Kick-Ass (2010) User Reviews

It's funny, it's violent, and actually a breath of fresh air among all of the trite genre movies.

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 6 August 2012]

"Why hasn't anyone become a superhero?"

That question is at the heart of Matthew Vaughn's "Kick-Ass", a deconstructionist superhero movie that sees awkward teenager Dave (Aaron Johnson) actually don the spandex and venture out onto the rooftops ... who then proceeds to promptly gets his ass kicked on more than one occasion.

But the question gets away from Vaughn, as the movie introduces a larger narrative and centers on a violent pre-teen girl (Chloe Moretz) who, as the sidekick to the Batman-esque Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), eschews a normal childhood in favor of ACTUALLY kicking ass.

For the most part, it's a fun ride. Cage gleefully chews the scenery in his gun-wielding Batman ripoff role (complete with Adam West dialogue impersonation). "Kick-Ass" features more bloody fight scenes than you can shake a stick at, with Moretz doing most of the anatomical damage. And unless you're Roger Ebert, there's some deliciously twisted humor to be found in those ass-kickings. And Mark Strong shines as the big bad guy crime boss (unexpectedly hilarious).

There are moments of adolescent angst, the "hero" actually does get the girl (not really a spoiler, here) and the words, "With no power comes no responsibility" are actually uttered. What better time for this movie's release than at the height (I hope) of Hollywood's superhero fetish.

7/10

Funny and different

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 19 March 2012]

This is an unusually interesting comic book adaptation movie. It's got action but it's actually part comedy romance and part teen movie. It's quite story driven too with interesting amusing dialog and voice overs. IT doesn't take itself too seriously which is good. The violence is there but it's not as bad as some of the new movies.

The leads are appealing Aaron Johnson has an expressive face and suits the role. Lyndsy Fonseca is quite a charming love interest. Chloe Moretz makes a rather controversial role quite cute as the violent kid. Nicholas Cage is in a supporting role.

Quite watchable and different.

With no power comes no responsibility

[filmbantha · 9/10 · 22 March 2010]

It has been a long time since I have left a screening with endorphins pumping through my body and the strong urge to learn a martial art but Kick-Ass did exactly that; I felt like I could take on the world! An explosive ride that covers insane action sequences, intelligent superhero parodies and intense dramatic turns, Kick-Ass is a welcome addition to the realm of the comic-book movie.

I was initially sceptical about the prospect of watching another superhero spoof movie, most recent attempts at the genre have been abysmal, but Kick-Ass completely transcends its predecessors through the use of intelligent pastiche which drives the story forward as well as providing laughs. The brilliantly choreographed action scenes would not feel out of place in a Spiderman film, or even a Tarantino script, in fact it feels like Spiderman and Kill Bill were put into a blender and Kick-Ass was the end result.

The story focuses on Dave Lizewski, your average teenage nerd, whose obsession with comic books inspires him to create his very own superhero, Kick-Ass, despite his discernible lack of superpowers. Dave's attempts to become a vigilante crime fighter initially end in disaster but in the process of rescuing a cat his luck changes, propelling him into the public limelight and establishing him as a figure to be reckoned with.

It is not long before other vigilantes surface, some desperate for the fame and attention, others out for revenge, and when Kick-Ass becomes embroiled in a crime lords devious plans, we are treated to a number of intense melees that gradually escalate in size and repercussions for those involved. There has been some controversy over the graphic violence depicted in these scenes, especially as the trailer is intended to appeal to a fairly young audience, and that comes as no surprise when a pre-teen girl decapitates villains on screen and uses the c*** word. Controversy aside, I cannot deny that this was very entertaining.

Chloe Moretz easily steals the show as Hit Girl - the incredibly volatile young superhero with a penchant for explicit language, which will surely propel her into the realms of stardom. Nicolas Cage is surprisingly effective as her doting father, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse is ever watchable as Red Mist. However it is Aaron Johnson who shows the most promise as Kick-Ass, with his convincing turn from a bumbling student to a brave and reckless crime fighter marking him as a talent to watch out for.

An essential part of the film is its eclectic soundtrack, with choice tracks taken from excellent films such as 28 Days Later and For a few dollars more. Usually I would be concerned at such a prospect but the Kick-Ass soundtrack adapts the tracks brilliantly, making them feel like its own, alongside great songs from The Prodigy and Sparks to name a few. The choice of music fits perfectly with the high-octane action sequences and even adds emotional depth to key scenes - not bad for a superhero comedy movie!

Kick-Ass is that rarest of films, a successful hybrid of two genres that delivers an almost perfect cinematic experience. My only criticism would be that some sequences near the end were slightly far-fetched but in a film where suspension of belief is required, maybe I'm being a little harsh. This is an essential film for all cinema-goers, catch it on the big screen and I guarantee you will be completely immersed in the explosive yet entertaining world of Kick-Ass

9/10

If you liked this film you will also enjoy these:

Special, Spiderman, The Dark Knight and Superbad

Surprisingly Good Movie

[naiksrn · 10/10 · 31 May 2010]

I saw the previews for this and thought this was going to be one of those slapstick stupid comedy movies (Superbad, Super Hero Movie). I came on IMDb and saw the rating and the reviews and I thought I'd reconsider after doing some research on this. I was very wrong with my initial assessment. Yes, there's some teen comedic elements to this movie, but the movie flowed perfectly. Great Soundtrack, great fight scenes, acting was good, story was great and original. With a current IMDb rating of 8.3 as I write this, look's like I'm not alone on how I rated this movie. Show stealer was definitely Hit Girl. I foresee her having a huge career. Possibly the next Natalie Portman. Reminded me of Natalie's role in Leon. Which leads me to my next point. Unless you're into comic books, video games, in your teens/20's/30's and don't have a young kid, you might be taken aback that a little 11 year old girl is killing people and using bad words. For those that gave this a bad review because of that, do some research on a movie before you go see something that you think you won't like. I hate musicals and I'm not going to pay 10 bucks to see High School Musical and then come in here and complain that there was too much singing and dancing. It's clearly geared at a older teen/young adult audience and is rated R, what did you expect. In closing, one of the most entertaining films I've ever seen.

