thoughts on KICK-ASS
Apr. 8th, 2010 05:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thehefnerAs I should have done with AVATAR when I had the chance, I managed to see a free (thank god) screening of KICK-ASS.
Y'know, when I saw V FOR VENDETTA, it struck me how largely faithful it was to the source material, which is some pretty challenging stuff, to say the least. They didn't carry it through all the way, softening it for the audience's benefit for bizarre reasons,* but it was around 75% faithful.
Here's the thing, though: there wasn't a single great moment from that film that didn't come directly from Alan Moore's original comic. All of the new stuff for the film didn't add a damn thing to the experience.
So it's funny, then, that KICK-ASS should have pretty much the exact opposite thing going on. The only things good about the movie were the stuff invented expressly for the film.
Now, Henchgirl actually has much harsher words to say about the film than I do, without having read the actual comic. What I found striking were the words she used to describe most of it: "cynical, ugly, brutally violent crap." She can't quite comprehend it when I tell her that the comic is even worse in this regard.
To its credit, the film actually gave some measure of depth to a couple of the characters. Now, I haven't read the comic in depth, in one sitting, so maybe there actually was some of the charming father-daughter dynamic between Hit-Girl and Big Daddy in the comic. And maybe, just maybe, I've forgotten that Red Mist actually had some internal conflict and wasn't just a Superboy-Prime-style brat.
The movie made it a point to occasionally ground the characters. These were the moments that the film genuinely charmed me, and I found myself liking it despite my utter loathing of everything else. That's what happens when a story is genuinely good. No matter how much I want to hate it, if it's good, I can't. It's all stuff like the mob boss deciding what snacks he wants at the movies, or Nic Cage's Adam West impersonation. The little touches.
But the vast majority of the film was exactly what I was expecting/fearing it to be. And the worst part is, the audience we were with ate it the fuck up. A quick scan of the crowd revealed it to consist almost entirely of geeks with their friends and douchebags with their girlfriends (not surprising, as the passes were distributed by comic shops and a sports radio station). Perhaps the film would have been more enjoyable if it weren't for that audience.
Mark Millar's talent is writing for the 15-year-old boy in all man-children. The smug, snickering boy who thinks fart and dick jokes are the height of hilarity, boobies are worth cheering for, and explosions are something new and utterly awesome every single time. Like how goldfish constantly forget one another, these people think that seeing a 12-year-old girl curse is comedy gold.
And really, what's with everybody loving Hit-Girl, calling her THE character of the year? Why is everyone so blown away by that gimmick of a character? If anyone was the best character in the film, it was Red Mist, and I think that credit must go largely to Christopher Mintz-Plasse's performance. There's this one scene where he's alone and pretending to be a mob boss, much in the same way that Kick-Ass is alone and pretending to be a superhero.
For the entire first half hour, Kick-Ass is a worthless, unlikable douchebag. But when McLovin does the same sort of thing in a matter of ten seconds, he's instantly more likable and endearing than the actual focal point of the film. Check out this clip below. Most other actors can't pull off the unrelenting douchiness of Millar's dialogue, but somehow, he pulls it off. Maybe it's the lisp. He's like Hank Venture trying to be the Monarch's sidekick by emulating Dermott.
Could he have made a better lead? It's possible. All I know is that it's a day later, and the bulk of the film is already fading from memory, but the mere thought of Red Mist in the film actually brings me a warm affectionate feeling.
He even managed to pull off the groan-worthy final line of Millar's comic. There, it was dripping with Millar's trademark smirking smugness. Here, even I found myself laughing and wanting to applaud. If I have even an iota of desire to watch the sequel, it'll be to follow Red Mist.
Although in the sequel, the Red Mist will be taking on a new name, one that displays the utter pinnacle of Mark Millar's wit: he'll be called the Motherfucker. Seriously. Why do people buy this shit? That said, it further speaks to McLovin as a performer that I can imagine him pulling it off and still being endearing. He has all of the oh-look-at-that-he's-trying-so-hard charm that Millar spends too much time smirking like a douchebag to pull off.
