# Kick-Ass KICKS ASS!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803 "2010-04-12T02:31:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/81 "2010-04-18T17:01:24Z")
My wife and I went to see it last night and are both totally in love with Hit-Girl. We really think the movie knocks it out of the park. I did get a well-earned punch in the arm from Mrs. Chef at one point: Near the end of the torture scene, when Hit-Girl has taken out the bad guys as Big Daddy gets slow-roasted by the fire under the chair he’s handcuffed to, she takes his mask off to reveal how badly burned his face is and they’re having a tender death-scene moment. I leaned over and whispered, “Look, honey – it’s [Fire Marshal Bill](http://www.joeblasco.com/blascoschools/schools-intro/main/pics/jb8-p1.jpg)!” In my defense, once I thought of it, I HAD to say it – even Mrs. Chef had to admit that, even as she continued to punch me. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/82 "2010-04-18T22:14:55Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > I saw this movie today and it definitely rocks! Unless things go horribly wrong, I predict a rich, rewarding career for Chloe Moretz; she hit the balance between being a KICK-ASS assassin and a typical tween. I thought the pace of the movie resembled that of the movie, “Shoot 'Em Up”, a movie a couple of years ago starring Clive Owen and Monica Belluci. I liked that movie a lot, thanks for name-checking it and reminding me of it. > [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > I have only seen the short trailers that are on TV, but I do have a crush on that girl. And that was before it was pointed out to me that she utilizes said awesome knife. If I go watch the movie, I am pretty sure my heart will belong to her if she is as much of the show-stealer you make her out to be. You have to check in after you’ve seen the movie. My guess is that you’ll be in a puddle on the floor at the scene where she gets her birthday present. “Look Daddy…you’re not looking!” > [@vanfanel](#): > > Carmike Cinemas nationwide will not be showing Kick-Ass due to a financial dispute with lionsgate. It has nothing to do with the film’s contents. If the dispute isn’t settled future films like “Killers” and “The Expendables” will also not be shown. It is some profit sharing dispute between the 2 companies. Thanks for that information. Ignorance fought. > [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > This movie is absolutely fucking awesome. I think it’s one of my favorite movies ever. I want to see it again. I was laughing through the whole thing… and some of those action sequences were just gorgeous. This is eventually going on my shelf next to _Kill Bill_. I’m so glad you like it! You would make for an awesome movie buddy. And yeah, it’s perfect to sit on a shelf next to Kill Bill I & II. If anyone hears of a reaction from Tarantino, please share it. I think he’ll love it! > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > A while back I started a thread about how Ebert’s reviews are a pile of crap based on whatever is going on in his head. As a movie reviewer he is a joke. I think he is using all the “poor me I have cancer” stuff to pump up his rep. That’s a horrifically nasty thing to say about someone who just doesn’t like a movie you like. Ebert has exquisite taste in movies, but he doesn’t always like what I think are good movies. It’s just an opinion. I’ve always looked at Ebert like this: if he likes something, I can be sure that either it’s a great movie, or if a “lesser” film, that there’s something about it worth seeing. I’ve discovered dozens if not hundreds of films I loved through him. If he _doesn’t_ like something though, I never take his word for it that it’s not worth seeing. It might well be crap, but he’s disliked so many films that I liked, that I would seek out other information and if it looks like something I might like, I’ll go and judge for myself. > [@ToeJam](#): > > The spider man references are intentional as one of the major producers of this film is [John Romita Jr](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Romita,_Jr.), whose claim to fame is getting to draw the Spider-Man comics, which his dad helped to make famous. > > It was the little things like when they walk out of the movie theater and the film playing on the scrolling lights was “The Spirit 3”, or the various comic book references and actual physical comic books there, or the fact that they mentioned another super exciting comic book movie coming up (Scott Pilgrim!). This movie was definitely a GREAT film for the comic book lovers out there with the subtle nods in the background for these little things. Thanks for all the tidbit references. It will make the movie richer the next time I see it. I did laugh in delight at the Spirit 3 reference. I’ve never read the printed version, but the movie **The Spirit** was one of my favorite films from 2008. It got horrible reviews and bombed badly at the box office, but I loved the hell out of it and saw it multiple times in the theater. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/83 "2010-04-19T00:06:44Z")
Thought it was very cute, but winced when I saw the kids in line for the next showing. I’m pretty desensitized and some of the slow torture scenes were a tad too much for me (the Hit Girl mega action, not so much). If a kid can sit through some of the mobster scenes unaffected, that kind of makes me sad. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/84 "2010-04-19T02:15:11Z")
LOVED it. Saw it at a 2PM showing. There were some kids, but none of them seemed affected, and their parents let them stay. I actually don’t think the content was THAT bad compared to the hype, but maybe I’ve just really desensitized. Chloe Grace is going to have a huge career ahead of her. One complaint about this film - who the hell uses myspace anymore??? What is this, 2007? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/85 "2010-04-19T13:14:28Z")