Gget ready for the new classic superhero movie!

[marxthedude · 10/10 · 2 March 2010]

In a movie industry cluttered with own-grown hype, gimmicks and lack of idea, "Kick Ass" bursts onto the screen and shatters all expectations in it's wake. You're on this page because you think it's gonna be good? Wrong. Or you're here because you think it looks a decent or a good superhero movie to join the ranks of the ones you already love? DEAD wrong. Reason being, is "Kick Ass"doesn't want to be good or above average, "Kick Ass" wants to be great and it has the balls to want to be original too. Seemingly impossible in a done to death genre where we've already glimpsed Mark Millar's signature style in "Wanted", but "Kick Ass" is all about the unexpected.

Make no mistake, nothing you believe of this movie compares to what Vaughn and co. serve up for you. Mainly because everyone involved seems determined to honour the comic and redefine a genre. Most movies entertain, but this one? It wants to BLOW YOU AWAY! Less smarter movies have done that but "Kick Ass" ain't giving that up either. It's script is razor-sharp, dumping the pretension of "the burden of heroism" crippling even the better superhero films, showing this in actions rather than long drawn out emoting. Matthew Vaughn has finally solved the hurdle that all superhero movies suffer, namely how to get to know and love your characters without long drawn out scenes. He does it by keeping them moving. The more they do, the more they try, the more you know and love them. And make the narrative interesting and most of all relatable so we're with Dave 100% of the way, it doesn't just have to functional.

The real visual joy of "Kick Ass" is it's desire to keep it simple but not at the expense of wowing us. Make characters do cool things, instead of Michael Bay-esquire things happening to them. That's why they exude coolness, despite Dave's almost humdrum existence. This is the everyman doing the things we could do if wanted to; not a guy from another reality or possessed with great drive and ambition. Dave wants to get laid. He wants to be hip. Even your bad guy in this is believable. Watching the whirlwind that is Hit Girl perform a routine almost straight out of Jackie Chan's Hong Kong days stuns us in a way no big screen chase ever could. Visually the film takes all the thing we DID love from the movies that ultimately didn't zing and churns them into a finely balanced flawless brew.

Did I mention it's feel good? From it's inspired use of music (again utterly relatable) right down to it's outstanding score, like "Get Carter" for superheroes; I could say more but there's surprises in store.

In a movie this stunning, acting is usually secondary (as any James Cameron film shows). Not a bit of it. In a cast as eclectic as the styles the film embraces you have performances that set a benchmark for all concerned. Can Mark Strong already better his stellar work? See his menacing and humorous turn as D'Amico, a career best. Christopher Mintz Plasse follows "Role Models" by breaking out of McLovin mode. His guy has layers and he can show them. Nicolas Cage as expected returns to his past glories playing larger than life eccentric characters but not without a little sadness too. Joining him is Chloe Moretz forever destined to be remembered for her first major role. She idolised Angelina Jolie apparently. Guess what, you trounced any action movie she has ever made! Moretz dominates any scenes she's in, no easy task considering her fellow cast! Aaron Johnson has the most difficult job of all. Being an original uber-geek after Michael Cera set the standard (anyone who's seen "Zombieland" knows it's hard to write an original geek even in a great movie). He shakes it, redefines it and OWNS it. He leads the movie like he wrote it, joined by a cast where even the smallest roles are fully fleshed out. It's quite an ensemble. A renegade band of acting styles forming a perfect one and complementing the film's fun style.

Watching "Kick Ass" is ultimately like being on a thrill-ride, it doesn't just want to dazzle you, it's wants to draw you in, ride the wave and leave the cinema on a high. And it doesn't do that with gimmicks or tried and tested formula's, it breaks the mold, shakes conventions and wants you to be surprised while complementing all the movies you already love. It's not just a movie, it's a standard, one that promises to prove movies like this can be written with great heart and brain.

And ultimately you'll be leaving the screen thinking "Wow, let's do that again" no matter how many agains come before it.

Kick-Ass

[0U · 15 February 2020]

A great adaptation of the source material makes for a very entertaining and violent ride. Begs the question, what would a superhero be like in real life? If you dig violent action and can handle a lot of profanity, this movie could be for you. Chloe Grace Moretz without question steals the show in this one.

