Well, I just HATE to dive into the middle of a controversy, but what the hell. Roger Ebert famously doesn't like Kick-Ass. All I know is he gave Shoot 'Em Up three and a half stars for most of the reasons he hated Kick-Ass. I haven't seen all of Shoot 'Em Up, but what I saw I didn't care for, but we'll get into that later. Well, that and The Passion of the Christ. For now, let's stick with Kick-Ass. And there are some prestige people behind and in front of the camera on this one, lemme tell ya! Brad Pitt? (behind) Pietro Scalia on the Avid? For some reason I confused him with Stephen Mirrione. No, Scalia is to the Supreme Court... I mean Ridley what Mirrione is to Soderbergh. Get it right, MH!Well, a movie like this, for some reason I hesitate to give it four stars, but there is one thing I'd like to complain about up front. I'm with Ebert, although he didn't mention this part. Do we REALLY need to be reminded that high school boys masturbate? Do we REALLY need that? In IMAX 3D no less!
Yes we do, damn it. In fact, one might complain that it was done too TASTEFULLY! Where have you been for the last ten years, man? Every movie's got a scene like that now. Even the Jane Austen stuff. And the IMAX 3D's just going to make it seem that much more real.
Anyway, on to the plot. Is there any greater engine that drives things like this than loser boys in high school? But I must admit he's never gotten a tribute quite like this before. But just as Tapeheads and UHF have protagonists that think they can do better than the creative establishment, someone takes philanthropy to a whole new level, asking why is it that no one has ever tried being a superhero before? Even Homer Simpson tried once, even though he just hit the bad guys in the face with a pie... and ate half his weaponry before going out on the job. Meanwhile, the mob creates another dude wanting vengeance, but I don't want to give too much of it away. But I think it's probably safe to say that hell hath no fury like an 11 year old daughter scorned... something like that. I'm just trying to be clever, is that so wrong? Yeah, that Chloe's a sweet kid. She was also good in 500 Days of Summer. She IS the new Linda Blair! Oh, kids have to grow up so fast these days. Let's hope Chloe doesn't end up working for Jim Wynorksi, though.
There should be plenty of grist for the cinema comparisons mill. I couldn't help but think of the finale of True Lies, but the question is: which is more implausible? That Harrier jet in True Lies, or being able to purchase the equipment used in Kick-Ass online? Probably True Lies still, but True Lies' finale looks a little better. Although it looks as though no expense was spared on Kick-Ass's HD celluloid technology. A damn crisp picture. I must've forgotten something. There did seem to be a bit of a racial disparity in the bad guys, I must say. Black dudes get the worst of it, followed by the Italians. Well, Rispoli couldn't pass up on such a juicy role, right? You already tried the heartfelt stuff, and the Oscar stuff. I gotta go...
Good double bill with: either Mystery Men or Fearless Frank
***1/2
-so sayeth The Movie Hooligan
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