Let me preface this review with the following statement:
"If you did not like 'Kick-Ass', you will not agree with me on this. Tonally, it is the same as the first."
That being said, if you did like 'Kick-Ass', 'Kick-Ass 2' is fucking awesome.
I'm going to do this review without spoilers, but as it is hard to do with any review, elements of the movie will be given away. So, mild spoilers ahead. When this comes out on blu-ray expect a spoilerific post on everything. For now, let me just tell you how much I enjoyed this movie.
'Kick-Ass 2', based on the comic, by the brilliant and genius, Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted), had everything going for it. The action sequences and fight scenes were incredible. Funny, gory and beautifully choreographed. They were just insane. So much fun to watch. Obviously, Hit-Girl steals the show as her action scenes were, just, out of control; Even though she spends a good amount of the movie channelling Lindsay Lohan in 'Mean Girls'. But for real, Chloe Grace Moretz ('Kick-Ass', 'Let Me In', and the upcoming 'Carrie') is the real deal. She is one talented actress, and she has a long successful career ahead of her. She is only 16. 16!
This girl needs to be in 'Star Wars: Episode 7'. Whether it be Jaina Solo, or another take on the Solo girl, this girl needs to play her. MAKE THIS HAPPEN HOLLYWOOD! She's got it all. Top-notch acting chops. In 'Kick-Ass' her fighting skills were insane at age 13, and she is even more skilled with age. Imagine this girl with a lightsaber?! She's the perfect casting. You can quote me on this, if she is cast as Jaina Solo, that character will be ranked as the #1 most bad ass chick in film history. More so than Sarah Connor, Ripley, Trinity, The Bride and Hit-Girl, of course. Mark my words.
Now that I got my Chloe Grace Moretz obsession off my chest, (16 gets you 30, Fellas) let's talk a little about the rest of the cast. Donald Faison is in this movie (Turk from 'Scrubs') and he's funny as shit as Gravity Man. A great addition to the Kick-Ass world, and he nails it. Jim Carrey ('Dumb & Dumber', 'Ace Ventura', 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', the list goes on...) also lends his A-List name to the cast, but, that's merely all it is. His role, although great, is minimal. However, I do think this was the best direction for the movie. As much as I love Jim Carrey, I want to see Hit-Girl, Kick-Ass and The Motherfucker as much as possible.
Speaking of The Motherfucker. Christopher Mintz-Plasse ('Superbad', 'Role Models', 'Kick-Ass') owns this part. I was not sure if I was going to like the whole 'Motherfucker' villain from the previews, but I loved it. He channeled the perfect amount of 'McLovin' to make the villain as funny and likable as he was evil and ruthless.
As for the rest of the cast, everyone was great. From the whole 'Justice Forever' team; the team of superheroes started by Carrey's Colonel Stars and Stripes which includes: Himself, Kick-Ass, played by a British actor Aaron Johnson ('Kick-Ass', 'Nowhere Boy' and possibly Quicksilver in Avengers 2?! Let's hope...) Gravity Man, Insect Man, Night-Bitch, Remembering Tommy and Clark Duke's ('The Office', 'Hot Tub Time Machine') humorous Battle Guy. To the 'League of Doom' inspired, 'Toxic Mega Cunts,' including: The Motherfucker, Mother Russia, Black Death, Genghis Carnage and The Tumor. All very self-aware, racially stereotypical names, that the film pokes fun at. It's meta. It doesn't break the 4th wall, but it does wink at it. And it's something the film does throughout the entirety of the movie.
It's gory, it's funny and it makes violence fun again. Let me say what I mean by that before you get all up in arms. Violence in movies has gotten so real that it mimics the world we live in right now. It reminds you of the sadistic and evil stories we see and hear on the news constantly. Violence in movies was meant to entertain, not to make you feel it. 'Kick-Ass 2' takes violence and puts humor to it, it puts wit to it. It's meant for you to see it and go, "OHHHHH SHITTTT! That shit was crazy!!!" It removes any thought of "I can't believe this young girl is slaughtering people by the dozens. This disgusts me." The reason I bring this up is because Jim Carrey publicly denounced the violence in the film a few months ago. Don't get me wrong, it is pretty violent. There are some extreme and unique death scenes. But, as I said, the way they are portrayed is in good taste, as graphic as they may be. And they are graphic. This movie is graphic. Really graphic.
The other thing I want to say about this before I web out. (See what I did there? That has a double meaning. George Takei would get it....)
As I was saying, before I web out, I just want to mention how phenomenal the writing in this film is. The dialogue is perfectly tailored to each of the characters. It is clever, raunchy and down right filthy. Hit-Girl says some shit. But it works. It never comes off as too much, or offensive. The way they crafted this movie was brilliant. They are so self-aware of their use of language. They even poke fun at it, throughout the movie, with Hit-Girl's overstuffed swear jar, and Colonel Star's and Stripe's no foul language, or taking the lord's name in vain policy.
As for this being the best movie of the summer, you can't compare 'Man of Steel' and 'Kick-Ass 2', you can't. Or even 'Iron Man 3' for that matter. They were the frontrunners for best movie of the summer for me up until now. But they are so different. I am not saying that 'Kick-Ass 2' is a better film than 'Man of Steel' (which was excellently done and is really more of a drama than it is a super-hero film) but I enjoyed 'Kick-Ass 2' more, and that's what matters. What movie would I want to keep coming back to for repeat viewings? That's how I look at it. Yes, I think 'Man of Steel' was probably a better movie altogether for awards and production and shit like that. But, I value the attachment to the movie more. 'Kick-Ass 2' will have me coming back for more, just like the first 'Kick-Ass'.
To end this quick and snappy. 'Kick-Ass 2' is a truly fun movie. You will not be bored. Highly entertaining from start to finish. Hilarious and graphic violence. Self-aware and filthy language. Great cast, brilliant writing and most importantly, Hit-Girl. As of right now, 'Kick-Ass 2' is my favorite movie of the summer and of 2013, so far.
My Recommendation: Must-see if you liked the first one. Give it another shot if you didn't.
My Score: 9.5/10
Note: There is a post-credits scene, for those of you that want to know if you should stick around or not.
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