Kick-Ass 2 - Movie Review

The first Kick-Ass was widely known for being insanely over-the-top, bloody, and the little 9-year old girl dropping every single swear word you'd hear in a high school hallway. But honestly, that's what made the first one work so well. It was a refreshing comic book movie that focused on the life of actual human beings without any special super powers. It was just normal people willing to fight to protect their city.

Now the sequel is here and let me tell you I had as much fun watching this as I did the first. No, I don't necessarily think it's better than the first, but this one still has its positives. First of all, the acting has really evolved, especially from the incredible Chloe Grace Moretz. Don't get me wrong, she was great in the first, but I could definitely see that she took on more of the emotional side of the role. All other acting was great as well, and I enjoyed seeing all their characters come to life.

The second notable thing about this movie is that it never lets your attention go. From explosive diarrhea in crowded cafeterias to huge Russian female bodybuilders throwing lawnmowers into cars, this movie has one-upped itself in its outrageousness. But with the general feel of the movie none of it seems out of place and it all clicks in well with the plot.

I think one downside this movie had was that I felt like it didn't really have anywhere new to explore with the plot. The movie kind of plays out like its predecessor and it's generally predictable in what's to come next. I think some plotlines were killed off when they could have been great (Jim Carrey, for instance, could've been used a lot more) and that threw me off sometimes. Also, the original humor the first one had is lost in this one. If you watched the two films back to back you would notice the tone changes greatly into the second one.

Kick-Ass 2 is a solid and fun entry into this franchise. I enjoyed it a lot and would definitely watch it again. It's nice to have other comic/superhero film options that aren't centered on being able to fly and have super strength. But it also doesn't have the spirit the first one had. If you're looking for more crazy violence and vulgarity, you'll get that. But don't be looking for it to continue everything you loved about the first. B-