Film, ReviewCameron Williams August 24, 2013 2013, Jeff Wadlow, KICK ASS, Kick Ass 2, Mark Millar, Review, REVIEW: KICK-ASS 2 (Jeff Wadlow - 2013)1 Comment
REVIEW: KICK-ASS 2 (Jeff Wadlow - 2013)
If Kick Ass 2 was a person it would be Adam Sander. Vicious comical violence, toilet humour and no relevance to the genre it represents. Sandler is the scourge of comedy and Kick Ass 2 is the scum of comic book films.
Following the events of the first film, Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor Johnson) has retired from being the vigilante, Kick Ass, and has returned to life as a high-school student while Mindy Macready (Chloe Grace Moretz) is struggling being a student pining to return to life as Hit Girl. When a villain known as "The Motherf**ker" (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) starts killing costumed heroes, Kick Ass and Hit Girl are called back into action.
The first Kick Ass reveled in deconstructing the journey of a superhero in a world where nobody had any special powers. The second film tries to do the same from the perspective of a super-villain, but has no idea what to do with its titular heroes. Writer and director Jeff Wadlow constantly keeps Kick Ass 2 in "meanwhile mode". The film jumps between each character like a The Flash on a pogo stick. Dave is occupied with a team of superheroes called Forever Justice who spend more time designing logos instead of defending the innocent. The Motherf**ker stamps his authority as a bad guy by shooting up a convenience store (destroying a fridge full of product placement) and assembling a team of racially stereotyped bad guys, and Mindy gets the strangest story arc by getting embroiled in a Mean Girls situation. Waldow resorts to filler on the path to a big showdown. Low points include a violent scene where a thug named Mother Russia murders policemen that's played for laughs, Mindy gets revenge using a "sick stick" which results in CGI diarrhea, and a sexual assault interrupted by male performance issues. Amongst the filth Wadlow inserts bizarre scenes where Mindy has heartfelt Brady Bunch style conversations with her father, but not too long before another brutal slaying.
The action sequences are lethargic back-flipping affairs full of frenetic editing and zero oomph. Hit Girl shines a tiny bit but her high flying scenes are a repeat from the first film. Wadlow consistently fails to capitalise on the opportunity a sequel presents to raise the stakes across the board.
A short appearance by Colonel Stars and Stripes played by Jim Carrey is a speck of something worthwhile in the mess of Kick Ass 2. Johnson, Moretz and Mintz-Plasse somehow manage to devolve their characters with the trash they have to work with.
Kick Ass 2 is a cancerous pretender promising something different but only offering up crass costumed zeroes.
Half a star
Cameron Williams - follow Cam on Twitter here: @popcornjunkies
Co Founder - Cameron Williams Rotten Tomatoes Approved and renowned Film Reviewer/Writer The Popcorn Junkie will provide reviews and occasional featured opinion.
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