Dave Lizewski/ Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) becomes part of a super hero group called Justice Forever after he asks Mindy Macready/ Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) to train him.   Kick-Ass and Justice Forever start to clean up the streets while Mindy’s guardian, Marcus asks her to stop being Hit Girl.  Justice Forever is led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), a former mob enforcer turned born again Christian, and the team includes Dave’s friend known as Battle Guy and Dave’s new love interest known as night Bitch (who was inspired to be a super hero after her sister was murdered).  Meanwhile, Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) becomes known as the Mother Fucker and hires a group of people to become part of his group of super villains with the goal of taking down Kick-Ass and everyone he knows (and loves).   Also Mindy tries to adjust at becoming a normal teenager as the popular girls seem to take her in as one of their own.

 

KICK-ASS 2 follows the comic book story closely while providing a mixed follow up to the better first film.  Jim Carrey is great as Colonel Stars and Stripes, but Nicolas Cage was still better as the crazed super hero Big Daddy and his presence can be still felt by Mindy as she tries to be the hero her father was.    KICK-ASS 2 has its moments like the training sessions between Dave and Mindy in addition to the fight scenes.  Mother Russia has to be my favorite of the super villains while Chris/ The Mother Fucker comes off as lame as he was as Chris/ The Red Mist in the first film (but maybe that is the point).   The super heroes are more interesting than most of the super villains who don’t really get much development except for The Mother Fucker.   I do wish they handled Mindy’s story of learning who she should be where instead I think the script hit all of the right notes with Kick-Ass.  I hope we do get to see more of Hit Girl in Kick-Ass 3 because she was my favorite character in the first film where the story gives Mindy less to do as Hit Girl due to where the story takes Mindy.  

 

The sequel doesn’t have the same strength as the first film which was directed by Matthew Vaughn where the sequel is written (an adaptation of the Kick-Ass 2 comic) and directed by Jeff Wadlow.  I hope the third and final film does get made, but I hope for a sequel as good as the first film which is a stronger film than KICK-ASS 2.  If you are a big fan, you should go see the sequel.  If you are a casual viewer, you may want to wait for the DVD or blu-ray.

 

This movie review is (c)8-20-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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