I remember back in the sixth grade when this film was released, it seemed like such a big deal to go and see an R-rated film. This was not the case for many films, where its R-rated content was using the word "fuck" twice, or maybe they displayed a penis in a provocative way. There are many filmmakers who have been fighting this rating system for years because of its sexist double standards and unfair practices. Kick-Ass does not adhere to any of these standards or practices, but instead embraces every aspect that a film can get away with to still receive an R-rating. This may make the movie seem like an off-the-chains mess of adult material, and while that is true in some respect, Kick-Ass delivers a fantastic story and lovable characters throughout the film.
There is a bit to discuss surrounding Kick-Ass, but let's start with the plot. The plot, even though it draws a lot from other inspirations, is very original in its own way. While a typical nerd-type teenager wonders why nobody has ever tried to be a superhero before, he ends up getting way in over his head. He does manage to get a sort of superpower himself, which definitely helped in his initially one-man crusade. After being stabbed and hit by a car, Dave (played by Aaron-Taylor Johnson) gets a certain kind of metal installed in his bones and throughout his body that dramatically improves his tolerance for pain. This proves to be very useful for him throughout the movie, and the writers handled his new superpower very well. Instead of instantly jumping out into action and thinking he's indestructible, he took his time to get readjusted into this new lifestyle. I appreciated this very much because if the average person were to go through a similar accident like that, they would not be jumping out of bed to go kick some more ass (pun intended). Other aspects of the plot that I enjoyed were the handling of Dave's romantic relationship. He did not focus so much on her as to lose sight of the main plot of the film, which was good. Other parts that I enjoyed were the costumes throughout the film and the ever-present references and Easter eggs to other comic book goodness. While there was a plethora of "Batman doesn't have any powers" jokes, it just added to the amount of humor throughout the film. As for the costumes, while they were very bright and flashy for as dark as this film is, it really brought out the contrast for how in-over-their heads the main characters were.
The acting in this film is very sub-par, as there is nothing special to it. There were no incredible performances by any of the lead actors and actresses, except for Hit-Girl, played by Chloe Grace Moretz. She was very young at the time she was filming this movie, and for her to play such a violent and foul little girl shocked audiences everywhere. Even though it was a stunt double, seeing Hit-Girl call people "cunts" and then proceed to slit their throats and slice their limbs off, was very unnerving. It truly showed how ruthless she had been taught to be by her father, played by Nicolas Cage. This was one of the main reasons why this film received such criticism and disgust when it was released, because it seemed like a superhero film starring kids and teenagers would be fit to watch by kids and teenagers. This was not the case, obviously. Matthew Vaughn, the director of this film, also has a large part to play in the way this film was portrayed. Vaughn is known for his outlandish and uber-creative visual mind, especially seen in his other films, X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service. Especially in the latter, it is obvious to see that his style lays in the crazy world of insane stunts and eye candy cinematography. This style works very well for this film, because of the crazy setting that it takes place in. The action, chase, and torture scenes were all very reflective of this style and kept continuous, which I very much respect. As boundary-pushing as this film is, I believe that it is a worthy addition to the modern superhero genre, and it deserves every bit of praise (and condemnation) that it received.
In conclusion, Kick-Ass is a very fun and exciting film with a great plot and lovable characters that all earned their dues throughout its entirety. While it may not be for the faint-of-heart, it is absolutely a worthy watch. Just make sure that your kids aren't expecting a wholesome ending of skipping off into the distance while holding hands. For that matter, maybe don't let your kids watch it at all.
My Rating: ★★★½
No comments:
Post a Comment