Ultimately, KICK-ASS the movie isn't worth hating. The comic is utterly loathsome, and the fact that the film is just gonna further Millar's clout is disgusting, but the film does improve upon it enough to simply render it an ugly waste of time that will appeal mostly to people I want nothing to do with, so whatever.
Although don't get me started on how they changed the love interest's subplot here. WOW, was that offensive. The comic was merely "ugh," but the film actually managed to outdo Millar in tastelessness. IRON MAN 2 can't come along fast enough to wash this crap out of my mouth.
*If you're gonna have the guts to actually show V blowing up Parliament, why would you soften his character to make him, say, actually show remorse at what his did to Evey? The book's V showed not a damn lick of remorse, which is one of the most shocking, compelling parts of the book, because he was so firmly secure in the knowledge that he was right in his every action, and it converted (or "freed") her. Why did the filmmakers wimp out on stuff like this?
Y'know, when I saw V FOR VENDETTA, it struck me how largely faithful it was to the source material, which is some pretty challenging stuff, to say the least. They didn't carry it through all the way, softening it for the audience's benefit for bizarre reasons,* but it was around 75% faithful.
Here's the thing, though: there wasn't a single great moment from that film that didn't come directly from Alan Moore's original comic. All of the new stuff for the film didn't add a damn thing to the experience.
So it's funny, then, that KICK-ASS should have pretty much the exact opposite thing going on. The only things good about the movie were the stuff invented expressly for the film.
Now, Henchgirl actually has much harsher words to say about the film than I do, without having read the actual comic. What I found striking were the words she used to describe most of it: "cynical, ugly, brutally violent crap." She can't quite comprehend it when I tell her that the comic is even worse in this regard.
To its credit, the film actually gave some measure of depth to a couple of the characters. Now, I haven't read the comic in depth, in one sitting, so maybe there actually was some of the charming father-daughter dynamic between Hit-Girl and Big Daddy in the comic. And maybe, just maybe, I've forgotten that Red Mist actually had some internal conflict and wasn't just a Superboy-Prime-style brat.
The movie made it a point to occasionally ground the characters. These were the moments that the film genuinely charmed me, and I found myself liking it despite my utter loathing of everything else. That's what happens when a story is genuinely good. No matter how much I want to hate it, if it's good, I can't. It's all stuff like the mob boss deciding what snacks he wants at the movies, or Nic Cage's Adam West impersonation. The little touches.
But the vast majority of the film was exactly what I was expecting/fearing it to be. And the worst part is, the audience we were with ate it the fuck up. A quick scan of the crowd revealed it to consist almost entirely of geeks with their friends and douchebags with their girlfriends (not surprising, as the passes were distributed by comic shops and a sports radio station). Perhaps the film would have been more enjoyable if it weren't for that audience.
Mark Millar's talent is writing for the 15-year-old boy in all man-children. The smug, snickering boy who thinks fart and dick jokes are the height of hilarity, boobies are worth cheering for, and explosions are something new and utterly awesome every single time. Like how goldfish constantly forget one another, these people think that seeing a 12-year-old girl curse is comedy gold.
And really, what's with everybody loving Hit-Girl, calling her THE character of the year? Why is everyone so blown away by that gimmick of a character? If anyone was the best character in the film, it was Red Mist, and I think that credit must go largely to Christopher Mintz-Plasse's performance. There's this one scene where he's alone and pretending to be a mob boss, much in the same way that Kick-Ass is alone and pretending to be a superhero.
For the entire first half hour, Kick-Ass is a worthless, unlikable douchebag. But when McLovin does the same sort of thing in a matter of ten seconds, he's instantly more likable and endearing than the actual focal point of the film. Check out this clip below. Most other actors can't pull off the unrelenting douchiness of Millar's dialogue, but somehow, he pulls it off. Maybe it's the lisp. He's like Hank Venture trying to be the Monarch's sidekick by emulating Dermott.
