Kick Ass Review

Last night UGO and Lions Gate hosted an intimate screening of Kick Ass, the major motion picture based on the creator owned series by Mark Millar (Ultimates, Fantastic Four) and John Romita Jr. (Spider-Man, World War Hulk). I was lucky enough to be invited by one Jim Nausedas, a gentleman and a scholar.

So Kick Ass...

The story follows Dave Lizewski, a prototypical fanboy who decides to become a super-hero because, well, no one else has ever tried it before. Dave soon finds out exactly why that is after he endures a severely brutal beating at the hands of some car jackers. After a lengthy recovery period and a few embarrassingly amateur acts of super-heroism, Kick Ass soon becomes a citywide sensation, and that’s where all the trouble starts.

What Kicked Ass: Kick Ass has a predominately-unknown cast who, for the most part, really hits the mark. Aaron Johnson, the movie’s title character, exemplifies what it is to be a geeky fanboy in high school. Whether it’s pretending to do karate in front of a mirror or going along with a rumor that he’s gay to get close to the girl he’s crushing on, Johnson’s earnest naivety is something all comic fans can identify with.

Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes) plays the villainous mob boss Frank D'Amico; and though he’s playing a character more akin Kingpin in Kick Ass, his performance left me anxious for a five-head and a snidely whiplash mustache in next summer’s Green Lantern.

The other performance that I thoroughly enjoyed (as much as it pains me to admit it) was Nicholas Cage’s. Aside from the fact that he screams like a girl, Cage’s Damon Macready, aka Big Daddy, is an extremely humorous, albeit dark, mix of Adam West’s Batman and the Punisher.

However, the standout member of Kick Ass’ cast is Chloe Mortez. Badass doesn’t even begin to describe Mortez’ Hit Girl, a foul mouthed little murderer that flips around the screen killing mobsters and drug dealers as easily as you or I would kill a box of donuts. More Batman than Robin, Hit Girl is who you root for throughout the movie, and what makes Kick Ass standout from other superhero movies.

In addition to its stellar cast, Kick Ass’ unique mix of action, comedy, and a dash of drama really makes for an engaging and exciting experience. While there is no Stan Lee cameo in this pseudo-Marvel movie, eagle eyed fans will have a field day picking out all Easter eggs and familiar comic swag in Kick Ass.

What Didn’t Kick Ass: First and foremost, the movie departs from the comics in a few key areas, a fact that may bug the more orthodox fanboys out there. However, generally the laymen or casual fan will probably not miss said details. Additionally, the most tedious part of the film was McLovin as The Red Mist. All he really proves is that he’s as strong of an actor as Napolean Dynamite was. Finally for a movie that’s entire mission statement is “realistic” super heroes, Kick Ass gets very outlandish, even silly, very quickly. (SPOILERS) Really? A rocket-pack?

The Verdict: To say what will likely be tweeted repeatedly in the coming month, Kick Ass kicked ass. The film is fun, engaging, and action packed. With a few exceptions, the energetic young cast is very impressive, and Kick Ass as a whole takes a refreshing look at an over-saturated genre that constantly runs the risk of going stale. All in all, Kick Ass is definitely worth the price of admission.