Kick Ass (15.)
Directed by Matthew Vaughan.
Starring Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Nicholas Cage, Chloe Moritz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse. 105 mins.
The advance word on Kick Ass is that it is something special yet, looking at those publicity pictures of the kid from Nowhere Boy dressed up in lime green ski outfit, you may be wondering how this could be.
So when I tell you that Kick Ass is indeed a giddy, thrilling, wildly funny and wholly disturbing event; the film that Kill Bill would have been if Kill Bill was the film it thought it was, the film Kill Bill could’ve been if had been prepared to allow a touch of reality into its self contained, self referential, self satisfied world and wasn’t four bloody hour long; you probably won’t believe me.
The expectation is that Kick Ass will be a send up, the reality is anything but. It’s funny, definitely funny, but not a send up. It takes a spoof idea, a wimpy New York kid with no superpowers attempting to be a masked hero but after some early High School comedy, it is suddenly diverted down a very strange dark alley.
More I’d rather not say; shock and awe are the film’s two major weapons and much of its effect is based on a willingness to always go a little bit further than you’d expect. It is very violent (it is no more a 15 certificate than The Dark Knight was a 12A.)
It’s also a little degenerate. The 13 year old actress Moritz plays an 11 year who does and says things no 11 year old, or 13 year old, should ever do. The first time she swings into action – looking like the digitised Yoda of the Prequels dressed as cheerleader – you may need to very discreetly push your lower jaw back up in order to return your mouth to its default closed position.
Of course I don’t approve of Kick Ass, but I surely did enjoy it. There is so much to get excited about in it, but for me the real thrill is the phenomenal resurrection of Nicolas Cage’s talent. After years of clomping around like a clapped out pantomime horse put out to pasture, suddenly he’s the great, innovative performer he was maybe twenty years ago. All those crazy offbeat line readings and random burst of energy he’s been firing out for years in lieu of doing any actual work have abruptly come together into a cohesive performance.
He’ll be bouncing off every available wall in The Bad Lieutenant remake next month but this is even better. The IRS may have taken away all his money (and most of his castles and fast cars) but they have helped him rediscover his dignity.
Kingsman review
X Men: First Class week of release review
Bad Lieutenant review
Kick Ass (15.)
Directed by Matthew Vaughan.
Starring Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Nicholas Cage, Chloe Moritz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse. 105 mins.
The advance word on Kick Ass is that it is something special yet, looking at those publicity pictures of the kid from Nowhere Boy dressed up in lime green ski outfit, you may be wondering how this could be.
So when I tell you that Kick Ass is indeed a giddy, thrilling, wildly funny and wholly disturbing event; the film that Kill Bill would have been if Kill Bill was the film it thought it was, the film Kill Bill could’ve been if had been prepared to allow a touch of reality into its self contained, self referential, self satisfied world and wasn’t four bloody hour long; you probably won’t believe me.
The expectation is that Kick Ass will be a send up, the reality is anything but. It’s funny, definitely funny, but not a send up. It takes a spoof idea, a wimpy New York kid with no superpowers attempting to be a masked hero but after some early High School comedy, it is suddenly diverted down a very strange dark alley.
More I’d rather not say; shock and awe are the film’s two major weapons and much of its effect is based on a willingness to always go a little bit further than you’d expect. It is very violent (it is no more a 15 certificate than The Dark Knight was a 12A.)
It’s also a little degenerate. The 13 year old actress Moritz plays an 11 year who does and says things no 11 year old, or 13 year old, should ever do. The first time she swings into action – looking like the digitised Yoda of the Prequels dressed as cheerleader – you may need to very discreetly push your lower jaw back up in order to return your mouth to its default closed position.
Of course I don’t approve of Kick Ass, but I surely did enjoy it. There is so much to get excited about in it, but for me the real thrill is the phenomenal resurrection of Nicolas Cage’s talent. After years of clomping around like a clapped out pantomime horse put out to pasture, suddenly he’s the great, innovative performer he was maybe twenty years ago. All those crazy offbeat line readings and random burst of energy he’s been firing out for years in lieu of doing any actual work have abruptly come together into a cohesive performance.
He’ll be bouncing off every available wall in The Bad Lieutenant remake next month but this is even better. The IRS may have taken away all his money (and most of his castles and fast cars) but they have helped him rediscover his dignity.
Kingsman review
X Men: First Class week of release review
Bad Lieutenant review
