DVD Reviews

Kick-Ass - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Aug 3, 2010, 15:10 GMT

A twisted, funny, high-octane adventure, director Matthew Vaughn brings KICK-ASS to the big screen. KICK-ASS tells the story of average teenager Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a comic-book fanboy who decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. As any good superhero would, he chooses a new name -- Kick-Ass -- assembles a suit and mask to wear, and gets to work fighting crime. There’s only one ...more

So does Kick-Ass kick ass? I’d have to say yes. However, you find yourself gravitating towards the secondary characters and not the main one. What is 100% true is that Lionsgate has put much ass-kicking into bringing the film onto Blu-ray.

Dave (Aaron Johnson) is a milquetoast geek who wonders why no one has taken up the cowl and become a superhero. He loves Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca) from afar and basically spends his days hanging out with pals Marty (Clark Duke) and Todd (Evan Peters) at the local comic shop.

When the lads are mugged by some punks, Dave decides to take his superhero plan into fruition by ordering a costume online. When he tries to take down those muggers he gets his ass kicked and stabbed instead of becoming superhero Kick-Ass.

To save embarrassment, in his moment of consciousness, he convinces the paramedic to take off his costume before being taken to the hospital. His “secret identity” is saved but the rumor goes around school that he was attacked in a gay encounter, so Dave’s sexuality is now in question.

He is at first distressed about his new label, but then Katie starts talking to him since she’s always wanted a gay best friend. He decides to keep up the charade since it gets him close to the object of his affection. Dave decides to continue his quest for superhero-dom but this time he is successful in defending a stranger from getting beaten up and his declaration of “I’m Kick-Ass” becomes a viral video.

He sets up a website to take requests for heroics and Katie asks for help since she’s being harassed. In going to tell off her harasser, he encounters Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) and her father Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage), a duo of costumed avengers with a singled-minded mission. They want to take down mobster Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong) since Big Daddy was an honest cop framed by D’Amico for a crime he didn’t commit.

Frank finds that his business is being affected by Kick-Ass’ spate of crimefighting and Frank’s son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) decides to fight fire with fire and dons the costume of Red Mist to lure Kick-Ass’ ass into a trap.

There are weird laws in the universe. If Nicholas Cage fusses too much with his hair for a movie role, it means box office doom (witness the Sorcerer’s Apprentice). Happily Nic kept a middle-aged mop-top for Kick Ass and the results meant success. Well, I guess the great ass-kicking action sequences helped too.

The ultimate irony is that the film is called Kick-Ass, but the characters that beg for more screen-time are considered supporting ones here. Well, Kick-Ass does eventually rise to his own at the end, but up until that time you’re wondering why the film isn’t called “Big Daddy and Hit-Girl.”

I realize that Johnson’s loveable loser stands in for our everyman, but the film really has a vitality and vigor when Hit-Girl unleashes her violent mayhem. That violence has been the subject of much chatter since a child unleashes it.

However, these stylized beat-downs and killings are when the film lives up to its name. Especially in the big finale in D’Amico’s apartment, though the monstrous mobster, again controversially, gets to beat the crap out of a little kid although she’s pretty able to hold her own.

That brutality on both counts is interwoven into the film to bring reality to the proceedings. Comics of old usually had violence that were not so violent and this bloodletting and mayhem may be why no one dons the tights and tries to fight crime in our reality.

No matter the reasons, the film is one that I enjoyed watching – it’s only a movie.

Kick-Ass is presented in an ass-kicking 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1). They also offer up a selection of special features, all in high definition, that does their fair share of gluteus maximus booting.

Director Matthew Vaughn is featured in two modes. The first is your standard audio commentary and the second is “Ass-Kicking Bonusview Mode” which has the director appearing on screen with numerous other goodies. The expansive 113 minute “A New Kind of Superhero” traces the evolution of the film. The 20 minute “It’s on” looks at the comic book from which the film sprang.

The “Art of Kick-Ass” section contains storyboards, photos, and art. The “Marketing Archive” has the theatrical trailer (2 minutes), red band Hit-Girl trailer (1 minute), and domestic and international posters. You also get D-Box enhancement, BD Touch, Metamenus, and the ability to bookmark. Disc two is a DVD copy of the film and disc three is a digital copy.

Kick-Ass is a bit uneven, but when it hits on all cylinders it soars. Our main character is a likeable schlep, but our loyalties, and the greatest ass-kicking abilities, belong to Hit-Girl and Big Daddy.

It’s a rousing time when the film hits its stride and those lesser moments are drowned out by that magnificent mayhem. The comprehensive Blu-ray additions make it a title to own.