Could he have made a better lead? It's possible. All I know is that it's a day later, and the bulk of the film is already fading from memory, but the mere thought of Red Mist in the film actually brings me a warm affectionate feeling.
He even managed to pull off the groan-worthy final line of Millar's comic. There, it was dripping with Millar's trademark smirking smugness. Here, even I found myself laughing and wanting to applaud. If I have even an iota of desire to watch the sequel, it'll be to follow Red Mist.
Although in the sequel, the Red Mist will be taking on a new name, one that displays the utter pinnacle of Mark Millar's wit: he'll be called the Motherfucker. Seriously. Why do people buy this shit? That said, it further speaks to McLovin as a performer that I can imagine him pulling it off and still being endearing. He has all of the oh-look-at-that-he's-trying-so-hard charm that Millar spends too much time smirking like a douchebag to pull off.
Ultimately, KICK-ASS the movie isn't worth hating. The comic is utterly loathsome, and the fact that the film is just gonna further Millar's clout is disgusting, but the film does improve upon it enough to simply render it an ugly waste of time that will appeal mostly to people I want nothing to do with, so whatever.
Although don't get me started on how they changed the love interest's subplot here. WOW, was that offensive. The comic was merely "ugh," but the film actually managed to outdo Millar in tastelessness. IRON MAN 2 can't come along fast enough to wash this crap out of my mouth.
*If you're gonna have the guts to actually show V blowing up Parliament, why would you soften his character to make him, say, actually show remorse at what his did to Evey? The book's V showed not a damn lick of remorse, which is one of the most shocking, compelling parts of the book, because he was so firmly secure in the knowledge that he was right in his every action, and it converted (or "freed") her. Why did the filmmakers wimp out on stuff like this?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-04-08 09:45 pm (UTC)I don't know. I've said this before (in reference to the way that Michael Turner drew Supergirl, I think), that I have the same reaction to this kind of thing that I have to the really hideous degradation porn out there: not only do I not get why people like it, I don't want to know the sort of person that does like it.
V for I'm going to Skull Fuck the Watchowski brothers to death with a baseball bat.
Date: 2010-04-08 10:11 pm (UTC)That fucking movie. That loathsome, pandering, snivelling, pansy-assed, piece of fucking soft fluff. I don't care how many of the things that happened in the book show up on screen because they are all completely undone by the way the movie completely and utterly missed the spirit and the point of the book. V is not a hero, V is a sociopathic anarchist and terrorist. He appears heroic only because the actions of the Fascist government he is attempting to topple is shown to be so loathsome. There isn't a single moment of that movie that doesn't merit burning every single master print, or piece of film, or digital file or hard drive that provides any evidence that movie even exists. I have never felt more insulted as a comic book fan, political anarchist, and movie goer than I felt after leaving that movie. What garbage.
no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 12:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 05:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 12:54 am (UTC)(At least this was my impression of the comics. No idea with the movie.)
As a former 10 year-old girl, I appreciated this. I suppose there's a little 15 year-old boy in some girls, too. XD
no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 05:05 am (UTC)Even so, it's hard for me to care about her at all in either form (especially in the comic) for those reasons you state when she exists as less of a character as much as a typical smirking everyone-is-stupid-but-me Mark Millar character.
no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 04:39 am (UTC)You've pretty much described why I don't like Rocky Horror.
no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 05:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-10 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 04:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-09 12:39 pm (UTC)I think part of what helped me enjoy the movie so much is that I saw less than 24 hours after reading the comic. So...the comparison factor kicked in pretty hard, because I was worried about it sticking close to the source material which had just served to make me vaguely uncomfortable and irritated . I enjoyed it (as you know) which I kind of considered its standard. I think I just kinda fail at fangirl rage. Or used it all up on Twilight.
no subject
Date: 2010-04-19 06:19 am (UTC)I ask myself that most of the time. When I think something going to be worth buying,without looking into the product more.
Personally kick-ass just going to be a good popcorn movie to see with freinds and nothing more. :)