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| Poster artwork for the comic fantasy action film Kick-Ass. |
Cult
Comic Crusaders by Linh
Kick-Ass is
the superhero film that sets the new benchmark for comic fantasy fun and
excitement. The film is an adaptation of Mark Millar’s comic book and will
become an instant classic for anyone who enjoys a lot of biffo with heart-stopping
thrills and blood spillage taken to the extreme. Kick-Ass re-defines the comic superhero genre by bending the
hyper-realism in the action sequences to appear as a parody of graphic comic
book action and breaks the usual conventions of superhero films by pushing the
boundaries of absurdity, profanity and violence.
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MASKED
MAYHEM: Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Hit Girl (Chloe
Grace Moretz) unite to fight in the film Kick-Ass.
Image: Marv Films, Universal Pictures.
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Kick-Ass is
the story of an ordinary teenager named Dave Lizewski, whose mother died
eighteen months ago, and he leads an ordinary life with his father in New York
until he hits upon the idea of becoming a real-life superhero. After ordering a
green and gold wet-suit online, Dave names himself Kick-Ass and sets out to
fight crime in his neighbourhood. The only problem he faces is the lack of
superhuman powers, yet he acquires metal plates and damaged nerve-endings that
increase his tolerance to pain, after he is brutally bashed while on his first
assignment. After his bashing appears on YouTube, a string of copy-cat cases
and impersonators emerge which confuses crime boss Frank D’Amico and the
police. Kick-Ass meets the ultra-skilled and well-equipped superhero duo of Big
Daddy and Hit Girl (also ordinary people with no super powers), who save his
life. Kick-Ass soon has a rival superhero named Red Mist, whom he befriends,
but Red Mist has more sinister plans in store for Kick-Ass.
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POWER
PUNCH: Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) shows no mercy for Frank
D'Amico (Mark Strong) in the film Kick-Ass.
Image: Marv Films, Universal Pictures.
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Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Stardust)
also produced and wrote the screen adaptation for Kick-Ass, after becoming enthused by the premise of comic book
writer Mark Millar’s ordinary-turned-extraordinary male protagonist and his
crime-fighting adventures. Vaughn has assembled a fantastic cast of well-known
and unknown faces to portray the varied personalities and ensured the playful
but deadly spirit that pierced the pages of the original comics were not lost
in the film adaptation. Vaughn succeeds with Kick-Ass by engaging audiences’ attention not only with who the
characters are, but what they represent and how they interact with the other
characters.
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MAJOR
MINOR: Mindy/Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) acquired the skills
in handling and using weapons to revenge the death of her mother in the film Kick-Ass. Image: Marv Films, Universal
Pictures.
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The brilliant ensemble cast tackles the excellent script
with unbridled fervour, while the post-production team weaves the action, and
dialogue into flawlessly captivating scenes. The film even parodies the comic
book genre during the scene when the painful past and the present motivations
of Damon Macready/Big Daddy are revealed.
Young British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy, Anna Karenina) is perfectly cast as Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass, and he
brings tenacity and inner strength to his character which makes up for Dave’s
lack of fighting skills; Christopher Mintz-Plasse, best-known for his role as
McLovin in Superbad, is goofy but
determined as Christopher D’Amico/Red Mist, the son of crime boss Frank
D’Amico; the standout performer in the film is thirteen year old Chloe Grace
Moretz as Mindy Macready/Hit Girl, who trained for nearly four months to bring
the foul-mouthed, cheeky and agile, butt-kicking heroine to life; Mark Strong
is in danger of becoming typecast as the token villain in films, such as the evil Lord Blackwood in Sherlock Holmes and as Sinestro in the
film The Green Lantern. His masterful
portrayal of the relentlessly ruthless Frank D’Amico is restrained and
controlled; Nicolas Cage channels television’s original Batman, Adam West, in
speech and mannerism, yet exhibits the ultimate hero qualities as the
compassionate yet vengeful Big Daddy.
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HUMAN
HEROINE: Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) is human but embodies
superhuman potential in the film Kick-Ass.
Image: Marv Films, Universal Pictures.
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Numerous references to popular comic book heroes are
mentioned, with the representations of celebrity/hero worship and fanaticism
through media and technology, with the spectacle of danger/violence/death
reinforced. Despite a cast of impressionable youths with impressive skills,
this is not recommended for younger audiences, due to the extreme level of
violence, strong coarse language and other adult themes.
Kick-Ass is
a fresh take on comic book superheroes and their vulnerability, fragility and
sacrifice for the greater good. Dave/Kick-Ass narrates the story in the film,
until the final few seconds when Christopher/Red Mist, takes over – which gives
the audience a clue about whose perspective the sequel will follow. The sequel
to Kick-Ass features Jim Carrey and
John Leguizamo, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Chloe
Grace Moretz returning.
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REAL
RIVAL: Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) joins the realm of
comic superheroes in New York in the film Kick-Ass.
Image: Marv Films, Universal Pictures.
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Director:
Matthew Vaughn
Writers: Matthew
Vaughn (screenplay), Jane Goldman (screenplay), Mark Millar (comic book series),
John Romita Jr. (comic book series)
Cast:
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Nicolas
Cage, Mark Strong, Lyndsy Fonseca, Sophie Wu, Evan Peters, Clark Duke, Kofi
Natei , Michael Rispoli , Garrett M. Brown, Jason Flemyng, Elizabeth McGovern,
Craig Ferguson
Producers:
Mark Millar, John Romita Jr., Matthew Vaughn, Brad Pitt, Kris Thykier, Adam
Bohling, David Reid, Tarquin Pack, Lyn Lucibello, Darren Goldberg
Cinematographer: Ben
Davis
Original
Music Composers: Ilan Eshkeri, Henry Jackman
Film
Editors: Eddie Hamilton, Jon Harris
Production:
Russell De Rozario (Production Designer), Sarah Stuart, John King, Joe Howard
(Art Directors), Tina Jones, Clive Thomasson (Set Decorators)
Costume Designer: Sammy Sheldon
Running
Time: 2 Hours and 5 minutes
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