KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES

[defrog]

Movies – I watch them.

Kick-Ass

Based on the comic by Mark Millar and Jon Romita Jr (which was developed more or less in conjunction with the film) that asks the basic question: why hasn’t anyone actually tried to be a masked vigilante crimefighter?

The film, via protagonist Dave “Kick-Ass” Lizewski, does a fairly good job of providing the answer: because it’s illegal and dangerous, especially if you don’t know what yr doing. Also, KA’s run-in with costumed vigilantes Big Daddy and Hit-Girl ably demonstrates one other basic requirement: you have to be on a seriously murderous batshit-insane revenge trip.

Despite the hype over it's "realistic" take on the masked-crimefighter genre, Kick-Ass isn’t as big on realism as some might think – certainly not the hyperviolent Big Daddy/Hit Girl angle (and definitely not the love-interest angle, the outcome of which was much different in the comic, and much more believable). On the other hand, the BD/HG scenes are also brilliant fun, so I’m not complaining.

Anyway, overall it’s a snappy, reasonably fresh twist on the superhero genre and as much a commentary on the role of superheroes in pop culture as a straight action flick. And it’s funny as hell, provided you have a black sense of humor and can deal with the idea of an 11-year-old girl brutally murdering bad guys and swearing a lot.

Which, clearly, some people can’t. In fact, the American Family Association’s PluggedIn site can’t even bring themselves to write the film’s name in full (see image, above right). If that’s not a recommendation, what is?

In all seriousness, though, it does interest me that people seem freaked out over Hit Girl primarily because she’s a kid. It says a lot that many people would find the violence and cussery more acceptable if it was a grown-up doing it.

Imagine that.

NOTE: The PluggedIn review is recommended if for no other reason than to see the reviewer make a half-assed case that creating a character like Hit-Girl and then casting a minor in the role amounts to child abuse.

Bad reputation,

This is dF