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Film Review: ‘Kick Ass’ lives up to its name

By Gaveliers, The Gavel Media Team, on April 16, 2010 11:38 AM

By Sean Meehan, Video Editor -

What do you get when you take the exceedingly stylish violence of Kill Bill, mix it up with the unabashed love of comic books from Spiderman, and add a heavy slathering of Superbad’s humor? That all-parts-awesome blend is a little film called Kick Ass, and it’s already well on it’s way to taking over the geek population. Don’t let the hype, marketing or Clash of the Titans deter you, because Kick Ass is that sort of celebration of style and exuberance that everybody needs to see.

Kick Ass tells the story of Dave Lizewski, a scrawny, nerdy kid who decides to go out and do the one thing we’ve all wanted to do – become a superhero. He’s got no special talents, no radioactive powers, just a green scuba suit and a police baton. His first foray into crime fighting isn’t exactly a success, and he is left stabbed, beaten and hit by a car. As a result of this beating, Dave (or “Kick Ass” to the unsuspecting public) is left with metal reinforcements in his body and a slight ability to withstand more than your average beating. Undeterred by his original failure, Dave goes out into the night yet again, this time fending off a few small-time crooks and garnering heavy internet notoriety. Through a MySpace page that he sets up, Kick Ass begins fighting crime on a first come, first serve basis. Without going into much more detail, let it be said that this lunacy is only the beginning, and the ride only gets faster and crazier.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn and adapted from the Mark Millar’s graphic novels, Kick Ass has a look and feel that is so distinctly “comic book” that it can make Zack Snyder squirm in in his 300 loincloth. The visuals are bright, brutal and bold all at the same time, and the filmmaking that’s on display here is the epitome of fun at the movies. Your response to the following sentence will determine precisely how you’ll react to this film: Nicholas Cage plays Big Daddy – a scenery-chewing ex-cop who has donned a Batman-esque superhero mask and trained his 11-year-old daughter to become a swearing, murdering machine. If that statement made you squeal with excitement, your ticket is probably already preordered. If it provoked a sense of “oh, Nic Cage huh?” then it might take some more convincing.

If one thing can be taken away from the film, it’s Chloe Moretz, and her insanely vulgar portrayal of Hit-Girl. Trained by her father to be the ultimate badass, she’s a perpetually swearing hellraiser that takes down goons three times her size. It’s a bold decision to not dial down the violence and swearing for an 11-year-old character, but this is exactly where Vaughn’s crystalized love of the material steps in and blocks the censorship. Moretz owns the film, and no matter what scene she’s in, you won’t be disappointed.

All of the above points that have been made in the film’s favor could very easily be viewed as flaws. This film is so audience-dependent that it could be argued that it will hurt the film’s overall appeal. I’m of the opinion that anybody can find enjoyment out of Kick Ass, but I’m also sympathetic to the fact that if you hate superhero movies, raunchy comedy and brutal violence, this film will make your head spin.   9.0/10