There’s so much to love about Kick-Ass (2010).
It’s a movie I’ve waited 15 years to see. Other things always grabbed my attention, but I finally sat down to watch it, and I was not disappointed.
Kick-Ass is about a gawky teenage nerd who asks himself, “What if there were superheroes in real life?” He decides to become one, despite having no superpowers or special skills. Armed only with a ridiculous costume and a willingness to risk his life, he soon discovers that more qualified superheroes exist, and they are all battling an ugly criminal underworld.
This film is hilarious and delivers on action. Before watching, I was drawn to it because I’m a big Nicolas Cage fan. I sincerely believe he’s one of the greatest actors of our time. Watch Leaving Las Vegas, where he won an Oscar, and you’ll see Cage acting everyone under the table. It’s no secret that Nicolas Cage is ready to take on any role, even in the lowest-budget films. Amazingly, he turns even the worst B-movies into something watchable.
Surprisingly, he isn’t the standout actor in this film. That honour goes to Chloë Grace Moretz, who plays Hit-Girl. Every time she’s on screen, she lights it up, and she was literally a child when the role was filmed. She’s winsome and convincing—you just have to love her.
Then there’s one of the main antagonists, Chris D’Amico/Red Mist, played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Known for his breakout role as McLovin in Superbad, he’s just as good here, acting as the nerdy foil to the main protagonist.
The character Kick-Ass, portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, is Dave Lizewski, an incredibly unlucky and unqualified superhero. Despite frequently being overpowered and everyone else realizing he’s out of his depth, he continues to persevere.
Kick-Ass emerged when superhero movies were on the rise, with many trying to reinvent the genre. Even Marvel movies were trying to flip the superhero story on its ear, to the point where reinvention became stale. What makes Kick-Ass stand out are two things: First, the world it inhabits is almost exactly like ours, and its superheroes are not so different from some real-life vigilantes out there. If you don’t believe me, search “real-life superheroes” and you’ll find an assortment of hilarious vigilantes whose heroism might be more cosplay than reality.
Secondly, the performances by the actors make this movie shine. Unlike other superhero films where the stars always feel very Hollywood, this one doesn’t. There’s something about seeing gawky and geeky superheroes and villains that adds authenticity. Even Nicolas Cage, who can be a heartthrob, plays his character, Big Daddy, as a nerdy homage to Batman.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn, who is mostly known as a producer but directed notable films like Layer Cake, Stardust, X-Men: First Class, and Kingsman, Kick-Ass is highly regarded.
On IMDb, it holds a 7.6 out of 10, on Letterboxd a 3.5 out of 5, and the critics on Rotten Tomatoes scored it 78%, with a 66% on Metacritic. I’d say it’s held up well over the years. Although I’m quite tired of the superhero genre—I’ve even lost interest in Marvel and DC movies—this film has a unique outlook. It’s funny, and the action sequences often surpass those of higher-budget superhero films. Made for just $30 million, which is modest for a superhero movie, it exemplifies how much can be achieved with so little.
I definitely recommend Kick-Ass as one of the better superhero movies and may even check out its sequel, Kick-Ass 2. It’s definitely worth watching, even now, 15 years later.
This is Aaron Taylor Johnsons only good superhero role. He’s cardboard on screen in every other one he’s done after.
You should check out Super, if you haven’t already. It’s like the adult version of Kick-Ass.