Kick Ass
Starring: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rating: 4/5
Ok so Kick Ass may have been surrounded in controversy these last couple of weeks, all for a little bit of swearing, but don't let this put you off as Kick Ass really is one hell of a ride.
Dave Lizewski (Johnson), a kid growing up in a rundown suburb of America, he isn’t a gamer, he isn’t a jock, he isn’t a mathlete, he’s just a regular kid.
When he is not hanging out at the local comic store with his friends Todd and Marty, he is fantasising about his school teacher and Katie Deauxma, the class hottie.
The only thing that is unusual about Dave is that about a year ago his Mother died and he now lived alone with his father. But somehow through this blend of normality, teenage angst and irritation at being continually mugged, Dave makes the decision to become a superhero’ Kick Ass!
Dave’s first foray into being a Superhero results in him being stabbed and run over.
When Dave recovers he realises he can’t walk away from being a hero, and when he successfully steps in on a mugging he brings himself to the attention of the US media and Frank D’Amico could this be the guy who nicked his coke? As Dave gets sucked into the dark world of vigilante crime fighting he gains a sidekick named ‘Red Mist’.
Right lets get the bad out of the way first; the movie is way too long, a good half hour really could do with getting rid of. Secondly the action really doesn't come thick and fast which leaves the in between plot a little sagging and lacking.
Despite those little issues Vaughn really has delivered a top quality comic book movie that's like nothing that we have ever seen before.
The movie just brims with originality and flair as Goldman and Vaughn have produced a very smart and funny script that delivers plenty of laughs.
But what is great about Kick Ass it's lack of gimmicky special effects that so many of the blockbuster movies have come to depend on, making it a blast of fresh air.
Also the mix of established and unknown talent really works well as Aaron Johnson turns in a great performance as the masked crusader Kick Ass, who is tired of people standing idly by while others are in trouble.
The established talent comes in the form of Nicolas Cage and Mark Strong who both turn in excellent, yet restrained, performances as they don't overshadow their younger and less experienced co-stars,
Now the movie may be called Kick Ass but, without a shadow of a doubt, the film belongs to the pocket sized killing machine that is Hit Girl.
Yes Chloe Moretz buts in an outstanding turn as foul mouthed, lethal vigilante, swearing and all, to really steal the show.
It's the young actress that gets the major actions sequences and they are really something to behold as she kicks the crap out of just about everybody.
The movie is dripping in black humour as it pokes fun at the comic book movie genre and the expectations we have come to have of those movies.
The action does dip a little in places, which is a real shame, but on the whole Vaughn has directed with originality and flair which makes Kick Ass one of the standout movies in it's genre.
I don't know about you but I smell possible sequel!
Kick Ass is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw