Aaron Johnson stars as Dave Lizweski, a sheepish teenage comic book collector who, for no real reason other than boredom, decides to become a superhero. It’s the first of many comic book conventions (no pun intended) that the film tweaks. Of course, costumed vigilantes are supposed to be angst-filled vanquishers haunted by a cataclysmic event from their past that fuels a never-ending quest for vengeance and/or justice. Instead, we get a kid who’s kind of bored. After modifying a scuba suit that he bought online, he adopts the moniker “Kick-Ass” and ventures into the world to fight crime…with less than stellar results. However, he becomes a media sensation when one of his outings ends up on YouTube.
By turns irreverent, sadistic, hilarious and absurd the film manages to be something so many comic book films are not: fun. Sure, The Dark Knight was a great film but, honestly…was it a fun film? Kick-Ass, not in spite of its ill-mannered nature but because of it, brings a visceral sense of playfulness that so many of its more pedigreed counterparts seem to be lacking. It’s a high-energy, high-concept, action-packed comedy that manages to be both shocking and heart-warming. By no means is it a perfect film, getting a little hamstrung by its own machinations around the half-way point, but it quickly recovers by smartly amping up the dark humor and underage gunplay. Hopefully somewhere a sequel is being prepped before Moretz is too old to play Hit-Girl.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being The Dark Knight and 1 being Super Capers, Kick-Ass gets a 9.
The Satch/Vai tour made a stop at a packed Factory on Tuesday evening. Photos by…
STL’s own Nikki Glaser performed at the Fox Theatre Saturday night as a stop on…
Rock band Greta Van Fleet played to a sold-out crowd at Chaifetz Arena on Saturday…
Legendary hip-hop group Cypress Hill made a stop at The Uptown Theater in Kansas City…
The Silversun Pickups tour made a stop at The Hawthorn in St. Louis on April…
Sum 41 brought its 'Tour of the Setting Sum' Tour to The Factory on April…