Kick-Ass by Matthew Vaughan

As I sit in my room now thinking back on the barrage of wonder that this film is I cannot help but think to myself "Why, oh why didn't Matthew Vaughan direct X-men 3 instead of Brett Ratner?" Kick-Ass is one of those movies that kind sneaks up on you, or at least it did me. After Watchmen last year I was starting to feel tired of the whole deconstruction of the superhero trend in movies and then comes a film called "Kick-Ass" and I wanted very little to do with it, yet as trailers started to pop up and more footage started circulate my interest was piqued. Finally the film released to a score of praise filled reviews and a few reviews that were so appalled by the violent amoral nature of the film that they intrigued me just as much as the ones singing it's praise. So I was then officially amped for this film. What I saw on the screen was certainly not entirely what I was prepared for. Kick-Ass is the story of Dave Lizewski, an ordinary boy who dared to wonder what would happen if superheroes were really. He dons a green wet suit and couple sticks and fashions himself into an internet phenomenon. Meanwhile Damon and Mindy McCready a.k.a. Big Daddy and Hit Girl are training hard to become the real deal when it comes to superheroes. What grows from this plot is a film full of clever jabs at superheroes, intelligent commentary on the humanity behind them, and a really kick-ass action movie. Don't let the trailers fool you, there is a significant amount of heart to his film amidst all the blood letting and foul mouthed 11 year olds, but it is truly an adrenaline pumping good time outside of that heart. Much has been made of Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl the pint-sized assassin with a sailors tongue, and much should be made. This little girl steals every scene she's in and when Hit Girl goes in for the big final battle, well its like watching Neo and Trinity at the end of the Matrix shooting up all that marble. This is easily at the top of superhero pantheon with Spider-man 2, The Dark Knight, and Watchmen.