Kick-Ass: 7/10

[jnguyen46117 · 7/10 · 21 December 2010]

Dave is a loser with a nerdy comicy brain. No one knew him at his school and his friends are just a bunch of losers. One day he saw a guy being beat up by a bunch of thugs and decided to jump in a help with his superhero costume. The video was captured and became an internet phenomenon. Everyone tried to figure out who was this guy and named his Kick-Ass. Kick-Ass became a pop icon just in days. After hearing about Kick-Ass, hit men Big Daddy & Hit Girl decided to go after him to join him with their group. Going through lots of violence and profanity, Kick-Ass finally got that these two don't kid around. They kill mercilessly, they enjoy taking lives, and they cuss like a bunch of New Yorkers. Kick-Ass is a refreshingly new film that adds to the comic-action-films genre. Kudos to strong performances from crazyass Nicolas Cage and the fouled-mouth Chloe Moretz. OscarBuzz: Long shots for Best Visual Effect

Superbad meets Kill Bill

[moitrayana · 9/10 · 26 March 2010]

You know that rare feeling... happens every year or so... when you pour out of the cinema SO excited at the film you've just watched, and every other word is "ohmygodilovedtwithbitwherethey"? Well 'Ding', Kick ass hits that sweet spot. Comprising teen comedy, kick-ass action (sorry) and a healthy dose of comic book style violence and gore, it rocks.

It's Superbad meets Kill Bill.

The film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the comic book, and where tweaks have been made, they make the plot more robust for the audience to empathise with.

Kick-ass is stylish, fun, daring, and the dark surprise of violence and gore kept the balance of comic teen angst fresh: a delicious perk me up when you were settling into comedy mode. There was never a dull moment in the pace of the film, never a flimsy plot point, and actually the audience guffawed their way through the film. Did I mention it has a cool soundtrack to boot? I've already got it on my Phone.

Good - not great.

[aeon_static · 7/10 · 11 August 2010]

Seeing how the audience's standards seem to have lowered over the past decade, I generally expect a movie heralded as "great" to be decent, but almost never great.

That's where Kick-Ass lies in my book. I enjoyed the ride, and as an incredibly picky viewer, that says something. The film is, however, far from perfect - which is forgivable. There were a number of things, however, that could've been avoided or addressed, that would've helped the film to be truly great.

First, and most notably, is the film's outright identity crisis in theme. In a normal superhero or awesome vigilante tale, we expect a great amount of suspension of disbelief. Lots of things are going to happen that are totally unrealistic. That's fine. We expect that. Then, what amount of realism can be injected into the tale is a sort of treat - it helps with the immersion and seems to give the outlandish stuff some credibility... At least, enough to keep you involved.

With Kick-Ass, however, it was the complete opposite. The first act of the movie stresses the idea that "this story is grounded in a realistic world". That's fine. But then, later, when the outlandish stuff goes on... It's cool, and I can enjoy it, but it ripped me out of the world I thought I had just been introduced to. Only now do we understand that this is more of a mish-mash of themes - that it's actually not much different at heart from other superhero tales. That's fine. But what gives? You got me to LIKE the "realistic" side of things. You got me invested in it. Did you really think you couldn't stick to that for the entire movie, still follow the same plot, and not have it walk away victorious? Sigh.

The music has the same problems. One second we're immersed under hypnotically epic tracks from the films "28 Days Later" and "Sunshine" - - then it turns around and prods a pop-rock track at us akin to a normal "edgy teen flick".

In short, I found myself not knowing what to feel at a given moment, because I was too busy wondering how I should feel about the previous 20 minutes. Speaking of running time, with the amount of scenes that were drawn out for dramatic effect (only to be resolved in a minute or two by grandiose action), they could've developed one more superhero and had him/her die in a gritty, realistic manner. Would've helped.

Worst of all was the final reveal of the "secret weapon", which, even though it exists in the real world, was seriously off the mark. I won't spoil anything, but if the "secret weapon" had been revealed to be a tricked-out grenade launcher, a single mini-gun, one of those armed robot rover things... Anything along those ends would've sufficed. What it actually turned out to be was just too much.

All in all, I still found my attention fixed on the film, and I did find myself "digging it". The effort was noble. The result was well-done. For a little get-away into a movie on a Friday night, I supposed you couldn't ask for more.

Kick-Ass kicks ass, but I'll have to stick with The Dark Knight as the best modern superhero flick ... for now. 7/10

KICK-ASS kicked my ass

[pgtmatrix · 9/10 · 16 April 2010]

This is definitely the best movie of 2010 so far, hands down. Not only is it insanely funny throughout, it has a great story and in-your-face action that will (pun intended) kick your ass.

It's the story of a high school comic book nerd who decides he's going to take up being a costumed hero because no one else will. Early on he discovers that society could care less about the evils that be, and he takes it upon himself to do something about it. But of course none of the "super heroes" in the movie actually have powers, because it's about real people kicking real ass. Early on you'll find the protagonist, Dave, is a pushover and even as his costumed alter-ego, Kick-Ass, he can't succeed in anything he does. He comes off as an extremely unlikable character, but as the story unfolds and he gets mixed up with other costumed heroes who really do kick ass, he slowly becomes the perfect anti-hero and a character which will most likely be a new icon in popular culture.

The script for the film is remarkably well written and it managed to combine hilarious comedy with incredibly graphic, stylized violence. Never have I seen a movie that combined the two so well. One moment, you'll be crying from laughter and the next you'll be squinching at a little girl slaughtering grown men with the slightest of ease.

The directing was top-notch and this is the first film i've seen from Matthew Vaughn. If Kick-Ass doesn't put him on the map as one of the most sought after directors in Hollywood then I don't know what will.

