Kick-Ass

Good things come in the smallest packages; at least they do in Kick-Ass. In a film dedicated to comic book geeks and everywhere invisible teenage boys, young Chloë Moretz is the standout performer and my hero of the film, although even this could not have been accomplished without the success of the film’s other elements.

One of the things I most respect and appreciate about Kick-Ass (or perhaps director Matthew Vaughn) is the tone and speed with which it sets up our story. I don’t want to say that establishing elements or backstory are glossed over – it is information that comes quickly, clearly, and without asking us to accept the cliché as original. The production design and cinematography is largely helpful in this, as Russell De Rozario and Ben Davis succeed in creating a world infused with the imagery and framing of a comic book. And in a story as self-aware as this one, it’s more appropriate to tell us that Dave is our Peter Parker than it is to merely give him a similar story. In fact, the direct parallels to Spiderman belong in the film as an integral part of how Dave sees the world. It would not be the same without them. Even Big Daddy and Hit Girl maintain the art of the comic book within their secret existence, as the form in which their backstory is revealed.

However, when there are unexplained or unreferenced similarities to other films or stories, something does seem to be missing. As I write this, I realize that my biggest qualms with the film lie in the bad guy family. Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s rich kid Chris D’Amico bears an uncanny resemblance to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off rich kid Cameron Frye. Then Red Mist is somehow reminiscent of the villain of The Incredibles: Syndrome. But with someone as recognizable as Mintz-Plasse playing Chris, one has to wonder why Dave doesn’t recognize his classmate as Red Mist. Yancy Butler, as Mrs. D’Amico, makes a few brief appearances looking strikingly like a petite Angelina Jolie. Mark Strong plays yet another villain as Frank D’Amico, but his one comedic scene early in the film in which he plans his trip to the movies, is delightfully entertaining – I only wish there was more of this sensibility to his role in the rest of the film. Instead, I found myself wondering what it would have been like to have Christopher Meloni (of Law and Order: SVU and Wet Hot American Summer) playing the drug boss.

Everybody else though, is believably average and therefore, perfect. Somehow the drug thugs manage to come off as authentic clichés rather than petty Sopranos wannabes. Aaron Johnson is not too good-looking to pass for an awkward teenager, nor does he look too old for high school (refreshing, in Hollywood). Dave’s buddies are every bit as anonymous as he says they are, and his beginning efforts are as painful as they are well intentioned. But if Dave is without superpowers (a la Spiderman), and without a super powerful bank account (a la Batman), where does he get the money for his costume? A mystery.

Also a mystery is where Big Daddy and Hit Girl got their trust fund. Three hundred thousand dollars for a toy of the trade? Fun! But how? It doesn’t matter. They’re the two caped crusaders that we believe are truly superheroes. Nicolas Cage – a polarizing performer at best – acknowledges his character’s similarity to Batman by adopting the specific speech patterns of the most famous Batman of all, Adam West. Being aware of this fact prior to seeing the film helped me to accept his otherwise affected and vacant Big Daddy. When he’s spot on, it works; when he isn’t, it becomes difficult to understand what he is saying.

And then there’s Hit Girl. Now maybe I’m partial to her purple wig (at one point I was going to don one to get through chemotherapy), but Chloë Moretz’s Mindy Macready, a.k.a. Hit Girl, is the glue holding this thing together. She’s the fiercest, most agile, most deadly, and most determined of our heroes – with the best costume, by far. She’s no satire of Spiderman or Batman, and while those who don’t understand the film may complain about her involvement in the bloodshed or her foul and offensive language, she is without a doubt the most interesting character in the film, the most magnetizing on screen, and the most fun to watch. Unlike with Kick-Ass, Red Mist, or Big Daddy, there is no question as to whether we are in a comic book world or a real world in which comic books are featured. We are in Mindy’s world, the only world she knows and lives in, a world in which superheroes are truly super men and women. This is why there is no need to be offended by such a young child speaking such crass dialogue. In Mindy’s world, it’s all for effect. It’s all a part of her superhero persona, and she uses it without relish but to insult and punish those to whom she is speaking. As for the bloodshed – we’re not talking Tarantino here, and Hit Girl isn’t even present for the films goriest moment. When she fights, the stylization of it makes it akin to viewing a comic book or watching a cartoon. Aren’t there any feminists to support Hit Girl’s heroism? What happened to all the viewers wanting to see girls in a role of power? I’m a little sad that young girls – too young for this movie – won’t get to have Hit Girl as a heroine, but at least I do. It’s nice to see a young girl kick some ass now and again.