I know you can accuse me of excessive fanboy hyperbole for a number of things that appear on this page from sneakers to Raekwon, but when I tell you that ‘Kick Ass’ is the movie that the medium was created for I really mean it. I’m already making my plans for going back to see the film several times. It is a moviehouse delight to have an ‘OH SHIT!’ moment with several hundred other people.
Aaron Johnson is the young actor in the lead role who goes from a nerdy high school nobody into a crime fighting vigilante that gets beat up himself even more than he beats up criminals. Nicolas Cage(who I enjoyed in this role as much as his part in ‘Raising Arizona’) plays a revenge minded ex-cop. The movie’s biggest star is ultimately the smallest performer. Chloe Moretz is Cage’s potty mouthed pint sized partner and she is an assassin on the level of Elektra, for those of you familiar with the Frank Miller reference.
‘Kick Ass’ was developed from a comicbook title of the same name. It was written with all the self-referential comic nerd snark that made The Dark Knight Returns one of my favorite comic series of all time. ‘Kick Ass’ knows it’s insane and yet it still feels real because everyone is giving their acting performance in real time.
Fux any review that tells you this film is too violent. It isn’t. No one gets beheaded, impaled, dismembered or microwaved who doesn’t somehow deserve that treatment. And I promise that you will cheer as loudly as I did when some badguy gets offed. You may even laugh louder than I did. I’m gonna be checking this flick again on Tuesday in the proper mindset (shouts to 4/20).
The film that I closely relate ‘Kick Ass’ to is Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ which I watched for the first time last week, true story. The idea of honorable revenge at any cost has been a theme of all my favorite kung-fu flicks. ‘Kick Ass’ takes those films and mixes in the action and dialogue of the Adam West Batman series to deliver some totally unlikely and completely lovable heroes.
But see ‘Kick Ass’ for the utter enjoyment of Hit Girl’s sailor mouth and broad sword mayhem.
flipping 2(of the 4) copies of Kick Ass Issue 1 this weekend made a Sneaker Fiend trip a reality FT mufugggin W! not a bad return on a $6 dollar investment a couple years ago. Always bet on black, but always buy wit Millar.
also had to put folks onto Millar’s writing skills with “WANTED” and the fact that Marvel is taking his interpretation of The Ultimates for the AVENGERS movie coming. Black Nick Fury FTW. and I know y’all didn’t sleep on the epic “Old Man Logan” series from a likkle while ago. If so grab a late pass immediately and cop the trade.
^ I was waiting for the Old Man Logan trade. I hate single issue. Suspense is overrated.
Kick-Ass was quite entertaining…and surprisingly true to the comic (which I LOVED)…
side note: thanks to combat jack for recommending the book on his site way back when….
and DP: how are you only viewing Kill Bill now? Sheesh…don’t forget to check out KB part 2.
Man, I HATE The Ultimates. I don’t fux wit reimaginings of classics. And, the Black Fury, while I dig SamUel Jackson, is too much. That’s like making Luke Cage David Hasselhoff. In other news, the Marcberg LP is fire.
fosterkakahunter
I feel your disdain my brudda, oldschoolmouf HipHop head I may be, but as an avid collector of comics with some pieces from the 60’s(Tales of Suspense, Captain America etc.) sometimes what was valid in the 60’s is no longer valid in 2010. Therefore, sometimes making things fresh for a series is never a bad thing…….I know alot of folks shunned how violent the Ultimates is tho’ and like their comic characters to die once a century instead of every few issues.
I really think I’ll wait for the Kick Ass film on DVD. For some reason the premise of the film doesn’t excite me. And for the most part, I think the comic is actually better than the film.
Personally I thought the only real cool thing about Kill Bill was the animated sequence for O-Ren Ishii origin. Some of the martial arts choreography were sub par. I just couldn’t believe some of the physical performances.
. . . Unknown Soldier > Kick Ass
I would much rather see something as balls out crazy as Unknown Soldier hit the silver screen.
Full late pass on this. I’m gonna go check it out.
danm i watched this movie and im really impressed by that, the hit girls fight scene´s are brutal and sometimes bizzare too, but i liked that how they dropped these lil kid music into that fs, im gonna watched that in cinema instead…you know what the fuck im talking about…never watched watchman but that title is boring i guess. Marvel (marv) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>dc.
dubble13,
I had the Kill Bill DVD for a minute but I stay watching Star Wars Ep.5 on a loop. Kill Bill pt.1 was a trip. I’m not mad at how long I waited. GoGo could def get it.
That’s why I’m so hyped to see Kick Ass again. It was as smart as the best Tarantino film of all time – True Romance
Kill Bill….one of my favorites. You need to see Part Two immediately! As for Kick Ass? Can’t wait to see it.
Dallas . . . True Romance was tight. It was crazy. It was written by Tarantino and the cast handled their business. James Gandolfino, before Soprano fame, was pure maniacal, blood-lust excellence.
Just started reading the Kick-Ass comic. Some is telling me that the comic is far better than the movie. Romita Jr.’s artwork is ON POINT. The writing really works. Hollywood cheapens sh*t some times. The trailer looks cheezy.
I think I can accept the 10 year old Hit Girl character in a comic but I have a harder time digesting it in a film. Can a regular 10-year really hold ONE blade that can cut like that and do that much damage? Not for nothing severing a human’s adult head off is not as easy as it may seem.
I am lunch-ching on this one. I have yet to see the movie or read the books beyond issue #2. Both shall be rectified [ll] by this weekend.
true romance def one of tarantino’s finest was put on to it by a friend a couple years back and made it in to one of my favourite movies list. everyone i know thats seen kick ass tell me it is a must watch. saying that, they also said avatar was also a “must watch” and i’ve yet to watch it. but kick ass looks like one not to pass up on.
VEe,
I haven’t read the KICK ASS GN and I don’t plan on copping it until the hype from the movie subsides a bit. I can’t say what elements the movie added that weren’t in the OB books. Be that as it may I sat thru a 2+hr film and wished it hadn’t ended. You should wait to see the movie until you can download it off the torrents but don’t think that your decision doesn’t impact what a studio does this pooint forward. Avatar will the model for studios to go after because the fanboy territory is manned by critics who a) don’t consume, b) are concerned with physics when an 11yr old assassin is concerned
DP spittin dat heavy knowledge!!!!