Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass, a cheerfully gory comedy about comic-book obsessed teens who decide to become superheroes, won't open in the U.S. until next Friday. But the movie is already playing in Australia, where several family groups and at least one critic has taken mortal offense to the R-rated film's sense of humor.
Richard Wilkins, the entertainment editor for the Aussie TV channel Nine Network News, has gone ballistic on the film. "I can't possibly encourage you to go and see this overhyped, inappropriate sensationalism that glamourises kids with guns," Wilkins said. "I just think it is wrong ... so wrong."
"The film is inappropriate — it's excessively violent and there's nothing particularly clever about it," Wilkins said, adding there was no way he'd let his 14 year-old son watch it. "I don't want him seeing kids with guns and knives, killing people randomly and hearing young children say the sort of language they use in the movie."
I've written a big story on Kick-Ass running in Sunday's paper that addresses the inevitable controversy that will greet the film (I will post it onto the blog over the weekend). But the short version is: The movie is rated R for good reason. And compared to the violence in other R-rated films such as Repo Men, Kick-Ass is as offensive as Toy Story.
At the end of my interview with director Vaughn, I told him how much I appreciated his 2004 debut Layer Cake, a fantastic action picture starring a pre-007 Daniel Craig as a cocaine dealer trying to retire. Layer Cake is one of those movies that never found the audience it deserved, but Vaughn told me he's already mulling a follow-up.
"I've had an idea of doing a sequel set in Miami. I always thought it would be amazing if Daniel Craig showed up there to take on the Miami drug underworld."
Cast Al Pacino as the baddie and you've got yourself a smash hit.
Good to see Layer Cake get some love. It's one of those gems that sticks with you for unknown reasons long after you see it. It's also interesting to see Vaughn thinking of a follow-up considering its ambiguous ending.
I've never been too interested in Kick-Ass though. Not so much because of Vaughn but because of my healthy dislike of Mark Millar's work and self-aggrandizing ways.
Posted by: Justin | April 09, 2010 at 12:24 PM
I too think it would be amazing if Daniel Craig showed up in Miami.
Posted by: Connie | April 09, 2010 at 12:27 PM
@Justin: "Kick-Ass" is a Vaughn film through-and-through. The movie and comic have two distinct identities. They were shooting the film while Millar was still working on the books. The movie fixes a lot of what you don't like about Millar's work (I know exactly what you're talking about).
Posted by: Rene Rodriguez | April 09, 2010 at 12:36 PM
funny you bring up Repo Men, I noticed on Metacritic that you gave that movie it's best review, by far.
Posted by: hilo | April 12, 2010 at 02:56 PM
@hilo: "Repo Men" is an odd bird. But once the movie finds its groove, I really enjoyed what the filmmakers were going after. I knew the film would leave most people (and critics) cold. But I dug it.
Posted by: Rene Rodriguez | April 12, 2010 at 06:04 PM
Critics tend to miss the point. It's not whether they liked the film - it's whether I like it! And I did...
Posted by: free divx movies | November 17, 2011 at 05:36 AM
to the guy who didnt like it:::
you came here watchit dont like it walk out we still have your f$%#ing money. its the movie of the decade its up there with pulp fiction its every boys dream to be hero it wasnt R it was MA , what made it good a mature young actor girl who has reached highs you never will. its clever because its fast paced and well crafted ive seen other movies like it and they suck!! like super and defendor!! why do they suck because their not as fun and entertaining as kick ass!! id love to have a daughter like hit girl!!
Posted by: bloodhoof1 | November 07, 2012 at 08:38 AM