Movie Review: 'Kick-Ass'

Seen on: April 7, 2010

The players: Director: Matthew Vaughn, Writers: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Cast: Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Nicolas Cage

Facts of interest: Based on the comic by Mark Millar (illustrated by John Romita)

The plot: Tells the story of Dave, a teenager who decides to become a superhero in order to make his life more interesting.

Our thoughts: Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” is a masterpiece. There, I said it. It’s a film that explodes onto the big screen and pulls you right into the middle of the most awesome action, and it barely gives you a minute to breathe. It’s a thrilling ride from start to finish, and truth be told, it totally blew my socks off. I’ve seen it twice already, and I’m still as stoked about it as ever.

Believe it or not, but I had no trouble falling in love with this adventure even though I never read the comic book. I was hooked to this whole “Kick-Ass” thing ever since I first saw the trailers, and the film definitely exceed all my expectations. It’s an utterly crazy show stuffed with big violence, classy attitude and a ton of coolness, and it flawlessly delivers first-class big-screen entertainment.

In what I consider a superb performance, Aaron Johnson plays Dave Lizewski, an ordinary high schooler who tells us his only power is to be invisible to girls. He’s not the coolest guy in town, and neither are his nerdy friends. In fact, Dave struggles with the absence of adventure in his life so much that he’s willing to do anything to mix things up a bit. His glorious idea: become a superhero.

Fair enough. Dave orders a wetsuit and names himself Kick-Ass, a vigilante who hits the streets to fight crime and protect the good people. Sadly enough, Dave quickly notices that being a superhero isn’t easy when you’re stuck with a poor physique, but luckily for him, he’s got nothing to lose. Hilarity ensues early on, and what follows is an action-packed viewing experience you’ll never forget.

In an attempt not to write a boring essay, let me make this short: “Kick-Ass” has everything a fantastic superhero movie requires, and then some. I mean, this flick works so well on every level, it’s a complete pleasure to fully immerse yourself in the exciting, colorful world Vaughn managed to transfer from Mark Millar’s comic to the big-screen. In brief, this film’s got it all.

Here’s also an insane action movie with characters I actually cared about. Dave is a guy with many issues when we first meet him, but as the story moves on, we really see him progress as a person. He realizes he must accept the consequences resulting from his decision to act as a wannabe superhero and inspire the people around him, and that’s easier said than done.

In a way, the same applies to Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), the father-daughter team of skilled crime-fighters who later team up with Kick-Ass to confront the film’s main villain. As much as she can kick ass and eliminate dozens of armed bad guys at once, Hit Girl at one point realizes that even she is in fact as vulnerable as every other human being out there.

This barely scratches the surface of everything this film has to say, but it’s one thing I remember made me enjoy this thing even more. Other than that, “Kick-Ass” is a beautifully shot movie filled with hysterical jokes and mind-blowing action sequences, and the superb production values are just as fascinating as Jane Goldman and Vaughn’s script.

Yes, there is a ton of profanity and a lot of violence in this film as well, but if that’s not your thing, just stay away from it. Many people out there have already condemned the movie because they believe it glorifies violence by having a 13-year-old girl saying nasty words and killing off people one by one before taking a punch herself, but all I can say is: no need to pee your pants.

Just look at all the other violent, gory crap out there and relax. This is a comic book adaptation I heard stays pretty true to its source material, and in that sense, there’s nothing wrong with it showing people kick ass big time. It’s an enjoyable movie for those loving this genre, and that’s all there is to say about it. No need to whine… it’s still a movie after all.

Anyway, “Kick-Ass” is blessed with a great cast, and Moretz is clearly my favorite. This girl has a big future ahead of her, and watching her shine in the role of Hit-Girl is an immense pleasure. Cage and Johnson are in great shape as well, as is Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who plays Red Mist, another wannabe superhero. Mark Strong is as awesome as ever in the role of the villain Frank D’Amico.

Freaky quote: "Okay you cunts... lets see what you can do now!" - Chloe Moretz

The final word: I feel it’s time to wrap this up. If you’re into this kind of movie, go see “Kick-Ass.” It’s as crazy as a comic book adaptation can get, and it boasts fantastic big-screen entertainment via superb technical aspects, solid writing and excellent acting. It’s a wild ride, folks, and I just loved every minute of it.

Article by Franck Tabouring