The original KICK-ASS (2010) had divided critics: I recall the late Roger Ebert deeming it offensive and awarding the film a measly *; this reprise seems to have gone one further in that objections were raised even by those who loved its predecessor! As for myself, I found it generally a fun ride – if obviously lacking in freshness: one thing the first movie had going for it was the shock factor, which never elicits the same response in a sequel anyway (and this, regrettably, does seem to up the ante on the nastiness!).
Once again, Chloe Grace Moretz as Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl comes off best: she is fast becoming the Jodie Foster of her generation (with a comparable penchant/knack for playing beyond her years); with this in mind, I am not very enthusiastic about her upcoming reboot (ironically, there is a jibe at this lazy current trend in the film under review!) of CARRIE even if she did undeniably score in another remake, LET ME IN (2010)! Indeed, despite the title, Aaron Taylor-Johnson pretty much takes a back-seat to her character development here, and to that of Christopher Mintz-Plasse's outrageous reinvention from "Red Mist" to "The Motherf***er" (though one never for a second buys him as a supervillain!). An attempt to create a relationship between Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass and his ageing, unwise father emerges as not only weak but serves merely as a plot device to trigger the inevitable all-out showdown between the two costumed factions!
This also continues the tradition of the series in having a star act as a mentor to one of the protagonists and who eventually meets a horrible death at the hands of the bad guys. Jim Carrey (following in the footsteps of Nicolas Cage) subsequently, rather bafflingly, disowned the movie's glorification of violence – though I would say it is more of an ode to vigilantism. That said, the "Justice Forever" troupe is too anodyne to make much of a ripple in the public consciousness! Hit-Girl, too, gets another severe trashing before the character's nemesis receives her just desserts in crowd-pleasingly over-the-top fashion. With respect to the female lead, while I did not mind the high-school antagonism scenes (even if the "Sick Stick" joke went too far and was completely unwarranted!), her being constantly grounded by the cop protector eventually got tiresome (still, this does lead to a nice paraphrasing of that famous JAWS {1975} quote about "need{ing} a bigger boat", which film also worms its way into the climax)!
The brief post-credits sequence hints at a possible future entry in the saga; I think the film-makers should learn when to leave well enough alone (especially since Moretz will presumably have outgrown the part by that time)! I do not know how the film ended in the lap of, to me unknown, writer/director Wadlow – but I failed to see his individual vision amid the necessary (read: obligatory) adherence to a successful formula which is perhaps why the services of the original's helmer, Matthew Vaughn, were retained in a producing capacity!
Once again, Chloe Grace Moretz as Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl comes off best: she is fast becoming the Jodie Foster of her generation (with a comparable penchant/knack for playing beyond her years); with this in mind, I am not very enthusiastic about her upcoming reboot (ironically, there is a jibe at this lazy current trend in the film under review!) of CARRIE even if she did undeniably score in another remake, LET ME IN (2010)! Indeed, despite the title, Aaron Taylor-Johnson pretty much takes a back-seat to her character development here, and to that of Christopher Mintz-Plasse's outrageous reinvention from "Red Mist" to "The Motherf***er" (though one never for a second buys him as a supervillain!). An attempt to create a relationship between Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass and his ageing, unwise father emerges as not only weak but serves merely as a plot device to trigger the inevitable all-out showdown between the two costumed factions!
This also continues the tradition of the series in having a star act as a mentor to one of the protagonists and who eventually meets a horrible death at the hands of the bad guys. Jim Carrey (following in the footsteps of Nicolas Cage) subsequently, rather bafflingly, disowned the movie's glorification of violence – though I would say it is more of an ode to vigilantism. That said, the "Justice Forever" troupe is too anodyne to make much of a ripple in the public consciousness! Hit-Girl, too, gets another severe trashing before the character's nemesis receives her just desserts in crowd-pleasingly over-the-top fashion. With respect to the female lead, while I did not mind the high-school antagonism scenes (even if the "Sick Stick" joke went too far and was completely unwarranted!), her being constantly grounded by the cop protector eventually got tiresome (still, this does lead to a nice paraphrasing of that famous JAWS {1975} quote about "need{ing} a bigger boat", which film also worms its way into the climax)!
The brief post-credits sequence hints at a possible future entry in the saga; I think the film-makers should learn when to leave well enough alone (especially since Moretz will presumably have outgrown the part by that time)! I do not know how the film ended in the lap of, to me unknown, writer/director Wadlow – but I failed to see his individual vision amid the necessary (read: obligatory) adherence to a successful formula which is perhaps why the services of the original's helmer, Matthew Vaughn, were retained in a producing capacity!