Tens of millions of people still use MySpace. Bands especially. You can upload 10 songs so people can hear what you sound like. You can’t do that with Facebook. I think Kick-Ass will, well, might, revive MySpace. I hope so, because Facebook is completely brain-damaged, doesn’t give a shit about what you want, or privacy, and are hell-bent on making changes that make it worse and worse and worse every time. I wish there were a place that had the best features of each, and none of the brain-damage that each is afflicted with in their own way. As I was going in, I saw theater employees escorting a group of teenagers out of the theater. They seem to have bought tickets for another movie then ducked into **Kick-Ass** , but an employee, while not checking tickets at the moment, saw them go in and went after them. **Cat Fight** , were those kids in line with adults? If not, the theater was breaking the law by letting them buy tickets. Though, even if they were with adults, the adults might have been clueless. I remember all the kids in line with parents for **South Park: Bigger, Faster, Uncut** , and for **Bad Santa**. I keep thinking of scenes and smiling. I loved that they were listening to “Crazy” while driving around in the Mistmobile. Was anyone else disappointed that… Red Mist turned out to be a bad guy? From the previews I thought he and Kick-Ass were buddies and was shocked, SHOCKED, literally shocked, when he shot Hit Girl! ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/86 "2010-04-19T13:36:41Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Was anyone else disappointed that… > > Red Mist turned out to be a bad guy? From the previews I thought he and Kick-Ass were buddies and was shocked, SHOCKED, literally shocked, when he shot Hit Girl! Uh, no. Red Mist was clearly set up as a villain to succeed his father. His sense of self-entitlement, his obsession with bossing people around and atavistic violence, his access to weapons and a criminal empire all blatantly presaged the denouement where he would replace his father and swear vengence. If nothing else, that stupid haircut should have signposted his villainous tendencies. I thought it was an entirely obvious development and was slightly disappointed that Millar and Vaughn didn’t manage to twist it in some way, though I realize that they were again just paying homage to the source material. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/87 "2010-04-19T14:09:46Z")
I thought the movie was pretty good–Nic Cage was born to play Big Daddy! . Loved hearing Sparks’ \*This Town Isn’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us \* as the theme for when KA and RM met for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/88 "2010-04-19T15:08:06Z")
[Reported at MSNBC](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36630000/ns/entertainment-movies/) > [@](#): > > LOS ANGELES - In a major upset, the \*\*\*new kiddie superhero action \*\*\*comedy “Kick-Ass” failed to take the top spot at the North American box office, narrowly losing the race to “How to Train Your Dragon,” according to studio estimates issued on Sunday. Bolding mine - clearly there some marketing confusion. “kiddie superhero action comedy”… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/89 "2010-04-19T15:17:03Z")
Reflects how misleading some of the marketing has been. I think word of mouth will help _Kick-Ass_, though. It also has the makings of something that could continue to spread in popularity after the DVD release. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/90 "2010-04-19T16:16:50Z")
Is there more to this than: Precocious kids cursing with ultra-violence? As it is, that’s not a combo that turns me on… esp. because I’ve never been a fan of the Precocious Kid thing. But is there more to this movie than that? Is it really well done stylistically or something? Really clever dialogue? Characters that surprise and delight in some way? Something? People are comparing this movie to Kill Bill. I think there’s a lot to think about while watching Kill Bill, and that’s part of what I like about it. Did you like Kill Bill for a similar reason? Does Kick Ass also, similarly, make you think? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/91 "2010-04-19T16:56:54Z")
Would you all believe I took my nine-year-old daughter to see it? Well, I did. She loved it, though she thought the [spoilers]microwave scene[/spoilers] was too much for her. She really wanted to see it based on the badassery of Hit Girl but, as a girl who has taken martial arts since she was four (and is just starting weapons) she found it, I guess, empowering somehow. Anyway, very violent, sure. But not more than a standard action film, if you think about it. Really, if Hit Girl didn’t cuss so much I don’t think there’d be much controversy or discussion. But people see her say things like “Hey cunts” “I’m just fucking with you” “It’s in the shape of a giant cock” And they realize there’s a real kid saying those things and get uncomfortable. And I can understand that. But I still took her. Post movie: Me: "You know that Big Daddy is like, the king of bad parenting? Her: “Oh, God yes.” Awesome kid. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/92 "2010-04-19T16:59:53Z")
There’s only one precocious kid. The other kids that wear costumes are just normal teenagers. I think it’s hard to explain the appeal of this movie to those who haven’t seen it because it’s largely visceral. It’s not a shock-value thing – it’s not that a little girl cusses and kills gangsters – it’s how those scenes play within the context of the story, definitely how the action is choreographed and shot (very stylish and inventive indeed), and most of all something just exhilarating about the Hit-Girl character’s power and confidence. I think a lot of it has to do with how the movie is set up. It’s set in the real world, not a comic book world, where bad people win and would be heroes get their asses kicked. Because it’s so grounded in reality, and because the audience has already seen the utter lameness of real people trying to be superheroes, Hit-Girl’s first appearance on the scene, her opening words (“hey, cunts…”), and her absurdly efficient, competent and remorseless devastaion of the bad guys comes out of nowhere and works as a surprise. I know it sounds dumb to say that a superhero kicking ass is a “surprise” in a superhero movie called “Kick-Ass,” but it kind