Film Review- "Kick Ass 2"

Kick Ass 2
Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Dave Lizewski/Kick Ass, Chloe-Grace Mortez as Mindy McCready/Hit-Girl, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Chris D'Amico/The Mother Fucker, and Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars & Stripes

The general public seems to love the original Kick Ass while I'm just okay with it. The general public doesn't seem to like Kick Ass 2, while I find it better than the original? Am I insane? Maybe, but so is this film.

After the events of the first film, many citizens have become inspired by Kick Ass and decided to become heroes themselves. Dave is drawn back into the world of superheroes, starts training with Hit Girl, and joins a group of heroes called Justice Forever. Meanwhile, Mindy struggles to live a normal life and fit in at high school while leaving Hit-Girl behind, and a vengeful Chris D'Amico becomes the super-villain The Mother Fucker, and forms a league of super-villains to take down Kick Ass and other heroes.

As I've said before, the original Kick Ass is not for the faint of heart. Kick Ass 2 is DEFINITELY not for the faint of heart. While Kick Ass had its problems with an uneven tone, Kick Ass 2 knows what type of film it wants to be. The gloves come off, and it goes for the cringe-worthy, the gore, and the outrageous 110%. There is one scene involving some grotesque toilet humor, which I never go for, but it's just one scene. The action is once again, completely over-the-top and amazing. The jokes are dark and at time uncomfortable, but hilarious. The story is good. It goes to new heights and builds off what the first film set-up.

I got to say, while the Kick Ass character was a big problem for me in the first film, I found him in this film to have improved greatly. The character has matured. He has motivation. Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives a much more compelling performance this time around (Here's hoping he does a good job with Quicksilver, should he choose to be in The Avengers 2). Christopher Mintz-Plasse is better this time around, but I'm still just not a fan.

Chloe-Grace Mortez is again great as Hit-Girl. Jim Carrey gives a subtle but brilliant as Colonel Stars & Stripes. Clark Duke is given more to do in this film as Dave's buddy Marty and the new superhero Battle-Guy, and he works well with the more material he's given.

The rest of the cast is a mixed bag. The Justice Forever crew is to Kick Ass 2 what the Oozma Kappa fraternity is to Monsters University. While one or two of the characters are fun and interesting, the rest just aren't. The Mother Fucker's gang of villains (I can't type their name in good conscience) are insane. John Leguizamo, Morris Chestnut, and Garret M. Brown, as Javier, Marcus, and Dave's Dad all give limited but well-crafted performances.

While we're on the subject of limited performances, I wasn't very pleased with what they did with Lyndsy Fonseca as Dave's girlfriend Katie. Without giving anything away, they really push her aside in the film, and not in a pleasing way at all, considering all that went on with her in the first film. I get the actress is on a television show now, so she might not have been available as much, but it could have been done so much more satisfying to the character and the audience.

Kick Ass 2 knows what type of film it wants to be, and it goes for it. I found it improved in so many areas where Kick Ass came off as a weak film. If you enjoyed the first film in any way, definitely see this sequel.