The acting was superb from the entire cast, especially from veteran Nicolas Cage. He played his part perfectly and I couldn't see any one else as Big Daddy. As impressed as I was with Cage's performance, I was blown away with how well Chloe Moretz, Hit-Girl, played her part. She definitely stole the show.

I honestly couldn't recommend this movie more, and it has become one of my new personal favorites. Kick-Ass is a film about finding your identity and daring to do something no one else will. Yet it's also an intricate tale of revenge, which is masterfully crafted to be one of the most entertaining pieces of fiction I have ever had the pleasure of viewing.

10 out of 10

"Without Power Comes No Responsibility"

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 11 December 2021]

For once a superhero movie characterised by dayglo colours and dynamic narrative rather than hushed voices and morose posturing; and with a wittily assembled collage of familiar themes on the soundtrack.

A fanciful mixture of the tongue-in-cheek and queasily realistic bloodshed; poor Kick-Ass (wearing a - probably deliberately - stupid-looking costume evidently not the work of Edna Mode, and who's "only superpower was being invisible to girls") is totally outclassed by ferocious, potty-mouthed moppet Hit-Girl Chloe Grace Moretz (wearing what looks like one of the wigs worn by the Moonbase girls in 'U. F. O.').

wild ride

[dromasca · 7/10 · 8 July 2012]

The heroes in 'Kick-Ass' are not made of special forms of matter and are not un-breakable. They try however to live to the ambitions of the super-heroes myth in a world which seems to believe in myths, and take the superhero life-style paths. Of course, when regular people act as super-heroes they can also get hurt, especially as they are at different levels of evolution in their training. A dad and his 11 years daughter seem to be the most advanced, with a high-school teenager who is actually the main hero following them bravely on the same path. Another teenager rather seems to be on the dark side, but he also tries the funny costumes and the weapons of the trade. The names of the heroes are Big Daddy, Hit Girl, Kick-Ass which seem like warnings not to take things too much seriously. There are some background explanations, but these do not count too much. The general tone of the film is on the comic register, a combination of superheroes parody and teenager growing pains comedy but the mix becomes lethal when it comes to action scenes. These are actually as violent as you can get in a Tarantino movie, and the scenes featuring the father training his 11 years daughter to become a killing machine (even if for the good cause of justice) risk to upset anybody who stops for a second to reflect at what is presented on the screen, and takes the subject too seriously and out of the nonsense territory.

The film does also belong to another genre - the 'how could Nicholas Cage pick such a role?' one. With all due respect for the film, which is actually a well made, well paced and entertaining movie if you can overcome or you do not care about the moral aspects, Cage's presence in a supporting role in which he walks most of the time with a ridiculous thick make-up is wasted time for his enormous talent. That's certainly just a (big) fan opinion. Otherwise you can accept the convention and just enjoy the wild ride.

Kick Ass is Bad Ass

[socklessmenace · 9/10 · 23 April 2010]

Anyone who has ever wished to be a superhero, pretended to fly, super punch, turn invisible or just plain kick some ass but knew you never could...here's the movie for you!

Although deserving it's 18A R rating, this movie will blow your mind with awesomeness, yes thats right AWESOMENESS. The main character Kick-Ass is both comedic, quirky, and relatable (weather to yourself or someone you know) to anyone who's ever been to high school. His friends, also comedic, also will remind any guy of their own little group of three musketeers talking about movies, sports, comics and of coarse girls. The other heroes, such as Hit-Girl (who alone could provides the R rating) and Big-Daddy act as a total sub plot to the film that eventually mashes together with Kick-ass's story. They provide the majority of the REAL ASS KICKING. Also the characters actually get so connected with you that by the end you will actually feel and sympathize with the obstacles and tragedies they have to go through. Despite all the blood and violence there are some touching moments in this film.

In all, this movie rocked, it's not for kids, it'll blow your mind, the filming technique was great props to the director, the acting was good, the action was sweet, and the movie in total kicked some SERIOUS ASS!!!

Brilliant. Everything works perfectly in this amazing movie.

[claudio-domingues · 10/10 · 7 July 2010]

Kick-ass tells the story of Dave, a common teenager without anything special about him. Through his sense of justice and some events he decides to become a "Superhero" and hardly tries to save innocent people.

Why did I like this movie so much? Well, that's not easy to explain. The acting was flawless (in my opinion) with Aaron (Dave/Kick-ass), Chloe (Hit-girl) and Christopher (Chris/Red Mist) giving their best and shining throughout the entire movie. The storyline, even though it may not be the most original one, is amazingly well developed. The movie goes by at a perfect rhythm, combining comedy with action just perfectly. The music was amazingly well picked and combined 100% with every scene. and so on and so forth...

When I left the theater I was so excited, so happy and so energetic, it looked like I just had a shot of adrenaline! And I couldn't stop talking about the movie. It's been a really long time since I felt this way about a movie.

Now I know this movie is going to feed a lot of haters. It's normal. A lot of people walk into the theater with their mind already set, like "This movie is for nerds. It's going to suck so much.", if you have that kind of mentality just save yourself the time and don't watch it. Why bother if throughout the whole movie you're just going to be looking for flaws or rolling your eyes at every joke.

I loved this movie. I don't care about anything other people say. Kick- ass is my favorite movie of all time. I have no doubt about that.

