Kick-Ass 2

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jim Carrey, Morris Chestnut, Donald Faison, Garret M. Brown, John Leguizamo, Clark Duke, Lyndsy Fonseca, Lindy Booth
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Crime, Comedy
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) struggles with whether to embrace his superhero alter ego or be an ordinary teenager, as Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) plots his revenge.

Review:

Tim: Watching the first Kick-Ass in theaters was one of the most fun times I've ever had at the movies. I was totally unprepared for Hit Girl, and I remember laughing (and crying) a little when she ripped apart everyone around here. I really, really enjoyed the first movie. While I can't quite say it reached the heights of greatness, it got awfully close. Three years later, we get the sequel. Unfortunately, director Matthew Vaughn was replaced by Jeff Wadlow. This movie is still good, but it suffers from the typical sequel maladies and it can't quite reach the quality of the first film.

What I liked best about this film is that it felt like a natural progression of the story. Too many sequels feel forced, like the writers are either twisting the exact same plot, or trying way too hard to convince us there's a reason for revisiting whatever world they created again. That did not happen at all with Kick-Ass 2. I really enjoyed the story, as it explored the themes that were established in the first film. What would Kick-Ass do after the events of the first film? How does he balance being a "superhero" while being a high school student? As far as Mindy, how does she deal with the death of her father in the first film? What about Red Mist? How does he react to Kick-Ass killing his father? These questions are natural based on the events of the first film, and it's where this movie wisely spends its time. That was one of the best aspects of the film.

It was fun revisiting these characters as well. Aaron-Taylor Johnson has really beefed up since the first film, but it was fun seeing more of his uncertain character. I liked that this film spends more time exploring the character of Mindy Macready, although I do wish we got more Hit-Girl. Her alter ego was the best part of the original movie, and it's a shame she spends most of this movie as a normal teenager. In the first film, Nicolas Cage was a great (but weird addition). This film went above and beyond by casting Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars and Stripes. He was nearly unrecognizable, but I loved his look, his sound, and his character. Unfortunately, he just doesn't get enough screen time- I wanted more. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is good once again, and I love his new name (I can't write it here because this site should be somewhat family-friendly). He was a good villain. John Leguizamo was a great addition in a supporting role as well. All in all, the cast of this film was pretty outstanding.

While there's a lot to like here, this film suffers from some of the typical sequel problems. The first film felt so fresh, unique, and different. This movie doesn't have any of those qualities. There is a little bit of the sense of "we've seen this before". The movie doesn't quite push the boundaries the way that it should have. The big climactic ending felt a little rushed and little unsatisfying. It's not nearly as memorable as the finale of the first film. The whole movie felt just a step or two behind the original. Some of the that is because Jeff Wadlow, though talented, isn't as good of a director as Matthew Vaughn. Even Vaughn might not have saved this movie, but I suspect it would have been an improvement over what we got.

Now, I don't want to sound too harsh- I had a great time watching Kick-Ass 2, and I would consider this a good movie. Unfortunately, it's clearly not as good as the first film, and with the low box office tally, I suspect we won't be getting another film to round out the trilogy. That's too bad, although I suppose I should feel lucky to have gotten two films out of this crazy, fun little world. This movie is too forgettable, but still a solid sequel.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Kick-Ass, X-Men, Mystery Men, Watchmen, Super