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A blend of “Superbad” and “Kill Bill Vol. I,” “Kick-Ass” is both uproariously comedic and outrageously gory.
The opening scene finds our main character, David Lizewski aka Kick-Ass, played by Aaron Johnson discussing why out of all the comic fans, no one has ever tried to be a real-life superhero.
His friends are quick to berate and remind him that superheroes either have super powers or advanced technological equipment that doesn’t exist, and that any ‘real’ superhero would be sure to get his ass kicked.
However, this does little to deter David from his ultimate goal of dressing up in cheap scuba gear and standing up to the scum of New York.
Meanwhile, Frank D’Amico, the local drug kingpin played by Mark Strong, is busy terrorizing the city and his fellow dealers as he tries to discover the whereabouts of a large shipment of missing coke that was reportedly taken by a man dressed up like Batman. Frank is skeptical, and he carves a bloody trail to discover the truth.
All the while, Kick-Ass gains Internet stardom after he is filmed attempting to save a man from being beaten to death.
However, as Kick-Ass gains fame, David continues to be an invisible speck in his high school until he meets Katie Deauxma, played by Lyndsy Fonseca, the girl of his dreams who befriends him only after a rumor circulates that he is gay. Dave, of course, just plays along.
As Kick-Ass becomes a national celebrity, he begins to take on bolder missions, and one leads him to the den of mischievous drug dealers, where he is saved just in time by a young, spear-wielding superhero named Hit-Girl, played by Chloe Moretz, and her companion Father Big Daddy, played by Nicholas Cage, who is dressed like Batman.
Kick-Ass realizes that these superheroes are the real deal, and that he is just some pubescent teenage boy trying to blow off some steam. However, the kingpin Frank blames the publicly visible Kick-Ass, and becomes obsessed with hunting him down. Even sending his own son, played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse (aka McLovin’), dressed as the hero Red Mist to befriend Kick-Ass and lure him into his grips.
Although none of the performances will lead to any Oscars, the acting was senstional for this movie. Lyndsy Fonseca played a wonderfully naïve, stereotypical high school girl. Mark Strong was compelling as a slightly off-hinged kingpin out to destroy any competition. Aaron Johnson was convincing as a nerdy, hormone-raging teenage boy who clearly needs some attention, and just happens to dress up as a superhero.
However, without a doubt, the best performance came from Nicholas Cage, who played one of the more unique characters in Big Daddy that moviegoers will ever see. He’s like a mix of Chuck Norris, Major Payne and Forest Gump. The performance is wild, eccentric, bizarre and Nicholas Cage pulls it off perfectly.
“Kick-Ass” never portends to be a ‘normal’ film about superheroes, but everything it does is passionately outlandish.
The directing, the acting, the filming, the writing and the action scenes are so bold and so strange that this film leaves no middle ground for the viewer.
It is either a film that you will love, or you will hate. “Kick-Ass” is a film along the lines of “Sin City,” “Kill Bill” and “Watchmen.” However, it also is a film that at times resembles “Superbad” and “Austin Powers.”
In order to enjoy “Kick-Ass,” viewers will probably have to enjoy both the raunchy, mocking comedy and the violent, gory action.
However, if you do enjoy films with these qualities then “Kick-Ass” is simply kick ass, and there is nothing cooler than watching Hit Girl wield a glock the way Uma Thurman wields a katana.
