Kick-Ass 2
Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloe Grace Moritz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, John Leguizamo, Morris Chesnut, Clark Duke, Augustus Pew, Donald Faison, and Jim Carrey.
Backstory
Kick Ass was a fun little film when it came out in 2010. It tried to answer the age old question, what would superheroes be like in the real world? It almost answered that question, but kind of turned into a typical superhero film near the end. But, it did have a cliffhanger ending, and I was kind of curious to see what would come next. Original director Matthew Vaughn, so Jeff Wadlow took on the director’s chair. And with Nicholas Cage having died in the first film, we got another once great actor now known for weird and eccentric roles, Jim Carrey. Would this sequel live up to the first one?
Plot
It’s been 2 years since Kick Ass and Hit Girl took down the drug lord Frank D’Amico, and they’ve given up their superhero lives. However, they did inspire many, many people to take up the superhero life. Seeing those other heroes on 6 o’clock news every night, though, soon get Kick Ass longing for the superhero life again, and before long, he’s once again suiting up and patroling the streets. Kick Ass soon joins up with a fledgling superhero group called Justice Forever, lead by the militant Colonel Stars and Stripes. Kick Ass tries to get his old friend Hit Girl to suit up again, but she chooses not to, having made a promise to her adoptive father that she’d leave that life behind her. For young Hit Girl has new challenges. She’s going to need all her superhero training to tackle the new challenges of the mean girls in high school and her surging hormones. But all is not well. Chris D’Amico, the son of Frank D’Amico, has sworn vengeance on Kick Ass, and remakes himself as the Motherfucker, the world’s first supervillain. Before long, Kick Ass and the Motherfucker are heading towards a final showdown. Can Kick Ass save the day? Will Hit Girl don her mask once again?
What I Liked
This is actually a very nice coming-of-age story, as Kick Ass and Hit Girl struggle with their dual identities and try to figure out who they are. The heart and soul is Hit Girl, as she tries to figure out her adolescence. And her final comeuppance on the mean girls is disgusting and hilarious. Jim Carrey is really good, and almost unrecognizable, as Colonel Stars and Stripes. It’s also very funny, even though a lot of the humour is shock humour.
What I Didn’t Like
Well, it is bloodier and more violent than the first one. It does drag a little bit in the middle, and does start to feel a bit repetitive in some places.
Final Assessment
It’s good. If you like the first one, you’ll probably like this one.