Today’s quick review: Kick-Ass 2. Two years after Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) became the world’s first superhero, others have begun to follow his example. As Dave makes new friends and trains to be a better hero, Mindy McCready (Chloe Grace Moretz), the former Hit-Girl, tries to put her violent past behind her. Meanwhile, Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) rebrands himself as the world’s first supervillain and sets out for revenge.
Kick-Ass 2 is a superhero action comedy based on the comic by Mark Millar. Kick-Ass 2 revisits Dave Lizewski’s world two years after the events of the first film, dealing with the ramifications of his career as a self-made superhero. The sequel maintains the series’ tradition of quirky characters, extreme violence, and realism cut with black comedy. However, a weaker story and less consistent direction make it a step down from the original.
Kick-Ass 2 has much of the same appeal as the first movie. It pushes the premise of superheroes in the real world even farther by introducing teams of heroes and self-proclaimed supervillains into the mix. The characters are as colorful as ever, combining realistic foibles with comic book situations. The humor is less consistent than in the first movie, but its irony and black comedy still hit the mark more often than not, with a few standout jokes.
However, Kick-Ass 2 lacks some of the finesse of its predecessor. Its dialogue and presentation aren’t as snappy, it makes a few questionable choices with its writing, and its story isn’t as tightly motivated or cohesive. The biggest misses are the movie’s attempts at drama, which work well enough on paper but lack the build-up and delivery to have any real impact. The same goes for the movie’s plot beats in general: fine but slightly underwhelming.
Watch Kick-Ass 2 when you’re in the mood for something violent, funny, and a little schlocky. Although the sequel doesn’t reach the heights of the original, it still has enough going on to be a fun watch. Those willing to accept a dip in quality to spend more time in Dave Lizewski’s world should give it a shot. Those content to end the series on a high note may want to skip it. Sensitive viewers should steer clear.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a comedy with clever ideas that’s missing some polish.