Kick-Ass 2 Movie Review 0 1638

Kick-Ass 2 movie review

The release of the first Kick-Ass film seems like such a long time ago but it was actually only in 2010, with many-a-caped crusader having swung across our screens (not least of which the big team up that was The Avengers) since then. It felt like it came along at just the right time, to subvert the genre by asking the question, “How come nobody’s ever tried to be a superhero?”

It was a fun, colourful and often outrageous world filled with plenty of comically (no pun intended) bloody violence, not to mention an 11-year-old dropping the C-bomb. It was a moderate success and so an inevitable sequel was born. And while Kick-Ass 2 isn’t as smart or funny or gloriously out-there as the first film, there’s still plenty to enjoy seeing normal folks dressed up in costumes with outrageous names and fighting for their own brand of justice.

Based once again on the series of graphic novels by Mark Millar, the plot takes place about 4 years after the events of the last film, with Mindy McCready AKA Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) now an orphan after her vigilante father was killed, still donning the superhero suit despite making a promise to her guardian (Morris Chestnut) that she would live a normal life. Meanwhile Dave Lizewski AKA Kick-Ass is dying to get back to saving the day (or at least trying to) after hanging up his green and yellow suit.

Despite her promise, Mindy skips out on school on a daily basis in order to train with Dave. But unbeknown to them their past is coming back to haunt them in the form of Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), now going by the rather blunt name The Motherfucker, who’s out for revenge against Kick-Ass “blowing up my father with a bazooka” with the help of the super-villain army he is assembling.

As is always the case with the sequel to a film that had a side character of which people instantly fell in love, Kick-Ass 2 focuses a lot more on the Hit-Girl character this time around (see this summer’s massive hit Despicable Me 2 as another recent example). Moretz was terrific in the role last time, really making her mark to achieve fan favourite – and in some mainstream circles controversial – status. And while the character has lost some of its novelty factor because she’s now closer to the age where swearing isn’t as much of a big deal – there’s evidently more novelty in an 11-year-old swearing before she chops a bad guy’s hand off than a 15-year-old – Moretz still commits 100% and provides most of the film’s entertaining fight sequences. The film knows she’s the coolest and most iconic character and has fun with that. When Dave asks her to officially team up to become a kind of post-modern Batman & Robin, she casually retorts, “Robin wishes he was me.”

The film ups its game in terms of bringing new characters and cast members in on the fun, including Jim Carrey who is almost unrecognisable as the outlandish Colonel Stars and Stripes, Donald Faison as the silly but well-meaning Dr. Gravity and the “where the hell did they find her?!” Olga Kurkulina as the seemingly indestructible Mother Russia. Many superhero sequels falter because they try to include too many characters but here it’s part of the point.

Having said that, the first Kick-Ass is just plainly a better film all around. The fact that the sequel doesn’t measure up may be down to the absence of Matthew Vaughn in the directing chair (though he is still producing) and him not penning the script with his usual writing partner Jane Goldman. Cry_Wolf and Never Back Down director Jeff Wadlow is instead on writing and directing duties and he doesn’t quite have a handle on material as well as the previous duo. The contrast between the amateur superhero escapades and Hit Girl’s fairly standard coming-of-age story isn’t handled as well as it could have been, and the action sequences aren’t quite as inventive as they were before; oh there’s plenty of blood spilled but there’s more reliance on CGI here which is down to them doing what most sequels do – making everything bigger and flashier.

There’s a repeated point made throughout Kick-Ass 2 that this isn’t a comic book but real life. Does that mean we have to take its violence as real? It’s far too over-the-top to be taken seriously like that. Ultimately if you can forgive its rather fuzzy message about violence and its shambolic, occasionally generic plot, it’s an entertaining time with plenty of outlandish set-pieces, bloody violence and pop culture references. Occasionally it steps too far over the line into crass with scenes involving extreme bodily fluids and a woefully misguided joke about rape. But there’s plenty of fun to be had as sequels go even as it stands firmly in the shadow of its predecessor.

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I'm a freelance film reviewer and blogger with over 10 years of experience writing for various different reputable online and print publications. In addition to my running, editing and writing for Thoughts On Film, I am also the film critic for The National, the newspaper that supports an independent Scotland, covering the weekly film releases, film festivals and film-related features. I have a passion for all types of cinema, and have a particular love for foreign language film, especially South Korean and Japanese cinema. Favourite films include The Big Lebowski, Pulp Fiction and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

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Tolkien Biopic to Be Released in May 0 5287

10th May, 2019 is when Tolkien will be released to the world, an autobiographical film that will revolve around the early days of legendary author J.R.R. Tolkien before he became the literary giant that he is today.

Here on Thoughts on Film we are big fans of his work and the recent films made by Peter Jackson. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (LOTR), are responsible for originating a universe that has gone on to inspire movies, animation, fiction, and modern media interpretations.



