Sequelitis runs rampant in Hollywood these days with the money remaining the main motivator. Most of the time the sequel results from a surprisingly successful first installment and the results are mediocre mimicry at best. The first "Kick-Ass" film was a huge critical and financial success, but the story for the second film was already in place before the green-light for the sequel was handed down. The result is a film that seeks out new territory and breathes new life into the unique franchise.
For the uninitiated, the original film featured an average high-school comic book nerd Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) attempting to be a "real-life" superhero known as Kick-Ass. The boy is often in over his head in testy confrontations but eventually finds allies in Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz). Big Daddy meets his demise in his attempts to take down a gangster but Hit Girl and Kick Ass wind up exacting revenge. The second part showcases Kick-Ass attempting to find a partnership while Chris D'Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), formerly Red Mist, makes a return as the super-villain known as "The Mother F****r." The new villain is setting up his own army of villains with the sole aim of exacting revenge on Kick-Ass for killing his father in the first movie.
While the original film served as an origin story that ultimately portrayed Kick-Ass's pathetic qualities, the second film asks the young teenage characters to question their true identities. In a world where their brand of vigilantism usually turns into criminal behavior of some kind, what kind of future could they have as their alter-egos? Will Dave grow up and face the consequences of pretending to be a superhero? Can Hit Girl's real life persona Mindy McCready learn to live a normal life without constantly resorting to her violent alter-ego?
All of these questions are aptly dealt with throughout the film, though writer/director Jeff Wadlow seems to have a soft spot for Mindy's story. When the original film came out, controversy struck due to the 11-year old character's violence and profanity. That film showcased the girl's world being dominated by a father figure who trained her to be a hired gun. Wadlow strips Mindy of her superhero costume and asks her to deal with something more intimidating: high school. Throughout her narrative, Mindy works hard to make new friends but meets with rejection and bullying at every turn. These scenes are among the most memorable and provide the film with true human qualities that are present in the best comic book films. One of the finest scenes in the film showcases Mindy sneaking into Dave's room after being embarrassed by the school bullies. The scene seals the two protagonists' bond memorably.
Moretz stole the show in the first film because of her rambunctious and energetic behavior. She continues to stand out amidst the ever-growing cast of characters but for different reasons. The strange charm and pizzazz of Hit Girl remains in abundance, but Moretz makes Mindy a vulnerable character throughout the film, particularly in the aforementioned scene with Taylor-Johnson.
Mintz-Plasse is hilarious throughout as Chris D'Amico and his levity adds dimension to a dark evolution of his character. While his turn in the first film showcased the pathetic nature of Chris, the new installment reveals a character struggling to overcome this pathetic nature through an abuse of wealth and power. Despite the outer shell and ability to buy himself a few murderous body guards, Chris remains a sad character that on some level remains sympathetic, if not pitiful. He wants to be noticed by others and chooses the path of evil to reach this recognition. However, most of his attempts are usually punctuated by some sort of embarrassing moment. In one scene he attempts to rape a girl, but winds up finding his own anatomy failing him. In another he robs a convenience store and fires away at the refrigerators. He runs out of the story filled with a hint of fear.
Jim Carrey makes a welcome, though short, appearance in the film as Colonel Stars and Stripes, the leader of the vigilante group Justice Forever. His appearance has been altered and his voice hints at worn man. Carrey's character is a former mobster turned Christian and a number of scenes create a sense of dread and fear from the viewer.
Taylor-Johnson continues his solid work as the geeky Dave. While his character lacks the outrageous qualities of his supporting cast members, Taylor-Johnson's grounded performance maintains the illusion of this film supposedly taking place in the "real world." The actor has a few powerful moments, especially late in the film, and continues to exhibit himself as a growing star.
The first film was filled with a plethora of violence and the sequel continues the trend. Some of the moments are truly obscene and borderline-unwatchable (one character's arm gets sliced off, a couple of cops are destroyed by a lawnmower, and another character gets his genitals ripped out by a dog) and will likely draw the ire of some critics and crowd members. However, Wadlow is tactful in his execution as most of the violent sequences are filmed in a hyper-frenetic style that exhilarates more than it disgusts. Some sequences are even surprisingly tame including a sequence in which Mindy fights a group of gangsters while on top of a van. There are also stretches in the film in which the violence almost disappears completely, enabling the story to take off and its characters to develop. There is rarely a gratuitous violent moment in the film that lacks motivation from the script and story.
That isn't to say that "Kick-Ass 2" is a perfect film. The script is filled with a few plot holes that will have people questioning its logic (PLOT SPOILER***: one character betrays his best friend's identity and ultimately gets his father killed without any personal ramifications being explored between the characters) and there are some aforementioned violent moments that will turn-off quite a few (such as cast member Carrey).
Ultimately, "Kick-Ass 2" continues to develop the fantastic world developed by Mark Millar and delves into deep themes about identity and the consequences of violence. The film is filled with hilarity and exhilaration that will surely please fans and first-time viewers alike. It might not be as ground-breaking or polished as "The Dark Knight," but it is definitely one of the better superhero sequels of this century.
***Fans should be aware that there is a scene after the credits of "Kick-Ass 2" that hints at the third installment of the franchise. ***
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