Kick-Ass Scores A Tentative 'F#@k Yeah' Out of 10
I'm going to see Kick-Ass. So does it live up to the title or what?
Not much for easing into it, are you?
It's called Kick-Ass, man. I'm not buying a ticket for insight into the Human Dilemma or whatever. Skip the film-critic foreplay and review the fuckin' movie.
... Fair enough.
Yes, the movie lives up to its title. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the things these characters do with weapons remind me of the first time I ever saw Equilibrium or The Matrix. Vaughn even has a character specifically name-drop John Woo. This would be a huge act of chutzpah if he didn't have the clanging set of church bell balls necessary to actually achieve the sort of operatic bullet ballet of early 90s Woo.
I knew it! So if you had to give it a letter grade or whatever, we're looking at a "SHIT YEAH out of 10," right?
Well, wait a minute. Like even the best John Woo movies, there are pockets of cheesy, eye-rolling melodrama that seem to belong in a different, much worse movie. At first, we're firmly planted in a smartassed, but realistic world: Dave Lizewski is a dork who isn't special, isn't noticed, lives alone with his widowed dad, jerks off a lot and reads comics. One day, he decides that he should be a superhero, so he orders a wetsuit, puts on a mask and promptly gets his shit ruined. The first 20 minutes work as a winking deconstruction of the medium, a commentary on the silliness of superheroes. But director Matthew Vaughn loves him some fantasy. This is, after all, the guy who made Stardust, which was essentially a feature length love letter to The Princess Bride. At some point, he starts dialing back the realism and letting classic comic-book fantasy elements creep in. It occurs roughly around the point when Nicolas Cage first appears.
Oh yeah, Nicolas Cage is in this! Tell me he's as batshit insane as I'm hoping.
It's like he's channeling an unholy trinity of William Shatner, Adam West and Christopher Walken. He plays Big Daddy, a disgraced cop, framed by the city's crime boss. After being released from a five year bid in prison, he trains his 10-year-old daughter to be the sidekick Hit-Girl. Considering the Marvel pedigree of this film, I'll explain it like this: Imagine a "What If" issue where The Punisher was Alan Thicke, and Deadpool was Shirley Temple with Tourette's.
Due to a case of mistaken secret identities, Kick-Ass is forced to work with Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, and from there the film starts slowly cranking up the crazy, until it resembles a Looney Tune written by Frank Miller and directed by Steven Spielberg. It's socially irresponsible, morally irredeemable and pretty goddamned glorious to behold.
So then what's all that garbage about Melodramatic Hot Pockets or whatever you were saying earlier?
Don't get me wrong, the film bothers to create actual characters. For as crazy as Big Daddy and Hit-Girl are, their relationship has real love at the center of it, and they make it felt.
But contrary to early word out of SXSW this year, it's not the superhero movie that "changes the game." I don't think that was ever on the table, even if Mark Millar's source material could carry that much weight (and it can't), Kick-Ass the movie isn't really built for that. It feels more like Matthew Vaughn wanted to goose the genre a little, not subvert and rewrite it. Girls are gotten, speeches are made, vengeance is earned and kitties are rescued. Dramatically, Vaughn sometimes chooses to respectfully cop-out instead of disrespectfully kicking ass.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Yeah, the movie spends a little too much time asking the audience to care whether Dave gets laid, and the soundtrack is filled with the same pseudo-Nickleback bullshit that plagued the Spider-Man movies. But other than a few dead spots weighed down with unearned gravitas, Kick-Ass does so. In fact, if I had to make a hasty judgment call that I'll probably revisit ruefully in a couple years, this easily makes the list of 10 best superhero films.
Top 10, huh?
Maybe even Top 5. Maybe.
OK, one last thing: This whole Hit-Girl controversy about her being sexualized jail-bait?
Oh, it's bullshit. The movie is too busy making Chloe Moretz into America's Cutest Homicidal Ninja Maniac to waste time tarting her up. Chris Hansen doesn't have to worry about skulking around the back of multiplexes with a camera-crew while this is in theaters. The only real negative I can foresee is this: It gives overweight cosplayers yet another inappropriate costume to squeeze into. Get ready for 35-year-old, 210-pound Hit-Girls haggling over back-issues at a Comic-Con near you.
So it's worth it, then?
It depends on whether you enjoy superheroes, smartassery, and inventive, gratuitous violence. Even if the world of undies-on-the-outside isn't grabbing you, the action sequences are smartly set up, elegantly choreographed and brutally paid off in a way that would make old-school John Woo proud he got a shout out.
For me, the best part of this movie is that Hit Girl takes a bit of an ass whooping in the final fight. Not that I want to see a little girl get beat up by any stretch, but it was very realistic. For as uber-trained as she was, she was still a young girl fighting a full grown man. I give special credit for her acting when she got knocked to the floor the first time. I could totally feel the "Oh s**t, this is for real" feeling the character had to have had there. Had they gone all camp and had her kick his ass it would have looked stupid. But both of them taking an ass whooping but her winning because she was the good guy felt believable.
