LuckyWillKICK-ASS Certainly Does
May 2nd 2010 18:00
The online video teasers paint the picture of a funny action film about a kid who decides to try his hand at being a superhero and meets some cool friends along the way. Kind of like Mystery Men but with a little more violence and language. Now for the most part it was funny and it was violent and obscene; however, unlike Mystery Men, much of the storyline itself is actually very serious and things get pretty hardcore in a few places and quite suspenseful. The action is awesome, the jokes are surprisingly funny and the actors do an excellent job in bringing their characters to life. It is a great film to watch.
So who are our heroes? Aaron Johnson aka Dave Lizewski aka Kick-Ass plays the role of an altruistic loser living in a world where superheroes don’t exist beyond the pages of the comic books that he and his 2 friends reverently adore. The trio is ignored by everyone except bullies and spend their days either hanging out at the local comic book store or handing over their lunch money to muggers. That is of course until Dave decides to make a change and purchases a bright green wetsuit with yellow trim and matching ninja sticks from a website. Soon he is out battling bad guys, albeit unsuccessfully, and saving lost kittens, again unsuccessfully. In fact, many of his endeavours result in failure but therein lies the charm of the film. Dave has seen injustice in the world and dreams of preventing it. He can’t fly; he can’t see through walls or break them down but he never gives up. Eventually his beatings necessitate the insertion of metal plates and rods into his body to hold it together along with some nerve damage to most of his body. He is stunned by the results. “I look like freakin Wolverine!” A true nerd.
His new alter ego, Kick-Ass, earns thousands of friends online as videos emerge of his endeavours. One of his greatest moments in the film comes after fending off three thugs in the defence of a beaten down stranger while a dozen onlookers record it, take pictures or simply stare. The thugs lay into Kick-Ass for quite some time but to their amazement he keeps coming back for more. Eventually they stop to ask “What’s wrong with you?” Kick-Ass looks around as he crouches over the stranger “Three guys take on one while everyone else watches and you wanna know what’s wrong with me.” Its one of many great lines he delivers throughout the film which adds a sense of purpose to the film that elevates it above a mere action/comedy. It has a message for society that anyone can make a difference if they are willing to take a chance and coupled with a strong, upbeat soundtrack, I actually felt inspired by the experience of watching it.
The antics of Kick-Ass also draws the attention of two more “super” heroes to his cause; the Batmanesque Big Daddy (Nic Cage) and his young daughter Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz). This dynamic duo are the real deal and take the art of crime fighting to a new, more professional level than Kick-Ass is accustomed to and Hit Girl’s antics, in particular, are breathtaking to watch. Her grace and ruthless weapon skills resemble that of Uma Thurman in Kill Bill without the excessive gushes of blood. But that’s not to say it isn’t gruesome. Hit Girl possesses some dangerous looking blades, guns and a very handy weapon she lends to Kick-Ass toward the end of the film. Big Daddy, not to be out done, also comes with a his own style of combat and though he is a little bigger and heavier than his tiny daughter, the old man moves well and can dish out his punishment with equal venom.
The three heroes must soon face the challenge of a wealthy mob boss out to destroy them for ruining several of his drug runs. Add to this the arrival of a controversial new hero, Red Myst, and the situation very quickly escalates into a huge showdown finale that you cannot miss involving a surprisingly even fist fight between a 40 year old man and a 12 year old girl.
Unlike many action films there are not a lot of BIG special FX or long car chases or massive explosions but there are some. In terms of scale and budget, Kick-Ass is to superhero films what District 9 was to alien films. An inventive new take on a much smaller budget. Comparing Kick-Ass to Batman Begins or District 9 to Independence Day in both cases the former was a better film.
You could see this film on the big screen or you could wait for the DVD but the important thing is that you do see it. I have seen it with both males and females and all enjoyed it. Definitely not one for the kids though. The acting is great, the action is better plus the story and the humour and the message really fill it up and make it whole. You leave feeling good about it. I could not fault this film and as a result I saw it twice in cinemas and will be first in line to grab it when it hits the stores.
Rating: 5 bleeding henchman/ 5
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