This is why Tolkien is regarded by many as the greatest fantasy author of all time. His creative stamp can be seen nearly everywhere in modern media. There’s the direct reinterpretation of his work in the recently released action roleplaying game Middle Earth: Shadow of War, where players are thrust into a major role in Tolkien’s literary canon. George R.R. Martin, who originated the now globally-popular Game of Thrones series on HBO, openly reveres LOTR as the inspiration for his work, citing the early death of Gandalf in Fellowship of the Ring as having a profound effect on his “own willingness to kill characters at the drop of a hat.” On the web, more Tolkien-inspired work can be found on leading slot portal Slingo and its many online titles dedicated to the fantasy genre, including Amazon Queen, Fae Legend Warrior, and Magic Castle, all of which feature elements that can be traced back to the author’s massive body of work. Technically speaking, the same can be said of nearly every major fantasy brand out there today, from Dungeons & Dragons to Magic: the Gathering. In short, almost every type of entertainment that features western fantasy can be traced back to the works of Tolkien.

In the upcoming Tolkien movie, the man will be played by Nicholas Hoult, whom is best known for Mad Max: Fury Road and Hank McCoy in the most recent X-Men movies. And now, the actor’s versatility will be tested as he steps into the shoes of the most iconic fantasy writer of all time. Starring alongside Hoult will be the actress Lily Collins as Edith Bratt – the woman whom Tolkien loved above all and is reportedly the inspiration for all “elven princess characters” in the LOTR series.

Helming the film is director Dome Karukoski whose CV includes 2017’s Tom of Finland, a critically acclaimed chronicle of the life and works of the controversial artist of the same name. And while media outlets haven’t yet heard from either the cast, director, or crew of the film, an official synopsis of the movie has been released via Collider. “Tolkien explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “Fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels.” It sounds like a real treat for film, literature, and Middle Earth fans.

Feature: 2019 Oscar Predictions 0 4031

I think it’s fair to say that the run up to this year’s Oscars has been a little messier than usual, from unexpected and bizarre wins at other awards shows (Vice winning Best Editing at the BAFTAs, anyone?) to ridiculous decisions by the Academy to change the show around.

The latter has proved a particular point of contention with both those in the industry to onlookers on social media, with choices such as not letting all the songs be performed to introducing a Best Popular Film category (whatever that means) to not airing four categories live; Editing and Cinematography proved a particular issue, sending the folks of Film Twitter into a Hulk-like rage.

Thankfully all of these decisions except for the one to not have a main host have taken the walk-back of shame; I look forward to Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair again. Of course there’s still the issue of plenty of thoroughly deserving films, filmmakers and performances not being up for any Oscars at all (*cough* Toni Collette! *cough*) but of course that’s not an issue unique to this year.

The show must go on, as they say, and I thought a week out from this year’s ceremony I’d throw my hat into the ring as far as predictions goes. Below I’ve listed what I think will win in each category, as well as what I personally would like to see pick up that little gold man come next Sunday evening.

Best Picture

Want to win: A Star is Born
Will win: Green Book

Lead Actor

Want to win: Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born)
Will win: Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)

Lead Actress

Want to win: Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
Will win: Olivia Colman (The Favourite)

Supporting Actor

Want to win: Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Will win: Mahershala Ali (Green Book)

Supporting Actress

Want to win: Emma Stone (The Favourite)
Will win: Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Director

Want to win: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)
Will win: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)

Animated Feature

Want to win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Will win: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Adapted Screenplay

Want to win: BlacKkKlansman
Will win: BlacKkKlansman

Original Screenplay

Want to win: First Reformed
Will win: The Favourite

Cinematography

Want to win: Roma
Will win: Roma

Documentary Feature

Want to win: Free Solo
Will win: Minding the Gap

Foreign Language Film

Want to win: Roma
Will win: Roma

Film Editing

Want to win: BlacKkKlansman
Will win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Sound Editing

Want to win: A Quiet Place
Will win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Sound Mixing

Want to win: A Star is Born
Will win: Bohemian Rhapsody

Production Design

Want to win: Roma
Will win: The Favourite

Original Score

Want to win: If Beale Street Could Talk
Will win: Black Panther

Original Song

Want to win: Shallow (A Star is Born)
Will win: Shallow (A Star is Born)

Makeup and Hair

Want to win: Mary Queen of Scots
Will win: Vice

Costume Design

Want to win: Black Panther
Will win: The Favourite

Visual Effects

Want to win: Avengers: Infinity War
Will win: Ready Player One

Animated Short

Want to win: Bao
Will win: Bao

Live Action Short

Want to win: Marguerite
Will win: Marguerite

Documentary Short Subject

Want to win: Black Sheep
Will win: Lifeboat

Do you agree? Disagree? Feel free to leave your predictions/wishes for the winners below or tweet @TOF_UK or @rosstmiller.

Roll on Sunday!