The above headline is perhaps the least imaginative to be written by a self confessed movie geek about a motion picture entitled Kick Ass...but it just so happens to be the god damned truth. Expectations were high given the pedigree of Kick Ass comic creator Mark Millar and of the writer/director teaming of Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn (both behind the acclaimed Stardust). The eight issue comic, upon which the film was based and written in parallel, had something of a controversial reputation, as well showing how superheroes might exist if everyday normal citizens put on colourful costumes and fought crime. Since Vaughn and company were financing this beast outside of the studio system, Kick Ass had the potential to be something different ...and quite special.
And it is. This really is proof that if you have talent and the balls to finance and distribute something daring and unique, there are great rewards to be had. The biggest factor in it's success is the script. It's simply a great story. And by that I mean the various characters all have interesting personalities, whether they're good, bad or somewhere in between, and they all have character arcs which develop as the film progresses. Even Kick Ass's geek mates, who have limited screen time, are well written enough to stand out as individuals to care about. That means, as with all truly great movies, you can remove all the razzle dazzle, spectacle and special effects and you'd still have a damned fine film.
The controversial elements just add to the enjoyment level. The violence is extreme, but all presented in an over-the-top, heightened reality, so it never become disturbing. Think Tarantino in Kill Bill mode....crazy and thrilling, but grounded enough by the characters so that we care about their eventual fates. Aaron Johnson is fine in the lead, but he's not the most memorable character in the film, as he's needed to be the everyman who guides the audience through this bizarre world.
As expected it's Nicholas Cage and Chloe Moretz as Big Daddy and his 11 year old protegee Hit Girl that entertain the most. Cage, as Damon Macready, is all goofy doting father outside of the costume and takes on a side-splitting Adam West persona as the Batman inspired superhero he becomes. Moretz, continuing to display the freakish maturity she had in 500 Days Of Summer, is perfect as little Mindy Macready; all cute and innocent to look at, but a mature-beyond-her-years, fearless, foul-mouthed killing machine underneath. Another 7 years in age an we wouldn't bat an eyelid, but the sight of a pre-teen girl engaged in profane verbal sparring, fire fights and fisticuffs is brilliant and daring (as expected the Daily Mail shat kittens).
Vaughan directs with confidence, delivering the action with style and allowing the sight gags the editing room to breathe. There's an exemplary choice in music, whether it's the unusual song choices (the punked up Banana Splits song, The Prodigy's Omen or Ennio Morricone's A Few Dollars More theme) or the rare step of having four composers. John Murphy's work stands apart, as he also uses expanded versions of his Sunshine and 28 Days Later scores to haunting effect. Vaughan also uses an interesting colour scheme, muted in the more down-to-earth sequences while more colourful and comicbook-y when dealing with the superhero characters and villains themselves.
It's a film that builds and builds, with the pace, tension and excitement growing as the character's stories begin to entwine. In the mix there's some outstanding moments that stick in the grey matter, including an animated sequence (like in Kill Bill Part 1 and Revolver), a grown man being microwaved and an opening sequence that dares to suggest the world isn't ready for a flying superhero just yet (although Kick Ass himself might disagree in the movie's climax.) Talking of the climax, the only moment that feels uncomfortably edgy is in the inevitable confrontation between super-heroes and super-villains. The hero and sidekick must face off against criminal mastermind and henchman, as is required by the genre. Except here, the hero is Hit Girl (Kick Ass is basically her sidekick)and she has to have a full on scrap with the physically imposing Mark Strong. It's a little weird to see an 11 year old get punched and throttled by a large bloke...but hey, it's a fantasy don't you know.
So get to see Kick Ass if you can. It's always good to see something that pushes the boundaries and which does it in a way that embraces great storytelling too.
PS, I think there's room for this sub-genre of post-modern superheroes to expand and develop on film. Kick Ass explores what would happen if everyday people put on a mask, a costume and a cape to battle crime for themselves. Yet the film has heightened reality, that while supremely entertaining, isn't a 'real life' exploration of the topic. I can feel a hand held camera version on the way sometime in the future.
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