No Powers, No Training, No Problem

[freemantle_uk · 9/10 · 27 March 2010]

Mark Millar whom started out in the British Comic Book industry, writing for 2000AD and Sonic the Comic has become one of the biggest comic book writers around, writing for Marvel and DC with major characters like Spider-man, X-Men, Wolverine and Superman, before being able to create his own comics. His first film adaptation was the weak, dumbed down version of the Matrix, Wanted: but luckily Kick-Ass is a lot better.

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) is a typical New York teenager, who is a comic-book fan, and not in any particular group in High School. He is ignored by girls, including Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca), the girl he fancies. Dave however fantasises about what it would be like to be a superhero and he makes an effort to make it happen. After his first attempt at vigilante justice Dave ends up having a big accident and his nerve endings are damage. But this gives him a high pain threshold and after being videotaped fighting three men at once Dave becomes a internet sensation and his alter-ego, Kick-Ass is born. But Dave as Kick-Ass gets in over his head when he meets two real heroes, Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage), and his young girl Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz), a brilliant martial artist and skilled assassin. Big Daddy sets out to bring down the crime lord Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), taking down his organisation from the bottom up. As Kick-Ass Dave is brought into their violence world. As well as these superhero actives Dave has to hide his identity, whilst using his fame in the internet age to help people out through Myspace. He also finally get's Katie's attentions, but for all the wrong reasons.

The director Matthew Vaughn had been touted to direct comic book conversions before. He was offered the chance to do X-Men: The Last Stand but left because of the rushed production and weak script, and missed out on directing Thor when his script turned out would have cost too much. He has proved to be a skilled director, having done the great gangster film Layer Cake and the fun fantasy romp Stardust. With Kick-Ass he is able to make a stylist, colourful comic-book conversion. It is fast-paced, action-packed, violence and very funny throughout. Vaughn was able to make a live action comic, with stylist vision trick, compared to Ang Lee who tried and failed with Hulk. An excellent film in vain of Frank Miller films like Sin City and 300. Vaughn shows how an action sequence should be directed, with Hit-Girl and her wide range of weapons making excellent viewing. Vaughn made the film like a violence parody of Spider-man, following similar plot elements, scenes like Dave designing his costume, having a similar score and basically plays on wider superhero conventions. But this was a parody which pays tribute and respects the genre it's lampooning, not aiming for cheap laughs.

Aaron Johnson offers an excellent performance as Dave/Kick-Ass. He is like Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker, going through similar issues, using a voice-over throughout the film, and even sounds like Maguire. He is an actor with a bright future ahead of him. Vaughn is able to assemble a good supporting cast. Nicholas Cage is a known superhero fan and he missed out playing both Iron Man and Superman in the past. He is excellent as the man of action as Big Daddy, and is a deranged but loving father. He is one an important quest to take down Frank D'Amico. Mark Strong has been making headway in Hollywood recently, being in films like Body of Lies and Sherlock Holmes. He plays an effective villain, a gangster slowly becoming more violence and erratic because of the Kick-Ass phenomenon. He too is a deranged and loving father despite his business. But the real star out of the supporting actors is Chloe Moretz as the foul month 11-year-old assassin who is hard as nails, but also at times a sweet-natured girl and it is wonderfully played when the two characteristics are compared. She is one of the most fun characters in a film this year.

Kick-Ass is not perfect, and it will not cater to everyone's tastes, but it is easily one of the most fun films of 2010.

Best original superhero movie to date

[willrasmussen-617-992319 · 10/10 · 12 August 2010]

When I first saw Kick Ass i was expecting more action than comedy. However, I was wrong with how surprisingly funny the movie turned out to be. I thought Hit Girl was what made the movie shine as she was cussing and slaughtering people. Aaron Johnson did a good job playing the lead role of Kick Ass and I thought Nicolas Cage was good at playing Big Daddy as it wasn't the typical Cage film. This movie beats a lot of those stupid high school movies and chick flicks that are trying to be funny but fail. This is a great combination of bloody action and comedy. Its the Super Bad meets Kill Bill genre. I highly recommend this film.

The subversive and daring superhero comic-noir that opened the door for Kingsman and Deadpool

[IonicBreezeMachine · 8/10 · 16 February 2022]

Daze Lizewski (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) is an average high schooler in New York City who by his own words has nothing special about him. Dave has a crush on his classmate Katie Deauxma (Lyndsy Fonseca) but lacking the confidence to engage her spends time with his two friends Marty (Clarke Duke) and Todd (Evan Peters) reading and discussing the minutia of comics. Dave wonders why no-one becomes a superhero in real life and decides to purchase a green wetsuit with yellow piping and matching mask to become a masked crime fighter. When his first attempt fails leaving him stabbed and injured, his injuries give him the benefit of deadening his nerve endings allowing him heightened tolerance to pain. Kick-Ass becomes a viral sensation while Dave gets the attention of his crush Katie only to find out she thinks he's gay. Meanwhile, Kick-Ass is not the only superhero vigilante as former cop Damon Macready (Nicolas Cage) and his daughter Mindy (Chloe Grace Moretz) also do vigilante activities as Big Daddy and Hit-Girl respectively intent on taking down crime boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong) who framed Damon and caused a string of events that led to his wife's suicide. As Dave continues to fight as Kick-Ass and other heroes like Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) appear in the scene, Dave finds his world spiraling out of control with escalating violence and chaos.

