass fromProducer-cum-Director-cum-moghul-cum-Supermodel's husband-cum-luckybastard, Matthew Vaughn.
The advertisement campaign for Kick-Ass has been huge. You couldn'twalk ten feet without seeing a poster with the green, wet suitedavenger staring at you. And after after watching several (extremelyviolent) trailers, I was excited to catch an early showing of the filmand put up an early review. Those plans were almost scuppered however,as I didn't put my serious-film-reviewer-hat on as i accidentally gotvery, very drunk! A friend and I had pre-booked tickets to see the filmat the Screen on the Green in North London. A lovely little cinema withEXTREMELY comfortable sofas with arm and footrests (well, that is theleast you would expect for ?12.50 a ticket!) and a little table toplace your drinks as there is a fully licensed bar with table service.I had no idea about this and if I did I probably wouldn't have had the5 pints with dinner as we went through a bottle of red by the time thetrailers were over. Let's hope this doesn't hinder my review! From whatI remember...
Kick-Ass is the total antithesis of most superheroes movies that hascome before it. It's an R-Rated Spider-Man if you will. Dave Lizewskiis basically Peter Parker in disguise. He has the same geeky demeanorand is ignored by women. He lives in the same colourful, leafy suburbsof New York and is beset by family tragedy. But where as a film likeSpider-Man only alludes to issues of growing up and being a teenager,Kick-Ass slaps you across the face with them with a nunchuck.
Take an early scene in the first Spider-man film for example, wherePeter Parker is exploring a new part of himself, shooting that sticky,creamy substance from his wrist in his bedroom. Aunt May is dismayed bythe clamour and wonders what is going on behind closed doors in hisroom. She knows what he is really doing. We all know what he is doing.In Kick-Ass, no subtlety is needed. Dave is a typical teenager and isjerking off to his school teacher before the opening credits are over.When he becomes a superhero, we see him use his superpowers for good byhaving sex with his new girlfriend in the ally. The best quote fromthis film that sums up where Kick-Ass sits in the realm of Superherofilms is this: "With great power, comes NO responsibility!".
All the characters are foul mouthed and vicious. The only other film ican think of that was similar was the Watchmen, but that was so darkand brooding, more in tone with The Dark Knight. Kick-Ass still looksand feels like a comic book, just with real characters. For example,before the film even begins we see a guy fall to his death trying to bea superhero. But he was not a hero, just mentally insane. It wasrefreshing to see a film that was fantastical yet set in the real worldat the same time.
Aaron Johnson is good as Kick-Ass, as are the rest of the supportingcast, but the real star of the show for me is Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl.She swears like a sailor and and is more clinical with her gun thanDirty Harry. It's unbelievable seeing how sweet she can be in onescene, yet so convincing shooting up a whole gang in the next. NicolasCage is surprisingly good as Big Daddy and Red Mist still has a bit ofthe 'McLovin's about him but is still has some funny lines.
The directing was also quite impressive and Matthew Vaughn has clearlydone his homework into the superhero genre. There are also someoriginal moments to the film and the action sequences are exciting andexhilarating. It was good to see some great camera and grip work in thefilm moving Matthew Vaughn forward visually and stylistically. Onescene in the lumber yard is particularly great to look at withoutcompromising the story.
If I had any gripes with the film, it would be that it looked sosimilar to some other superhero films in tone, and was almost a shotfor shot copy of Spider-Man in certain areas. I would guess thefilm-makers would say that this is the point as it was supposed to besimilar yet drastically different at the same time. The film stillworked however, and if this was my only complaint I don't think theyhave anything to worry about.
Kick-Ass is the kind of superhero film that you have always wanted tosee. Kick-Ass could be anyone of us as despite being set in a fantasyworld of costume avengers, Kick-Ass has no superpowers, no money and nospecial gadgets. Just a will and a desire to make a difference. I doubtpeople will try to copy Kick-Ass and try and become a superhero intheir own right, but it has certainly given me a few ideas of my own.Not from a need or desire to do good and fight crime, but i might needa costume and some nunchucks just to make it back home through the meanstreets of hackney! Wish me luck...
