Into the start of Saturday and still geeking over a fantastic movie experience, I can honestly say that the film adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr's work is AWESOME. So awesome that even if I said a number of things to clarify the differences between it and its comic book counterpart, it wouldn't matter. This film uses the same premise I know and twists it around into a unique version that absolutely caught me off-guard and impressed the hell out of me. Nothing says fangasm more than seeing a comic book movie outdo its printed counterpart, and that's saying a lot already. Don't get me wrong here, I still like the original Kick-Ass story presented in the books, but this one totally blew me away, and I'll get right to explaining why as soon as I kick off this ass kicking review. Pardon the puns, but it's soooo true.
Movie review: Kick-Ass Starring: Aaron Johnson, Nicholas Cage, Mark Strong, Chloe Grace Moretz
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Following mostly the same plot as in the comics, Kick-Ass tells the story of Dave Lizewski, your average teenager and student who has a dull life and decides to become a real life superhero. His first attempt to fight crime nearly gets him killed, but he soon recovers and is still determined to pursue his passion. Eventually, he succeeds in saving a guy and becoming an instant sensation via You Tube, as well as taking up an identity - the alias of "Kick-Ass"! However, Dave isn't the only hero around town, as the mysterious team of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl take on the mob and leave a body count trail behind them. With his actions causing more trouble in his life than he bargained for, Kick-Ass will learn firsthand what it means to be a hero, even if could get him killed.
Directed by the guy who produced Snatch and directed Stardust, Matthew Vaughn brings an excellent re-imagination of Kick-Ass to the big screen. It's the flick to start off an awesome month laced with comic book movies, and even if it's not a big time superhero name you would have normally heard off, this film pays tribute to the heroes that inspired the making of this story, with several references and montages placed all around the story. The right combination of story-telling, action, and comedy is what makes Kick-Ass work, and the cast in the movie bring the two-dimensional comic book characters to life gloriously.
Aaron Johnson takes the lead and is the guy who plays Dave Lizewski/ Kick-Ass. Although the character was a blond kid in the comics, this version is just about the same, living with his dad and suffering a pathetic, Peter Parker-esque life in High School each and everyday. Dave's quite a likable fellow, albeit insecure and almost unsure of his actions most of the time. It's only when he takes up the mantle of Kick-Ass that he gains a sense of renewed confidence and self-esteem. But that itself is thoroughly tested as he realizes how big a hero's life is. Johnson's performance was excellent, and he kind of reminds me of a younger Tobey Maguire with the role he's taken up here. His previous film, Nowhere Boy, had him in the lead role of a younger John Lennon, and that's still pending a US and International release date later this year.As a veteran actor and legend in his own right, Nicholas Cage knows what it takes to play heroes in the big screen. Being a big comic book fan himself, he's played Marvel's demon riding hero, Ghost Rider, and now gets another heroic role in Damon Macready/ Big Daddy. This version of the character is vastly different from its comic book counterpart, but that's on the good side, and a better improvement thanks to adjustments made to the story's narrative. Big Daddy is a former cop who was framed by the mob and sent to jail, losing his wife to drugs but gaining a daughter just before she died. After leaving prison, he decides to get payback, raising and training his daughter to exterminate crime and donning costumed identities to hide their faces. Damon Macready was just a man... but Big Daddy is ready to kick the mob's ass. Instead of an accountant who sold his comic book collection to fund an ideal future for his daughter, Cage plays a Big Daddy who actually wants revenge, and dresses in a costume that has a noticeable similarity to Batman. The actor also pays homage to the legendary DC character by incorporating a "utility belt" and speaking in a manner that would make William Shatner and Adam West proud. Good performance I've got to say, but wait til you get a load of BD's daughter.
Young actress Chloe Grace Moretz plays Mindy Macready/ Hit-Girl, Big Daddy's "Baby Girl" who completely steals the movie's spotlight with her moves and kick-assery! Much like her comic book counterpart, Hit-Girl is the character that makes Kick-Ass work, and as adorable looking as the 11 year old lady looks, you DO NOT want to mess with her. Her knowledge of using guns and the balisong thanks to her daddy's training comes a long way, and unlike the comics, she gets a lot of great action scenes that pay tribute to a number of games and movies people will probably recognize outright. I love Hit-Girl, and she made this movie totally awesome to watch.Another familiar Hollywood face who last appeared alongside Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes is actor Mark Strong, who breaths new life into the role of Frank D'Amico, a mob boss who was not such an intimidating villain in the Kick-Ass comics, but becomes a serious threat with some serious martial arts skills to show for it in the movie adaptation. D'Amico mixes his calm and organized nature with some aggression and frustration, and that adds a new layer to the character that was just another punk waiting to get his ass kicked by the right person. He's not all ruthless, however, as he shows a father side to his "strictly business" attitude with his son Chris D'Amico, played by Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse.
A comic book reader himself, Chris actually respects Kick-Ass in this film unlike his comic book counterpart, but also takes on the role of Red Mist to draw out the hero and impress his father in relation to the mob killings. He's not so much the Harry Osborn type of guy, but that soon becomes apparent by the end of this film that Kick-Ass has gained a new enemy instead of an ally in the superhero business.Co-produced by Brad Pitt and co-written by the actual comic book's creators, Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. themselves, the movie adaptation of Kick-Ass does more than good, it really KICKS ASS. Tons of actions, lots of nods to other films and videogames, and great acting and comedy only serve the film well. Even if it deviates from the comics and improvises on certain scenes, it's fresh enough to feel great about this movie, especially on the changes made to Dave and the characters around him. True, it won't replace that feeling of awesomeness I got the first time I read the comics, but Kick-Ass The Movie is another great experience for the comic book/ action movie lover. This is certainly looking like a sleeper hit to many who don't know about the premise of this film, but if you be curious enough to give it a try, rest assured, it WILL KICK YOUR ASS.
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