Kick-Ass is an adaptation of the creator owned comic written by Mark Millar and illustrated by John Romita Jr. Of the same name. The rights to the film were sold before a single issue of the comic was published as a chance encounter between Millar and director Matthew Vaughn at the premiere of Vaughn's sophomore feature Stardust lead to the two discussing Millar's concept which lead to Millar writing the comic and Vaughn and his writing partner Jane Goldman writing the script for the film. While studios were interested in the property, they wanted to either age up the characters (particularly Hit-Girl) or tone down the violence both of which Vaughn refused. This meant that financing was done independently with no studio set to distribute the film until Lionsgate finally acquired the film for a wide-release. The movie received terrific reviews from critics (with exceptions from some who decried the film's violence as "morally reprehensible"). While Box Office for the film was okay, Lionsgate had expected due to the amount of internet traffic surrounding the film it would be on the level of something like Zombieland but ended more on a level similar to Kill Bill or one of the Punisher movies. The movie did however score some solid home media sales. Kick-Ass is an influential film that may not have been given its deserve audience recognition, but it's a daring an influential movie that laid the foundation for other challenging comic book adaptations like Kingsman and Deadpool.

Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn have done a great job translating Mark Millar's work to film. I actually didn't like the Kick-Ass comic and despite it being one of Mark Millar's best known works, it's probably the one I least like (maybe Marvel's Civil War at a close second). The Kick-Ass comic is a very nasty mean spirited piece of work and it's not because of its violence (that I have no problem with), but because it's got a very nihilistic and misanthropic core to it that actively revels in a lot of elements that feel bitter, dark, and sometimes downright hateful (especially a twist involving Big Daddy that's thankfully been excised from the film). The comic also gave me the sense that it hated its main character with Dave often portrayed as kind of a weaselly and pathetic character who at one point stands around a location for three hours to talk to his dream girl and not to spoil anything but that dream girl, imagine the exact opposite of every mainstream love story you've seen then multiply it by a schadenfreude factor of five. Goldman and Vaughn's take on the character makes Dave a more relatable character and the movie feels like it believes in him and wants him to win in a way the comic never gave us. While Goldman and Vaughn do a good job of translating most of the core elements from the comic, they do struggle with one, the character of Red Mist. In both the comic and movie, Chris aka Red Mist, is the son of the main gangster bad guy who becomes instrumental Frank D'Amico's war against the costumed crimefighters. While Chris wasn't all that interesting or developed in the comics, his character did at least make sense within the story. Chris in the movie is very odd because he wants to be like his father Frank, but he also is shown to respect Kick-Ass (to a degree anyway) and at one point even tries to help Kick-Ass which puts the character in an odd place as he's got redeeming points to him while also still serving as an antagonist. The movie also keeps the "gay misunderstanding" subplot from the comic and I suppose it's handled a little better here than when it was in the comic, but there are still elements that are cringe inducing in hindsight such as the "spray on tan" scene. With that said I do prefer Goldman and Vaughn's take on the subplot over Mark Millar's so it's still a net improvement overall.

Despite some hiccups in translating the material, the movie's cast does great with it. Nicolas Cage is amazing as Big Daddy with his trademark intensity coming through in all the best ways (especially in narrating a 3D rendered comic-book style original story of how he and his daughter became Big Daddy and Hit-Girl). Aaron-Taylor Johnson is a likable lead in the role of Dave/Kick-Ass and he shows a natural charm and charisma in his performance here. Mark Strong is also a lot of fun as our main antagonist Frank D'Amico who takes the very basic gangster archetype and plays up the humor from the frustration he feels at having costumed nuts ruining his business. But stealing every scene she's in is Chloe Grace Moretz as Mindy aka Hit-Girl whose action scenes are the highlight of the film as she unleashes bullets and foul language aplenty in sequences that are both darkly humorous and also quite thrilling.

Kick-Ass is a strong and stylish superhero film that plays its concept of "real world" superheroes quite well both for dark as black humor as well as for action-noir. Matthew Vaughn stylishly directs the film with his and Jane Goldman's screenplay filing down the rougher edges of Mark Millar's source work while keeping the core appeal and the cast do a great job of bringing their characters to life. Kick-Ass is entertainingly violent and darkly humorous and if those are what you expect, you'll get them with a heaping helping of style and craft.

Quick review after seeing it back to back with the next one

[Dr_Sagan · 13 February 2016]

This an action comedy film addressed to younger audiences, heavy on gruesome violence and gleeful profanity.

Main star is 12 y.o. Chloë Grace Moretz who steals all the attention with her performance and her action scenes. Nicolas Cage plays her father and looks and acts ridiculous even in some really disturbing scenes.

This movie has a rather unique visual style. Unevenly Joyful to much the extremely bloody violence. In some fighting scenes looks like a multicolor version of the Matrix.

The music and songs aren't always suitable but it seems like the director chose this tongue-in-chick approach to remind you that this is nothing more than plain entertainment.

Overall: If you don't mind the gruesome violence and you have strong suspension of disbelief, check it out.

Fantastic Fun, The True Beginning of the Summer Season

[cadillac20 · 9/10 · 21 April 2010]

Kick Ass is a film that has been hyped almost insurmountably. With fan praise, critical hype, and trailers that showed all kinds of fun, one wouldn't be mistaken to think this film might be over-hyped. But after seeing the film, one WOULD be mistaken to think this is anything but a great achievement for comic book films and summer blockbusters.

