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Every now and then you get those guilty pleasure movies that make you laugh for all the wrong reasons. Kick-Ass is just such a movie. It is violent and strewn with obscenities yet at the core, if you look really close and squint your eyes just right, is this heartfelt message about lending a hand to your fellow man. Granted most people will not see it that way and will just enjoy the action and side splitting comedy of the characters. That is ok too. Because no one wants to go to a movie based on a graphic comic book with characters named Hit Girl, Big Daddy and The Red Mist; and be expected to learn something. 

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) is a geeky teen who is tired of getting his lunch money taken from him and seeing crime go seemingly unpunished. He is fed up with evil and even worse the complacency of good people who do nothing. So he decides to become a super hero if for no other reason to make a statement that someone out there cares. Kick-Ass is born. Sadly he is the worst help anyone could be and soon finds himself befriended by Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), a father/daughter duo who actually have what it takes to kick some serious, well, you know.

This script follows the template of most comic book films even when it is poking fun at the genre. The characters are witty and imaginative plus it is good vs evil at its core. Yet it goes to the extreme with the content. The most memorable character is Hit Girl. This rough and ready 13 year old girl wants more to do with knives and rocket launchers than she does with dolls and dresses. The things that come out of her mouth would make Don Vito Corleone blush. The reason you do not see more of her in the trailer is that her language is too obscene to make the cut. Moretz doesn't hold back and creates this character that you will not soon forget. She plays her role with conviction and doesn't waiver. 

Kick-Ass is unsurprisingly rated R for strong brutal violence throughout, pervasive language, sexual content, nudity and some drug use - some involving children. No more need be said if you are a parent wondering if you can bend the rules a little so your teenager can go see a funny comic book based film. This film is in no way intended for those 17 and younger. They would love it but shouldn't see it. Adults will find it sophomoric in its shock value unless they first decide to check their brains at the door and just go along with the fun. It gets 4 out of 5 good Samaritans even though most conservative movie goers will feel better crossing on the other side of the street. 
 

Matt Mungle