"Kick-Ass" Kicks Ass
Review by Windy
Windy reviews “Kick-Ass”. Take a swing by her website and check out what she’s been up to lately.
“Kick-Ass” Kicks Ass
“Kick-Ass”, directed by Matthew Vaughn and starring Aaron Johnson (“Kick-Ass”), Chloe Moretz (“Hit-Girl”), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (“Red Mist”), Nicholas Cage (“Big Daddy”) and Mark Strong (Frank D’Amico), truly does kick ass.
“Kick-Ass” has a somewhat similar formula to films such as “Date Movie”, “Epic Movie” and “Dance Movie”, but follows a story of its own with a distinct plot and is more successful at engaging the audience. There are plenty of odes to other superhero movies including “Superman” (soundtrack), “Spiderman” (dialogue), “Batman” (costume) and “The Matrix” (action sequences). There are even some similarities to “Superbad”, aside from having Christopher Mintz-Plasse in the film. However, “Kick-Ass” succeeds where the other formula movies fail.
Aaron Johnson stars as the typical high school nobody who reads one too many comic books and decides he wants to be a superhero (“Kick-Ass”) with no particular superpowers aside from an Aqua-Man-type costume and a couple of bobby clubs. After fending off a few petty thieves, Kick-Ass becomes a YouTube sensation and starts up his own website. Through poor website set up, he comes face to face with Hit-Girl (Moretz) and Big Daddy (Cage).
Johnson is exactly like Jonah Hill in Superbad, Michael Cera in any movie, or Jessie Eisenberg in “Adventureland.” He’s the typical dorky kid who gets the hot girl. But he has endearing qualities about him. Despite his superhero status, he never loses sight of who he is and never takes his fame for granted.
Mintz-Plasse is in his now type-cast role of the nerdy guy with no friends who tries desperately to fit in by any mean necessary. He acts his part accordingly, but it’s no different than his character from “Superbad” or “Role Models” – just someone trying to be accepted.
Cage finally has a part where his overacting is perfect for the role. As a cop who is widowed and wrongly imprisoned, Cage is a hardened father who only cares about two things: keeping his daughter safe and armed, and getting back at the person who put him in jail.
Chloe Moretz is an unbelievable stand-out in this film. At 13, she reminds one of Dakota Fanning, if Fanning had chosen action roles in her earlier years. With over 30 film and TV credits to her name, Moretz will be around for a long time. In “Kick-Ass” she has a sharp, if not inappropriate, tongue, with an attitude to match. Dropping words that would make your grandmother blush, Moretz spends the majority of the film in a superhero costume busting bad guys or in curse-word driven conversations with her father (Cage).
The story line is engaging, though slow at times when the superheroes are not present. You most look forward to the action sequences, seeing what Kick-Ass, Hit-Girl and Big Daddy with conjure up next. The three of them together are the most engaging and make the story entertaining.
If you are a fan of action, dorky-guy-gets-the-girl, or totally out of place hold-your-hands-over-your-mouth cursing, then this is the film for you. Even if you’re not, you might want to give it a try. You might just think the film kicks-ass.
6 1/2 out of 10 sandwiches with an extra pickle and a side of fries for Hit-Girl.
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