Reviewed by Franco Romualdez
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
Original Screenplay by: Jeff Wadlow
Studios: Marv Films, Plan B Entertainment
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Lets kick some ass.
There is one thing that I must proclaim before going any further: Kick-Ass 2 is the comic book movie we’ve all been asking for (yeah, I said it). In my opinion the film is the closest thing we’ve got so far to a live-action comic book. Over the top violence, stereotypical clichés, one-liners, and the unusual yet effective comic-like style editing all contribute to making the Kick-Ass 2 viewing experience feel like stepping into a comic book.
The new Dynamic Duo, deal with it.
The events of Kick-Ass 2 take place in a world much like our own; everything seems to be in order, and yet everyone and everything in the pseudo parallel New York City of the film feels a little off. Everyone who is meant to represent a particular stereotype does so in an illogically extreme way. From the popular cheerleader who takes high-school bullying to the next level (encouraging her victims to commit suicide), all the way down to the ex-KGB mercenary who can take out a whole squad of police officers while wearing what can only be described as a “war-kini” (A War Bikini, get it?), the world of Kick-Ass 2 is full of people our modern society would quickly classify as “mentally disturbed.” However this is not the boring old real world, this is a comic book brought to live, and if there’s one thing all popular comic books have in common is that they either glorify or villainize the mentally disturbed (Think Batman).
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the war-kini.
The reason I dedicated nearly three hundred words to an explanation of the world and intention of the film is because an individual’s enjoyment of Kick-Ass 2 depends completely on his or her perception of those particular parts of the movie. If you go into the film expecting to see a realistic portrayal about what would happen if real life people started dressing up like superheroes then you will be thoroughly disappointed. Kick-Ass 2 is simply a comic book movie made for people who love comic books.
The overall acting in the film was good, however the performances of both Chole Moretz (Hit-Girl) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (The MotherFu*ker) stood out as the most memorable among the bunch (special mention to Olga Kurkulina who killed it as Mother Russia).
Verdict
Love it or hate it Kick-Ass 2 delivers on all fronts and then some. While the film may be seen as a mindless smut fest to some, for others it is an amazing fu*k you to the big heads of the comic book film industry and their family friendly PG-13 moneymaking machine. Go out and see Kick-Ass 2 if you want to experience the other side of comic book movies. Whether or not you’ll enjoy it I can’t say, but what I can guarantee is that the film will leave a lasting impression.
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Follow Franco Romualdez on Twitter: @FrancoRomualdez