Kick-Ass

Rated R [strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use -some involving children]
Running Time: 117 min.
Release Date: April 16, 2010

Kick-Ass came out a little more than a year ago, so I know it's not a new film, but I had yet to see it. My previous two reviews have been on more serious films, such as suspense and a romantic drama, so I figured I would switch it up and review an action/comedy.

CAST
Matthew Vaughn's action/comedy Kick Ass, features an entertaining ensemble of individuals. The film's main protagonist is Dave Lizewski a.k.a Kick-Ass, played by Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy). He meets up with Damon Macready a.k.a Big Daddy, played by Nicolas Cage (National Treasure, Ghost Rider), who is teaching his daughter Mindy a.k.a Hit Girl played by Chloe Moretz (Let Me In), to be a super-hero. Big Daddy wants revenge against drug lord Frank D'Amico played by Mark Strong for framing him as a drug dealer. Frank's son Chris a.k.a Red Mist, played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad), trying to impress his father becomes a super-hero to help him stop Big Daddy and Hit Girl.


PLOT SUMMARY
Dave Lizewski is a high-school “nobody”, who loves comic books. Curious as to why people don't try to be super heroes, Dave buys a costume and tries to become one. With little success due to his lack of super powers, he gets stabbed in a fight and run over by a car. This lands him in the hospital where it is determined that he has permanent nerve damage and can now tolerate strong pain. Soon after being released, Dave gets accidentally caught up in a gang fight and is recorded taking them on by a witness's camera phone. The video goes viral and soon everyone loves Kick-Ass. After being told that his crush wishes Kick-Ass would stop a drug dealer from harassing her, Dave seeks him out. However when he gets there he is out numbered and eventually saved by foul-mouthed, Hit Girl and her father Big Daddy. A drug lord by the name of Frank D'Amico, wants Kick-Ass dead after being lead to think that he is the one stealing his shipment of cocaine. Frank's son Chris sets out to form a false alliance with Kick-Ass, under the identity of Red Mist. Trouble sets in for them as well as for Hit Girl and Big Daddy. We learn they too are trying to stop Frank D'Amico for their own personal vendetta. As all their paths cross, Dave learns who the true heroes are and puts his own courage to the test.

DIRECTOR
Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass reveals to us that he knows a thing or two about super heroes in this action/comedy based off of Mark Miller and John Romita, Jr.'s comic of the same name. His newest film X-Men: First Class, should further prove to us that he is giving super hero movies a better name. The film also feels a bit like a tamer version a Tarantino film, giving that is has a ton of awesome looking violence and enough swearing alone to make it an R rated film. Filmmaker's should take a hint from someone who does film his own way and with a style that has not been rehashed in every film known to man.

SOUNDTRACK
The soundtrack features a bit of dance-pop and rock as well as it's title song, “Kick-Ass” by artist Mika. Also featured on the soundtrack is a cover of “Bad Reputation” by The Hit Girls, however, the film features the original version by Joan Jett. Where the real music comes in is on the Kick-Ass score, which features music by John Murphy, Henry Pryce Jackman, Marius de Vries, and Ilan Eshkeri. The score also features music by Danny Elfman, who has composed many of Tim Burton's films such as Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas. We see composing at it's best on John Murphy's “Big Daddy Kills,” which plays during Big Daddy's huge fight scene. It is a beautiful, slightly alternate version of “In the House, In a Heartbeat,” from the 28 Days Later soundtrack. I posted the track at the bottom of this review.

CINEMATOGRAPHY & WRITING
Ben Davis is the cinematographer for Kick-Ass and his use of extreme close-ups really posed well for this super hero film. One shot in particular Davis uses frequently, is the extreme long shot. This shot also features the camera doing a panning movement, which is used to show the setting and the massiveness of the city. The writers on the film are director, Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman. Both did an amazing job producing a script that was both entertaining and serious at the same time. They are also responsible for Hit Girls dialogue, for example, when she jokingly tells Big Daddy she wants a puppy for her birthday, to which she then states “I'm just f****** with you Daddy. I'll have a Benchmade model 42 butterfly knife.” It's a shock to hear a eleven-year-old say that line, but considering this film's tone, it is appropriate.

CONCLUSION
I'm going to give Kick-Ass 3.5 penguins out of 5. This film really does “kick ass” and it does so by sticking to it's own path. I think it also helps that it wasn't some big studio movie, instead it was independently financed by director, Matthew Vaughn. The action scenes are amazing and the dialogue is hilarious, but the film lacks a realness to it. I understand that it is a satire but the filmmaker's stated that the heroes are suppose to be in the real world where people don't have super powers. Which is why I feel it's a bit odd that eleven-year-old, Hit Girl would give Bruce Lee a run for his money. As well as the fact that Dave sets out to save the world from bad guys but instead of capturing them or turning them it, they violently kill the hell out of them. I find this to be a bit unreasonable considering their only crime is for the most part was drug dealing. Therefore, the film does tend to drift a bit from what it set out to do. Still, it is a refreshing new look for both comedy and action films.

21 - Big Daddy Kills John Murphy Kick Ass Score MP3 Download