Kick-Ass

Kick-Ass is kickass. The story is taken more seriously than I expected and it’s really surprising how the film holds itself together considering how serious and detached it is. You could praise basically everything, in particular the soundtrack, which probably is the catchiest in many months. After watching Shutter Island in February I thought that this year there wouldn’t be many films that good, I was wrong, there’s at least one. 100% PS: Watching Kick-ass with a moralist could be a lot of fun. (2010-05-14)

We all suspected it, we all believed it, but it wasn't until the final credits that we were relieved that it really is as much of a blast as it was supposed to be. When I was afraid after the trailers that Kick-Ass would bring a bunch of cool action without any emotions, I couldn't have been more wrong. If there's anything missing in the movie, it is precisely the inner processes of the main characters. Dave Lizewski is a character who literally corresponds to the teenage anonymous archetype and you will experience every success or failure with him to the last drop. And who's to blame? It's Matthew Vaughn, who quotes, upgrades, or retells everything you can remember, but at the same time creates an unexpectedly grand spectacle out of the whole story. In moments when you realize that the film is made under far more modest conditions than usual blockbusters, yet you feel the intoxication it brings, which perhaps only the biggest blockbusters can provide, it's clear to you that something great has come out of this group. For me, a very strong 85% on the first watch and the need for further viewings. Right after it finishes, there's so much that it requires additional enjoyment. P.S.: A great show all over again and a leap upward to the highest level of experience. The best cinema experience in a long time. And a solid hundred. (2010-05-10)

I didn't expect that a film of this kind could surprise me so pleasantly. Kick-Ass is a hundred-minute dose of funny scenes that may not have made me laugh, but I admired their sophistication and visual artifice. The whole film is accompanied by a hyped-up soundtrack, set aptly in the plot. And for the first time in a while I can say that I didn't find a single moment in an American comedy somehow disgusting (like American Reunion and and other similar bullshit). Finally! The cast is universally good, Mark Strong was great as the villain, and young Chloë Grace Moretz was as brutal as Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. I don't require blood in a movie, but here it spurts with such "elegance" that you don’t even think about it. Like I said, it has a bit of Kill Bill and Sin City about it, but it's better. It may not have the layers of Matthew Vaughn's previous Stardust, but I don't regret the time I spent watching it. (2010-05-23)

Chin down, thumbs up. I like Matthew Vaughn for his approach to filmmaking alone, but the actual result far outweighs my sympathy. Kick-Ass has everything that a proper pop culture film of its time should have - losers, the internet, comic books, crazy humor, absurd violence, and a hefty helping of hyperbole. You can't go wrong by putting this all into one mix, polishing the visuals, and throwing exactly the right music into the playlist. I doubt I'll come across a more musically and editing-packed scene in the movie theater this year than the FPS shootout in the warehouse. Other than that, Nicolas Cage is back in form and Chloe Moretz is the cutest little cutie. Edit: It’s not the movie of the year (The Social Network is a bit different caliber after all), but it is definitely the most stylish movie. (2010-05-11)

Great punch! The movie really surprised me. At first, I wanted to switch it off, but once it got going and Nicolas Cage entered the scene, it was awesome. The film makes fun of probably all the most famous comics and offers a balanced mix of entertainment, with KickAss getting a proper ass-kicking at the beginning. A classic origin tale. Let's see what the guys will show us in the second part, looking forward to it... 85% (2012-12-01)