KICK-ASS
UNIVERSAL
RELEASED 31 March 2010
Firstly, I have a confession to make. I’m a huge comic geek, so this film’s existence came as no surprise to me. What did come as a surprise was that it was funny, exciting and sweet all at the same time. And it has Nic Cage in a supporting role, and he is very good too. Like I said, a big surprise!
For most people, this film would have been completely under their radar. If not for some clever internet advertising, I would have gone into this film expecting the worst.
As the third film from director Matthew Vaughn after ‘Layer Cake’ and ‘Stardust’, this is as different from those as could possibly be. Whereas ‘Layer Cake’ was originally a Guy Ritchie vehicle (Vaughn was the producer of early Ritchie fare ‘Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels’ and ‘Snatch’), ‘Stardust’ was the first taste we truly got of his own personal style of film-making and comic book adaptation (being based on a Neil Gaiman comic). And with ‘Kick-Ass’, he once again teams with Jane Goldman to write the script. The only similarities that these two films have are that both are based on comics.
‘Kick-Ass’ is the story of Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a comic book fan who after questioning why no-one actually attempts to be a superhero (to which his friends accurately tell him that its because they would get beaten up), goes online and orders himself a green wetsuit which he then turns into a superhero costume. Dave has no training in martial arts, and has never been in a fight, but what he lacks in physical ability, he sure makes up for in enthusiasm.
This is a film that exists on a knife-edge, literally teeters on the edge of what is over-the-top action without falling into parody. This is a superhero movie unlike any you’ve seen. It has all the components of your usual superhero movie: young wannabe loser, whose school-life is nothing to write home about; nerdy, bespectacled and hopelessly in love with the hottest girl in school; evil villain, who has no problems with indiscriminate killings to further his evil empire; even a dark costumed avenger with a kid sidekick. But where ‘Kick-Ass’ is different is in every aspect of those usual tropes. It rejoices in subverting these comic book clichés by giving us a real kid with no training, no powers, no hope. This is its greatest asset.
‘Kick-Ass’ is fun, pure fun unlike any film has been for a long time. Comics and the films that are based on them have forgotten this wonder that engrossed kids since the early part of the twentieth century - fun. Darkness has always existed in this medium but the joy of imagining yourself as one of these superheroes has always been the driving force behind them. But darkness has been at the forefront for too long. ‘Kick-Ass’ pulls the cobwebs away and plays with the toys of the medium.
Casting is always an important factor for any film, and a more perfect cast I can’t imagine. Aaron Johnson, who impressed last year in his role of John Lennon in the biopic ‘Nowhere Boy’, headlines as Dave Lizewski aka Kick-Ass. His vulnerability and verve easily allow the audience into the character, giving us enough of a background to ground Dave when he puts on the costume, jumps out his bedroom window and onto the street. His wonder and absolute conviction in his pursuit of justice makes us believe in him, even as we laugh as he dives headfirst into the most ridiculous situations and ends up bloody and broken, in body if not in spirit. His friends at school deserve mention too even though they are not given much to do; Clark Duke has now played the nerdy, chubby teen character so many times, you begin to wonder when he is going to finally break out and become a star. His comic timing has been perfected on TV in ‘Greek’ and through his own web comedy show with Michael Cera.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse is forever going to be McLovin, but that doesn’t stop him from delivering another great performance as Chris D’Amico, son of the villain and the super-hero known as Red Mist. Whereas Dave’s costume was bought cheap on the internet, Chris has the money to be a superhero and all the gadgets that involves. As his father and villain of the piece Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong) gets promoted from secondary villain of ‘Stardust’ to full-on baddy, head of his own criminal empire and Kick-Ass’s foil. And a nasty piece of work he is too, but he’s also a loving father.
Nic Cage brilliantly channels Adam West (60’s TV’s ‘Batman’) into his best piece of acting for over a decade. He IS Big Daddy, the ‘Batman’ archetype and real superhero of the entire film, as well as father of Hit Girl, the ten year old daughter he’s been training since birth to right a wrong that Frank D’Amico was responsible for.
If you see a funny, more stunningly filmed movie this year, then we are in for a great year of cinema. This is ultimately a British success too, fully funded without any American studios help, and it signals the arrival of Matthew Vaughn as an A-list director of note.
See this film, or I’ll kick your ass!
PAUL FORRESTER
FIVE OUT OF FIVE