Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

I made the mistake of missing the first Kick-Ass in theaters, but it wasn't a mistake I was going to make twice.

In general, I don't get excited for superhero movies - and there have been a lot coming out lately. I was not oblivious to the comic book culture around me growing up, but I was never a diehard fan. Batman was one exception that I've always liked, possibly because it's more of a darker, gothic take on the superhero story (and, technically, Batman's not a superhero, just a clever, gutsy billionaire). That was reflected well in Tim Burton's film adaptations, and the more recent trilogy by Christopher Nolan emphasizes the realism of the story. Another exception was Watchmen, which I really liked (both the film and graphic novel), because it is a more serious and mature take on superheroes, and also approaches the theme from a realistic perspective.

The immediate appeal of Kick-Ass for me was that it was also a realistic take on the question: what would it be like if people started dressing up like superheroes to fight crime in the real world? Of course, Kick-Ass embraces humor and a cartoonish level of violence, so it's not entirely serious or grounded in reality, but in this case, I think that adds to its outlandish appeal. I mean, one of the highlights of the first Kick-Ass movie was the character of Hit-Girl, an 11 year old deadly assassin played brilliantly by the precocious Chloe Grace Moretz (one of my favorite young starlets, who has also played a vampire in Let Me In, among many other roles).

Much to my satisfaction, Chloe shines in Kick-Ass 2, and maintains a central role in the story. And better yet (at least in my opinion), the balance between Hit-Girl and Mindy Macready is, compared to the first Kick Ass, tipped more towards the girl behind the mask. Obviously, it's her masked persona that makes her unusual and memorable, but Chloe is such a fantastic actress, that it is a pleasure to get to see more of her, and the humanization of her character just makes her portrayal of Hit-Girl that much more poignant when she dons the costume.

Kick-Ass himself returns as the titular hero, as does the last movie's villain, Red Mist, who reinvents himself (in his characteristically comical fashion) this time as the world's first supervillain. Several new heroes join the fray (including an unrecognizable Jim Carrey), as the costumed vigilante trend grows in popularity, in an organic plot development that recalls to me the same thing that occurred in Watchmen's history. Mindy, meanwhile, is trying real hard to leave the crime-fighting business, and meets her match instead in the popular girls at school, in a subplot that almost seems to foreshadow her upcoming role in the Carrie remake, but proves to be more entertaining than its cliche setup might suggest.

I honestly don't know how I would compare the first Kick-Ass to its sequel - I like them both a lot. I think that the first Kick-Ass has the edge on badass action and the superior climax, but the sequel has much of what you loved from the first one - in both the violence, humor, and dramatic departments. Plus you get to see a whole lot more of Mindy behind the action in part 2, which is a big plus for me. I think the bottom line is that if you liked Kick-Ass, you probably won't be disappointed with the sequel. I, for one, would definitely see it again.