Kick Ass (2010)

This movie is high paced from the first frame to the last. Mathew Vaugh (Layer Cake 2004) directs this 'R' rated super hero flick you always wanted Daredevil, X-Men, Spiderman, and Batman to be. It's violent, it's gory, it's profane, it's great. The story revolves around a high schooler who decides to put on a green scuba suit and try to help strangers in danger. Basically he wants to be a superhero and so he becomes just that. However he mostly just takes a serious beating throughout the whole film and eventually meets some other people like him that are after more than simply helping Grandma cross the street, this is where the story get's interesting so I'll leave the summary behind and let you figure the rest out for yourself.

The film itself is shot wonderfully. In addition to some clever (though rather transparent) cinematography the movie is amply amplified by some fantastic graphic design and comic book cut scenes. The characters are not the typically flat hero or predictably redeemable anti-hero that plague the comic movies as of late (a crime in itself ironing out the kinks of comic heros that make them so interesting). They have depth, darkness, and development throughout the film and keep you invested in the story which does slow from time to time. Nick Cage in particular does a good job as a semi-psychotic but loving father with some seriously messed up ideas of how to prepare one's child for the harsh realities of the world. This leads to comedic scenes of tenderly violent lessons juxtaposing hand guns and hugs to a wonderful effect. Mise-en-scene adds a lot to the overall feel of the film without being to obvious in its allusion to the comic book basics from which the film was built on.

The final battle scene is one for the record books as well. I can't say much without giving it away but the choreography is phenomenal and Chloe Moretz's unique manner of handling herself while going up against men over twice her size and almost punching the bullets out of her gun (and lots of them) is jaw droppingly awesome as well as gives rise to a few laughs along the way.



All in all this film is worth a watch and I think that if you see it once you'll find it slipping into the front of your Que for a re-watch before getting to some of those more obscure films you've been putting off for the last month, which is in no way a problem. Though be warned the violence is graphic and if that doesn't float your boat it may get in the way of this great film for you.