ReplyHmm. Guess I'm the odd one out. I hated it. Not my style I guess. I did like the weapons though. Actually, I liked most of the movie. But it went from comedy to holy s**t that's the saddest f*****g ending ever, and it wasn't even necessary. I am always sad when Nick Cage dies in a movie.. I really like him.
ReplyI didn't like what they did with Ellen Page's character, but I liked it overall.
I liked it until he came up in a jetpack with twin gatling guns firing right next to both of his eardrums.
ReplyLoved the film then bought the comic book(s/compilation) it was based on. Alas, I found that it sucked. The movie's way better. :D
Replyok you know how in anime the heros/heroins are some tiems around hit girls age when they fight, and it dosent seem strange. but it was kinda weird to see a live person that yong fighting (even though me and my sister were both taught to fight at a young age)
Reply Hide All See All 3 RepliesWere you both training to be the Wondertwins, mayhaps?
mayhaps. that is my new favorite word.
I have long loved the word mayhaps. I use it all the time.
I have to say, as a Marine brat, the scene where Hit-Girl and Big Daddy are introduced (out of costume) was strangely reminiscent of my childhood.
Replyi know what you mean, my dads a cop who's been teaching me to fight since i was 5. he never shot at me while i wore a bullet proof vest, but on top of the obviuos hits ive taken in spars, he has tasered and peppersprayed me so i would know what it felt like and could fight through it.
I was so stoned the first time I saw this film...so very stoned. I was not quite prepared for the tidal wave of awesomeness that swept over me. I'm getting a bit emotional thinking about it...
ReplyHit Girl Resembles natalie portman in the professional
Replyf**k errybody. this movie was kick-ass... jus sayin'...
ReplyIt's one of my all time favorite movies.
Reply"..directed by Steven Spielberg."Uh, what?
Reply"Due to a case of mistaken secret identities, Kick-Ass is forced to work with Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, and from there the film starts slowly cranking up the crazy, until it resembles a Looney Tune written by Frank Miller and directed by Steven Spielberg."
That was actually the full quote he used. That means kinda like it was an example or a metaphor, actually. Not a GUNDAM FACT!!! GUNDAMMIT!!
i saw that movie to. It was the most f**king collest movie ive ever seen.when i was getting ready i thought it was gonna be like an average superhero movie but i was wrong. pretty much the same thing Shramir wrote.
Reply"Pretty much the same thing". That doesn't make the comment any justice.
are either of these comments in English?
i just watched this movie for the first time last night, and i thought it was f**king awesome. it definitely isnt an average superhero movie thats for sure.
Replyoh man, but did i love this movie. on occasion i get that feeling which is kinda inspiration. like a physical tingle and this movie devlived that about 3 times! ive not felt it since i were 15! loved it
Replyi cant understand what the hell your talking about.
Yeah! Were you smoking pot AND Writing that s**t?
This movie may have "changed the game" if it stuck to Millar's awesome twists, like Big Daddy actually being an accountant, having lied to his duaghter so her life wouldn't be boring, and Kick-Ass being rejected by the girl who thought he was gay, and instead of dating him, sending him pics of her real boyfriend's dick in her mouth. Also, spoiler alert!
ReplyAgreed, it would've been better if they'd stuck a little closer to the source material.
The thing about Millar is he doesn't so much deconstruct superheroes as much as fans these days. I'm thinking the film tones it down, but the book was pretty much designed to snark on whoever might be reading it.
ReplyThey f**ked it all up. Fuck the movie.
ReplyI didn't expect it to be exactly the same, but they changed several important plot elements. Seriously, its a total bummer.
Amen
No, it was better than the comic. Though I do prefer they kept the reaction from the girl in the comic after finding out Dave is kick-ass. And I'd had also enjoyed it if they kept Red Mist's identity as a secret twist.
Also, it is important to note that the movie and the comic were written AT THE SAME TIME. So there we are.
Equilibrium sucks.
Reply Hide All See All 3 RepliesWait wait wait: William Shatner, Adam West, AND Christopher Walken?
You sir, have sold a ticket.
ummm... none of those guys were in Equilibrium?
None of them were in Kick-Ass, either. Your point?
Equilibrium dragged a little ... but how can you not be blown away by Gun Kata?
Saw it Sunday, not bad. Vaughn also made f'ing "Layer Cake" (badass) if "Stardust" (meh) didn't grab you. On a Mark Millar ("Wanted") comic, except they didn't totally rewrite the original work in question ("Wanted" was raped/pillaged). Good movie, bla bla bla, about as engaging as "Zombieland" maybe (IMO).
ReplyNot saying I seen the source but Wanted had the scent of Hollywood rape on it from the first few minute in. I was so hopeful too. :-(
I skimmed the comic. Yeah, it was a case of truly devastating Hollyrape.
I gotta say, this is a good review except for the part about the soundtrack. I didnt find any of the songs even close to Nickleback. Seriously, The Prodigy and Gnarls Barkley dont really add up to Nickleback. The soundtrack was totally awesome, to the point that I actually purchased it the second I got a chance. I suggest you all do the same. Because im sure youre all cool, arent you?
ReplyI totally agree. Although a couple of the clips were average at best, the prodigy et al are great choices and I listen to John Murphy's piece at least once a week (you might recognise it from 28 days later & sunshine etc).