Kick-ass!

“With no power, comes no responsibility” is not true at all in kick ass’ case. Adapted from a comic book, (which seems to be all the rage now) Kick ass tells the story of a young, ordinary guy Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) who after being mugged decides that he should become a superhero. He has the costume and the name he just seems to lack any kind of super power. During his first attempt at being a superhero he gets stabbed and hit by a car leaving him with a metallic skeleton and damaged nerve endings leading him unable to feel pain. He meets two other heroes one a child called Hit Girl and the other her father ‘Big Daddy’ who know a lot more about the superhero world.

Kick ass is an entertaining and hilarious film, which takes the superhero storyline and turns it on its head. There are no genetically engineered spiders, unresolved murders or mutations; these are ordinary people who have decided to take the law into their own hands. The script, taken largely from the comic is witty and strangely affecting, you care about the characters but not enough to start dialling down the entertainment value.

The highlight of the film has to be Chloe Moretz’ Hit Girl, before decapitating and dismembering a room full of drug dealers she drops the c-bomb. This foulmouthed and wickedly cool character has sparked a lot of criticism largely because of the language and the violence but this isn’t realism here this is comic book violence; over the top and darkly funny. Chloe Moretz plays Hit Girl brilliantly she is funny, cool and has an excellent chemistry with Big Daddy. Nicholas Cage seems to have gotten his groove back, he has always been good at playing off the wall crazy characters and this film shows it well. This leaves the title character, Aaron Johnson’s kick-ass, who has the toughest job among the cast, Kick-ass has to keep the viewer sympathetic towards even though he constantly makes the wrong decisions and occasionally veers towards self-indulgence. He never falls down the trap so many have tripped over. Unlike Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman, Kick-ass never gets a chance to whinge too much about his superhero exploits. He made the choice and sticks to it. Christopher Mintz-Plasse steps away from McLovin and proves that he is going to be sticking around for a long time if he keeps making choices like this and Role Models.

Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn have done a terrific job adapting the comic book, they have managed to keep the humour and excitement without being over-stylised and taking away from the storyline and the characters. The direction is slick and smart, the end scene almost has a bigger body count than Kill Bill but is 20 times more fun and the soundtrack is inspired.

With this film, the news that Matthew Vaughn is going to be helming x men: first class is very exciting indeed; all I can say is I can’t wait for Kick-ass 2…