KICK-ASS 2 Review (Spoiler Heavy)

Here's my review for KICK-ASS 2 starring Aaron Taylor Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz Plasse and Jim Carey. It opens August 14 and is distributed locally by Solar-UIP.

So Kick-Ass 2 has finally reached our shores and I must say that it's definitely a great movie. Much like how Percy Jackson went with their own story, the same thing has happened here in Kick-Ass 2. Rather than sticking word for word from the source material, I could warrant around 80 percent was retained from the second volume of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.'s seminal title.

Still Kick-Ass 2 is a pretty nifty flick. There's a good amount of teen angst plus bloody battles, out and out beatings and laughs here and there.

Rather than focus more on the life of Kick-Ass and his alter ego Dave Lizewski (played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson) this sequel focuses more on the life of Mindy McCreedy aka Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz). The angst is present there. Seeing those scenes was like sending me back to the time I first caught "Mean Girls" with a non coke snorting Lindsay Lohan.

It might seem like Johnson is doing anything but he's POV focuses more on the growing 'vigilante' trend that Kick-Ass inspired. Joining Lizewski on his 'quest' for Justice is a rag-tag team of vigilantes who call themselves "Justice Forever" led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey). Those segments were fun and all hero-y. Too bad though that it lasted only so long. Still the big 'final battle' gets us our kick for masked vigilantes and caped crusaders.

Massive props to Jim Carrey who seriously fit the role of the Colonel. Too bad though that his role is very, very short much like how Carrey's participation in promoting the film was short-lived.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse brought the laughs in this movie. His "Motherfucker" was spot on. Too bad though that his version of the character came off more as whiny rather than the motherfucking asshole that he really is from the source material.

Mintz-Plasse as THE MOTHERFUCKER

The great thing about KICK-ASS 2 is the fact that they deliberately took liberties on some places and scenes that might not be OK for the squemish. Some of them include the death of Colonel Stripes and the attack on Night Bitch. *The book portrayed the brutal rape of Kick-Ass' supposed girlfriend Katy as well as the violent shooting in the neighborhood* Those scenes would've unsettled viewers; hell I would get this unsettling feeling if I saw that adapted on the big screen.

The action and dialogue was great, a bit gritty and dirty but it's still great. What would you expect from a  movie entitled "KICK-ASS". Cool moments and a wicked, twisted finale as well. Oh and if you're looking for easter eggs, there's a buttload of them here in the film. Same goes for comic book references. And keep your eyes peeled for the next movie adaptation from Millar's KAPOW COMICS; it'll make an appearance and it's also going to feature one of our great comic book artists.

KICK-ASS 2 is now showing! Special thanks to SOLAR-UIP.