By now, you should know the basic premise of Kick Ass: an average teenager decides to don a costume and become a superhero. There are no superpowers, no advanced martial arts training, and Kick Ass is no one man army. He's just a kid tired of no one doing anything about the bastards of the world. Helping him are Big Daddy and Hit Girl, two heroes who are highly trained and highly armed, and yes they kick a great deal of ass. Red Mist joins in on the fun halfway through. Together they aim to take down the big baddie of the film, the crime boss running most of NY.

The film itself takes a standard formula for comic book films. There is the progression of becoming the hero: the training, the failures, the costume creation. The villain is introduced. There are a number of fights in between and a final battle that has probably the best action in the whole movie. However, what separates the film from others is both it's brutality and wit. This isn't as much of a fantasy film as say Spider-Man or Batman, where these guys parade around some fantasy version of their city and use it as a playground to take out fantastical villains. It's all grounded in reality. Several scenes are brutal, and even a bit gory, reminding you that this is all very much real. It doesn't feel all that exaggerated either. Although the conclusion is laughably over the top, most of the film is brutal enough that you feel what these characters are going through. Kick Ass' very first endeavor is a good example of this, when everything goes wrong and it lands him in the hospital for quite a long time. It's a reminder that this experience won't be like the others.

It helps that the production is fantastic. All the actors do an excellent job in their respective parts. Aaron Johnson is perfect for the part as the seemingly nervous and nerdy Lizewski. There will no doubt be many comparisons to Peter Parker, as they share many similar qualities, but this one stands out because of his normalcy. As he explains in the film, he's no one special, and this makes him especially relatable. He's the normal guy who's simply fed up with being and seeing people get kicked around. The highlights of the film, however, are Chloe Moretz and Nicholas Cage as Big Daddy and Hit Girl, respectively. They steal the show, not just as their superhero alter ego's, but as a daughter and father. Their relationship is both a big part of the films humor and quite touching. As disturbed as one might be seeing how they are together, it's a sweet relationship that truly stands out. Mark Strong stands out as the mob boss villain. He could have played it over the top, but here he seems very fitting as he portrays an ugly villain that is quite suitable. My one issue is Christopher Plasse, who may be a bit oddly cast as Red Mist. While he does channel a little bit of his McLovin into the role, which seems to work, he seems a bit out of place, especially as the villains son.

The rest of the production is admirable. The directing is quite well done and allows the fight scenes to actually be visible, thankfully, which is coupled with the editing, which is also excellent, the warehouse scene being a key highlight. The script is also highly enjoyable, with quite a bit of wit and humor with all the violence and drama.

Kick Ass is an incredibly enjoyable film that sparks the new season of film. It stands as the first blockbuster and a testament to comic book films and what they can be. But above all, this is a fun film that brings memorable characters to the screen and should leave you smiling when it's all said and done.

Like Nothing I Expected

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 3 August 2013]

I do remember hearing about KICK ASS on its release but for some inexplicable reason never got round to watching it until it was shown on Channel 4 tonight . I do recall it caused a bit of a stir along the lines of being a little bit violent but hey vigilante wannabes giving a few slaps to bad guys means we're not watching Walt Disney but did have the impression it was going to be a good natured movie that possibly the whole family could enjoy . I have totally embarrassed myself typing that last line and should have listened to the channel 4 announcer warn of violence , strong language and scenes some viewers might find offensive

What we have is John Woo meets Quintan Tarantino meets Hollywood obsession with comic book heroes and this isn't really a criticism but it does indicate that this is certainly not the family friendly fare I thought I might have been watching . It does have a good natured premise ripe for all types of dark humour where Dave Lizewski a gauche New York teenager suffering from existentialist angst decides he's had enough of being a nobody and decides to take on the criminal underworld as " Kick Ass " a real life superhero who is going to live up to his name

This is how the early parts of the film play out and is blackly comical as Kick Ass has a quixotic plan to clean up the streets . Try and think of TAXI DRIVER where Scorsese cast a happy clappy Christian youth as Travis Bickle and you're on the right tracks . The amusing tone of the film then changes as we're introduced to Hit Girl a pre-pubescent child who spends much of the film dispatching bad guys in a variety of graphic ways . Let's be honest here if she was in her early 20s and played by Megan Fox no one would have blinked an eyelid and if we were to be even more honest she'd be some sort of masturbatory fantasy figure but because the character is eleven years old that changes the whole game and watching Hit Girl jump around in the style of THE MATRIX literally slicing and dicing gangsters does make for uncomfortable viewing and some cynics might say she is included to stir up controversy

Matthew Vaughn proves himself as one of the most interesting directors and if you want to say that he's more style than substance then I won't disagree with you but will defend him on the grounds that if you're this talented when it comes to style who needs any substance . Like his earlier film LAYER CAKE there's a danger of the whole film collapsing in to one big bad mess but is directed with such directorial flourish this never happens . He does help his cause by including a great soundtrack and might be seen as a cheap trick but is very effective

KICK ASS is a very enjoyable film for those in the mood for some stylish designer violence but I should emphasise it is a violent film and the fact that much of the violence is tongue in cheek might ironically alienate audience members more than it might have done if everything had been played in a slightly more serious way , but there's an energy here rarely seen in other films featuring vigilantes and superheroes

My Review After Preview

[khayamster-1 · 4 December 2009]

Well where I can begin. I was invited to view the preview and write a short review over this movie KICKASS. I must say I entered the theatre with a very sceptical approach (i was assuming i would rate the movie 4/10), the tag line for the film did not appeal to me and I expected the aimed audience to be for teenagers.

