Kick-Ass is one of the best films I have seen this year. GO SEE IT IMMEDIATELY, and then go back to box office when you leave the theater, buy another ticket and go see it again. Plot, characters, tone, and visuals, they are all superb in this film. This film is about an average kid who tries to be a super-hero, and with the help of the internet becomes a phenomena and inspires a city. Now I read comic books, so I have known about Kick-Ass the comic book for quite some time (I actually have the first issue sealed, and setting out on my counter currently), so I was going to be incredibly critical of this film from the beginning. And while there have been some changes from comic to screen, the movie was everything the comic was and more. The director Mathew Vaughn really showed that he is a director worthy of giving a big budget, and is a master of blending action and comedy correctly (which I think a lot of directors struggle at doing). The film’s action is superb too, while at point it looks ridiculous, it does not seem implausible, and the Kick-Ass’ first fight is amazing because it looks almost how a real life attempt at defending a person from three people would be. The actors are all fantastic in this film, especially Nick Cage and Cloe Moretz, who are bad ass. Nick Cage, to me, lately has been taking roles that were more paychecks than challengeing, and while this is not an Oscar winning role, it is a great role for where he is at right now. His character, Big Daddy, is a father/crimefighter/victim and Cage's range as an actor was able hit all of those points; he also brings a seriousness to this movie's absurdity. Now on to the main character Kick-Ass, played by relative unknown Aaron Johnson, this movie hinged on the protrayal of this character as real and Aaron Johnson did that. While watching this film I kept thinking to myself that I knew this kid in high school, and that really let me know Johnson gave a great performance. Then there is McLovin (and yes I know that is not his real name, but c'mon), he was the surprise of this movie, because he gave a performance beyond that of a cartoon nerd. He plays a weak kid who desperately wants to be involved in his father's business, easy enough, but his dad a murdering gangster, so you get to see his transformation from a dork into a full fledged super villain by the end of the movie. It could be said that this movie is just as much about his character as it is Kick-Ass'. Lastly there is Hit-Girl, oh Hit-Girl, to paraphrase one of Kick-Ass' friends, I am in love and I don't care if she is 11, I will wait. But in all seriousness, Cloe Grace Moretz is a star and if you do know believe that before you see this movie, you will after. In very few words, she is a little girl commando who has declared war on crime. She is like a tornado in this movie, you are afraid and in awe of her all at the same time, and she makes you laugh very uncomfortably at times too. Now there has been some contreversy over her role in the movie, and all I have to say is a little girl using the "C" word is no where near as bad as Miley Cyrus pole dancing at the Teen Choice Awards.
All in all, this film is a great blend of real and ridiculous, and is the first film of the year that should have you running to the theater.