of does because of the way the audience has been softened up. The sudden introduction of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl into the story is an intervention of the comic book world into the real world (we’ve seen their alter-egos before this scene, but we haven’t seen them in their costumed personas, or even made aware that they _had_ them) . One of the things that works so well about the movie (and I don’t think I can remember any superhero movie achieving this so well) is the real sense of relief and rescue when the real superheroes show up. Hit-Girl’s profanity and violence is not so much played for comic value or shock, but as a means of showing confidence, power and lack of vulnerability. A lot of it is in the performance of the actress (whose name I can never remember…Chloey something?) who just blow the doors off every scene she’s in. The audience really gets pulled in by her, and really roots for her, and their hearts break for her in some ket=y scenes too. The character is not merely “precocious.” That’s too simplistic and condescending a word for her. She transcends that, blows all the way through it to authentic heroism, courage, toughness and selflessness. The audience looks up to her, not down on her. Does it make you think? Not really, but it entertains the hell out of you and makes you keep thinking about it after you see it. I don’t see too many movies that I immediately want to see again, but this was one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/93 "2010-04-19T17:14:29Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The character is not merely “precocious.” That’s too simplistic and condescending a word for her. She transcends that, blows all the way through it to authentic heroism, courage, toughness and selflessness. The audience looks up to her, not down on her. Based on the trailers, I’ll have to see this to believe it. Which means I’ll have to see this. (looks at calendar… examines daily schedule… grimaces…) ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/94 "2010-04-19T17:23:51Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Based on the trailers, I’ll have to see this to believe it. > > Which means I’ll have to see this. > > (looks at calendar… examines daily schedule… grimaces…) Okay fine, it’s shit, don’t go see it. Happy now? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/95 "2010-04-19T17:24:04Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Is there more to this than: > > Precocious kids > cursing > with ultra-violence? > > As it is, that’s not a combo that turns me on… esp. because I’ve never been a fan of the Precocious Kid thing. > > But is there more to this movie than that? Is it really well done stylistically or something? Really clever dialogue? Characters that surprise and delight in some way? Something? I found it surprising in an [“Archie Meets the Punisher”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Meets_the_Punisher) kind of way; you’ve got two sets of “superheroes” living in two **completely** different worlds! If a little kid killing a bunch of people turns you off, you can probably just skip it. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/96 "2010-04-19T17:24:43Z")
You can’t go by the trailers on this one. They’re very misleading. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/97 "2010-04-19T17:31:18Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I found it surprising in an [“Archie Meets the Punisher”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Meets_the_Punisher) kind of way; you’ve got two sets of “superheroes” living in two **completely** different worlds. It’s two different explortions of “real” superhero premises too. First we see the ordinary schmoe putting on a costume, trying to be a hero and getting stabbed, stomped and hit by a car for his troubles. Then we see the next step, where it’s like, ok, what if it’s somebody that really trains hardcore and knows their stuff with martial arts and weapons and preparation, etc. We then see that premise pushed out to edge of believability (maybe a little bit past it, but then so is Batman), but we also see the borderline (and maybe not just borderline) insanity that such a life involves, as well as the sacrifice. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/98 "2010-04-19T17:50:47Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Okay fine, it’s shit, don’t go see it. Happy now? Ah, I see how I misworded that. I’m grimacing because I’ve realized I don’t have time to watch the movie, even though I’d like to go see it. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/99 "2010-04-19T17:52:27Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I found it surprising in an [“Archie Meets the Punisher”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Meets_the_Punisher) kind of way; you’ve got two sets of “superheroes” living in two **completely** different worlds! > > If a little kid killing a bunch of people turns you off, you can probably just skip it. I can handle that. As long as she’s not annoyingly precocious while she’s doing it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803/100 "2010-04-19T18:45:29Z")
About Red Mist and what I said before… I guess I just didn’t want to see Red Mist as a bad guy. Everything was a perfect storm for him to become one, but I was hoping that he and Kick-Ass would become buds and Red Mist would repudiate his father and be one of the good guys. > [@Frylock](#): > > I can handle that. > > As long as she’s not annoyingly precocious while she’s doing it. 😉 You definitely don’t want to be one of those people who sees something that you don’t like and gets up and goes into another theater. “Mindy” is the person you see at first, and she _is_ precocious, and cute, and even seemingly somewhat dim (“will it hurt daddy?”) but wait, just wait. Once “Hit Girl” enters the scene, you will be awe-struck. One of the great things about seeing it twice was that the second time, we can judge Mindy by who she becomes later, and that time it’s funny and awesome and you’re just as much in love with Mindy as you are with Hit Girl. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kick-ass-kicks-ass/535803.md?page=6)