I was shocked to see unique character chemistry between nick and his little one (you will find out when u watch it people). This film is very exciting and I ended up giving it a rating of 7/10 because I must say I have not seen a movie like this before. I actually enjoyed this movie very much....after half way. But none the less it was very well choreographed with the fight and action scenes with good but rare humour. Is this film violent......YES! Is the film straight to the point with the action....YES? Is this film worth watching.....YES! Was I impressed....YES I must say I proudly flaunted the idea to my friends that I had the opportunity to see it first.

But it took to long to start..."the film" if you know what i mean

I'm not a film critic hehe although I was sitting next to one at the time and he mirrored my feelings towards the movie.... He said at the end "Well!! Did u like it?" I replied..."hmmm very different and I would watch it again although it was slow paced to begin with" He replied..."yeh could do with a bit of snipping, and then it would be just fine!" And we talked over and over the scenes we couldn't get enough of, which I think every person will feel is the same after watching this movie.. it is like a modern day 300 hehe

So don't expect me to be deep in detail because I am to busy saving the world right now.

rating 7/10 people get out there and watch it!!

Awesome Movie. probably the best movie of the year

[hitndip · 10/10 · 5 March 2010]

Saw it yesterday from a movie screening. This movie has it all, comedy, action, and story. I recommend this movie to everyone who has a sense of humor. best thing of all nothing in this movie was over exaggerating. The fighting scenes were well done and the actors were very good. If your into superhero movies and want to check something new out. this is it. The story alone makes the movie all that much better. A lot of action movies either have to much action and not a good story or very little action and a good story. Kick Ass has both the action and the great story. I mean common who hasn't dreamed of being a super hero and fighting bad guys. If you liked the comedy in Superbad, you will love Kick Ass.

A laundry list of things your parents DON'T want you to do...

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 5 August 2010]

"Kick-Ass" is a film that looks as if the film makers wanted to put everything into a film that parents would be horrified to have their kids see or do...and then they marketed it directly to these kids. Socially irresponsible? Sure...but also quite entertaining. Here is a brief listing of the things horrified parents will see in the film: profuse use of the f-word, lots of intense violence, super-heroes who brutally kill their prey, masturbatory references, brutality that surprised me, teens having hot and sweaty sex, severed limbs, etc.--all things kids are clearly told NOT to do and not to see. Yet much of the time, it IS being done by kids who are teens or even younger. Seeing an 11 year-old using such strong language and eviscerating villains with reckless abandon IS something you don't see every day!

While I could analyze the movie or describe its plot, I won't, as there are 16 bazillion reviews for this film already. Instead, I want to direct this review to parents. While kids really DO talk the way they do in this movie (as a high school teacher, I know) and the film makers captured this well, even if you ignore the hard-core language I don't think you should let younger viewers see this film. My 20 year-old watched it and loved it, but I didn't let my soon to be 16 year-old--she is just not as mature as some kids her age. The violence is just something I think too many teens already are too comfortable with--and this film will only make this worse. Now if you have an older teen, then I say let them see it--or, the fact is, they might be old enough that it really doesn't matter what you say. Just be fore-warned--this is NOT a kids movie or even one for the average teen--it's just too full of stuff they are probably not mature enough to handle. Heck, I'm not even sure if I am!

Coincidentally, last night I saw a Japanese film that was HIGHLY reminiscent of "Kick-Ass". "Lady Snowblood" is a tale of revenge concerning a baby who is raised to exact revenge for her parents--one of the same themes in "Kick-Ass"--and the film is about equally violent and bloody. If you liked "Kick-Ass", then give this other film a look--it turned out to be Taratino's inspiration for the "Kill Bill" series.

Still excellent on my third viewing!...

[cat_ranchero · 9/10 · 22 November 2012]

I must first say that it is a really well made film with some excellent stunt work. I thought the music chosen for the score was really great as well. Excellent performances from all of the leading cast, Aaron Johnson as Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass, Nicolas Cage as Damon Macready/Big Daddy is excellent, Chloe Moretz as Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl (also superb), Mark Strong as Frank D'Amico, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Chris D'Amico/Red Mist and Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie Deauxma.

There is a lot of humour in this film, both spoken and visual. It's also very very violent, so I wouldn't recommend it to those of a nervous disposition. I don't usually enjoy teen comedies, but this is very original, very different and it's very refreshing to see a film that pushes the boundaries somewhat. It's a film that any superhero film fan should try to watch at least once a year, just to see how it should be done!

SteelMonster's verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

My score: 9.3/10

You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

Chloe Moretz steals the show

[whitnall · 6/10 · 25 April 2010]

The best scenes by far involve pint-sized Chloe Moretz in an homage to Uma Thurman of Kill Bill. In addition to her action scenes, there is some very funny dialog with her father, played by Nicolas Cage. Otherwise, it's a cute concept and interesting plot, but a lot of the dialog and acting fall flat. But there are enough exciting action scenes and moments of cleverness to keep you going through the boring, silly parts. Seeing a film like this makes you realize how great the writing was in the Kill Bills, and even in sappy movies like the Spiderman series. Part of why I saw this film was Christopher Mintz-Plasse in the cast, because of Superbad. His quirky personality adds something to the movie, but he's kind of wasted here. Here's hoping the sequel will be centered around Chloe Moretz!