Kick Ass 2

Sequels are usually inferior by design and Kick Ass 2 is no exception. The original Kick Ass film was a huge hit with good reason. Well scripted, funny and with its tongue in its cheek, it controversially managed to bring a bright superhero movie to an adult audience in a new way that avoided the dark and brooding Batman reboots of Christopher Nolan and the full blown bright cartoon-like elements of Scott Pilgrim Versus the World. Its humour was the root of its success and the cult following of Kick Ass has led to an eager anticipation for the second film; a success that has given it a lot to live up to. One of the reasons that the first Kick Ass movie was such a hit was the combination of screenwriters Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughan, and the directoral talent of Matthew Vaughan. The absence of this combination was extremely noticeable. However, despite not living up to its predecessor, this movie was entertaining. The film picks up where the first movie left off. Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Kick Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) are trying to live a normal teenage life after the events of the previous film and they are both struggling to relinquish the self-styled superhero life. When a new supervillain hits the city, a group of vigilante heroes are recruiting to fight crime and they want Kick Ass to join them.

The strongest element throughout this film is Chloe Grace Moretz, who carries the movie as the true hero, Mindy Macready and her alter ego Hit Girl. Mindy’s story is the core of the film as it finds some humanity and character development and is the saving grace when played against the somewhat crude and juvenile plot lines and attempts at humour seen in the rest of the film. As with the general tradition of sequels this is a more violent, crass and overblown version of its original self and although it doesn’t suffer for this per se, it is the lack of good humour that lets it down, resulting in elements of the film that seem in poor taste. The increase in unnecessary bad language just adds to this slightly errant schoolboy feel. It is a movie of two halves. Mindy’s storyline is fun and enjoyable and her struggle to attempt life as an average teenage girl is well portrayed. The rest of the film gets a little lost at times, and Jim Carrey’s Colonel Stars and Stripes is woefully underused. However, the film was entertaining and a fun couple of hours. It does not reach the heights of the first Kick Ass film and is pretty much throwaway but it is not a wasted ticket fee either. Just a note to the film makers: please no Kick Ass 3 unless the humour is stepped up. Hit Girl the movie, however? If written how she is here, that would be a good move.

Fun and entertaining but not groundbreaking or innovative. 3 stars.

To find out more about Kick Ass 2 visit the official movie site here.