Big Daddy. Hit-Girl. Red Mist. Kick-Ass. Don't get fooled by the catchy codenames. This is not a superhero movie for kids.
In fact, Kick-Ass opens up with a costumed winged man atop a building. And just when you would think he is going to fly, he plunges onto a car.
Set in a real world without superpowers, Kick-Ass is about an ordinary teenager Dave (Aaron Johnson) who created a superhero persona which eventually becomes a Youtube hit, inspiring others to become costumed vigilantes. But the allies he find---the father-daughter duo of Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz)---are much more skilled in crime-fighting and resort to violence in dealing with criminals. To make matters worse, the crime kingpin thinks it is Kick-Ass who is killing his men.
The dark comedy is entertaining but this is not for people with weak hearts. The eleven-year old Hit-Girl clobbers, shoots, stabs and cusses. I commend Moretz for having the maturity to portray a homicidal bad-mouthed girl but her character definitely is not a role model for kids.
The film though suffers from the required “chick flick” element for the mass audience. The subplot about Kick-Ass's attempts to win over his dream girl does not really add to the story. In Spider-man films, the existence of Peter Parker's love interest Mary Jane Watson affects the protagonist's powers and decisions. Here, Kick-Ass's love interest does not offer anything to the story.
I also scratched my head when Kick-Ass flew using a jet pack fitted with gattling guns to save Hit-Girl. Yes, it was a fantastic scene that I enjoyed but I then realized the filmmakers violated the concept of a real life superhero they wanted to pull off.
For a guy though who enjoys superhero stuff, Kick-Ass is a refreshing take on the spandex-clad heroes. This definitely deserves a sequel.
Jerald Uy
No comments:
Post a Comment