KICK-ASS 2
(R)
MOVIE: ** (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
STARRING
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as KICK-ASS
Christopher Mintz-Plasse as CHRIS D’AMICO
Chloë Grace Moretz as HIT-GIRL
Jim Carey as COLONEL STARS AND STRIPES
Donald Faison as DOCTOR GRAVITY
Lindy Booth as NIGHT BITCH
Clark Duke as MARTY EISENBERG
Morris Chestnut as DETECTIVE MARCUS WILLIAMS
Studio: Universal
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
BY KEVIN CARR
One of the greatest burdens a movie adaptation of a comic book faces is fans inevitably comparing it to the original source material. Sure, books and plays face similar problems, but there’s a special drama associated with developing a comic book or a graphic novel into a film. And unfortunately for everyone involved, the perfect adaptation rarely finds enough of a mainstream audience to legitimize itself.
The first “Kick-Ass” was a surprisingly fun but dark film with plenty of social commentary and great performances. Because it made money back against its relatively small budget, a second film was made. However, in trying to stay true to the original source material (which drew from multiple graphic novels, muddying the focus), “Kick-Ass 2” collapsed under its own weight.
You can go here for my full review of the theatrical film, as well as a plot synopsis and radio coverage. The short version is that all the good juju that the first “Kick-Ass” developed was squandered in this unnecessarily violent sequel.
There are mixed messages abound, both for the character of Hit Girl as well as Kick-Ass. On one hand, the movie glorifies the over-the-top excessive violence. This would be okay for a tongue-in-cheek shoot-‘em-up. However, it also tries to make poignant points about school popularity and being yourself. It also minimizes topics like rape and murder, both trying to make them hard-hitting on the characters but throwaway scenes in the same process.
“Kick-Ass 2” is a misfire of superhero proportions, probably working much better in the graphic novel format but finding a hard time to be believable in any extreme – whether it be a true-to-life superhero story or an over-the-top slug-fest.
There are some decent special features on the disc, including extended scenes, a feature commentary and the featurettes “Upping the Game,” “Creating a Badass World” and “Going Ballistic: Weapons & Stunts.” Features exclusive to the Blu-ray include an alternate opening, an unshot scene with Big Daddy returning, plus three featurettes: “An Ass-Kicking Cast,” “Street Rules: Showdown at the Evil Lair” and “Hit Girl Attacks: Creating the Van Sequence.”