Kick-Ass pulled in a decent haul at the box office over the weekend, and I saw it for a third time in New York’s Union Square. I think I might have loved it even more the third time around the bend.
That said, the audience seemed to have quite the mixed reaction. I was sitting next to a group that laughed almost in synch with me – as director Matthew Vaughn skewered everything from high school comedies to superhero showdowns (bazooka and all). But there were also several points in the film where you could tell only a third of the audience was laughing, and there were some who weren’t quite sure how to take the sarcasm, or the fact that a 11-year-old girl is slaughtering bad guys. (More at Techland: Read our Kick-Ass review)
I sat there once again, though, with a big dumb smile on my face. I absolutely love this movie, and I think I’ve identified my five favorite moments. Wondering how they stack up against yours:
5. The Knifing of Kick-Ass
I know it’s gruesome, and pretty shocking, but this is really the moment that spins the movie on its head. Our hero’s bought the suit, he’s talked the big talk, but he gets knifed within seconds of going out on his first mission – in brutal fashion – and we suddenly realize this boy is in way over his head. Being a superhero here clearly isn’t anything like what we’ve see in most big-budget thrillers. And while it’s a downer, this is the point at which Vaughn can take the movie in just about any direction he wants. In one swift slice, all bets are off, as to what’s going to happen to our everyday hero. This is the moment that knocks us out of our routine expectations. (More at Techland: The 10 hottest iPhone games)
4. Going For the Breasts
Dave gets the girl, FINALLY, and the first thing he does is go for the breasts. It’s such an awkward gesture, but it’s so gloriously naïve and in keeping with the character of this loser who has never been with a woman before. The whole sequence is achingly funny, but also perfectly timed: Kick-Ass, our hapless hero, manages to screw up even the sex scene.