Matthew Vaughn is an extremely confident director. With only two films to his directorial CV you might be under the impression that he would be bow to studio pressures in order to get his blockbusters made. Not so. Kick-Ass is the product of a long struggle against the studio heavyweights who would have been much happier marketing a family (or even teen) flick than the ultra violent, ultra sweary Kick-Ass.
Much has been made of Chloe Moretz’s 12 year old assasin and her penchant for swear words beginning with C. It only happens once and was greeted (presumably at all cinemas) with a mild tittering from the amused audience. It’s a funny line, just one of many in a script co-authored by the director Vaughn with Jane Goldman (Mrs.Jonathan Ross). The combination of her and Nicolas Cage’s Big Daddy is the highlight of the film as they go from stylised set piece battle to stylised set piece battle.
The term ‘stylised set piece battle’ brings images of Zach Snyder’s 300 and Watchmen to mind, but in fact a more reflective doppelganger would be Hit ’em Up or Wanted where it wasn’t just the beauty of the shot, but the imagination of the kill as well. Mark Strong is (once again) the central villain to whom most of the violence happens. He is ably assisted by Christopher Mintz Plasse who, along with Michael Cera, can’t seem to break out of his one character, but doesn’t really need to.
19 year old Dad to be Aaron Johnson is at the heart of the film as the eponymous hero and he brings an everyman display to the table that Hollywood doesn’t get enough of. A great deal of problems come his character’s way but he deals with them with Job-like perseverence and clueless bravery. When assisted by the Father/Daughter killing team, the combination is Watchmen just infinately funnier, sparkier and more human.
Kick-Ass is a triumph for getting your own way against the powers that be. It may well court controversy from those who are easily offended, but for those who have heard swear words before it is a deliriously entertaining trip through the entire superhero genre, via the Apatow school of young souls.
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