MikePA's Movie Review of Kick-Ass 2

Review: Kick-Ass 2
MikePA - wrote on 08/19/13

I'll say right away that I think the world of Kick-Ass. I adore it. I adore the relationship between Hit Girl and Big Daddy. I adore the visceral comic tone is establishes and sustains. I adore the cleverness of the script and the substantial richness of the characters. I adore Matthew Vaughn and his wonderful vision he brought to the table. There's two things that the movie earns - its title and its R-rating. If there's one flaw that inhabits the existence of that film, it's that it developed sequel sickness. Yes, of course, Kick-Ass 2 was made, and Jeff Wadlow of all people was hired to write and direct the film.

The central problem with the film is that, yes, it's bloody and visceral and energetic - but it's not fun. It lacks the vibrant spark that made the first film work. What made the first film so good was the absurd humor surrounding Hit Girl - the fact that it's a 12-year-old girl as a violent killing machine. Vaughn established that the idea of that was kind of off (and pretty daring, if you ask me), which is what made it so funny. And the amazing chemistry between Hit Girl and Big Daddy added to it. Kick-Ass 2 is all violence and no substance. The fact that Hit Girl is established as more of a "normal" girl severely takes away from what Kick-Ass is supposed to be. Basically, it fails to blend its brutality with its comedy like the first film did exceptionally well, which is both a failing and a disappointment. I wanted more Hit Girl and less Mindy hanging around stupid popular girls. I mean, really?

Mostly everybody is back, however much more underwhelming and uninteresting. The character Kick-Ass didn't do much for me, this time around. New players including Colonel Stars and Stripes, played by Jim Carrey, and Javier, played by John Leguizamo, have their moments but not nearly enough to justify the film's duration. Poor Chloe Moretz is trying her best in a disappointing role. Hit Girl is subtracted in this film rather immensely for an exploration of Mindy's serious side, which I didn't like.

This is Kick-Ass. I don't want it to be dark. I want it to be fun and clever. I want it to kick ass.

Kick-Ass 2's saving grace is that, while not as genuine as the first film, it has its share of laughs. But they're mostly generated by things people say rather than the blend of violence and comedy that I hoped we'd get to see more of. It's as mediocre and forgettable as a sequel could get. I really wished Matthew Vaughn had returned to do it. He totally gets it.

2/4