Kick-Ass 2 Review

The one and only verdict you need on 2013's superhero underdog- is this layered follow-up a Film of the Year contender?
For the vast majority of aspiring musical artists in the twenty-first century, one fact and trend has become wholly clear: the opening act at each and every gig will inevitably lead the way to a superior headliner. In this respect and so many others, though, 2010's shock success cult piece Kick-Ass begged to differ, offering up a fine cinematic experience that significantly shook the superhero genre to its very spandex-clad foundations upon its debut performance. More than ever, here the viewer was presented an unquestionably honed balance of action, unfiltered comedy and raw emotion, with Matthew Vaughn's stunner then sitting proudly atop our Film of the Year throne six months later.

It's difficult to envy Kick-Ass 2 in its plight, then, yet for fans of the original, it's simultaneously just as of much a strain to ignore the hope that new director Jeff Wadlow can top his predecessor here. The final result comes within reaching distance of matching its immediate prequel, impressively so. Scribe Mark Millar had a similarly taxing challenge posed in adapting his hit second graphic novel tale, especially with the levels of crude and brutal violence found in his original text raised to another level. Those who've already read the 'novelized' version of the sequel's narrative will no doubt be glad to hear that the compromises here are few and far-between, simply serving as far as preventing any major controversy and providing closure towards the climax in the case that the franchise does not return for its proposed trilogy finale.

Just as reassuring as the tonal consistencies between the two versions of the storyline is the return of the original motion picture's greatest assets- its up-and-coming cast. Once again, Anna Karenina's Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Superbad's Christopher Mintz-Plasse and in particular Carrie's Chloe Grace Moretz all inject their various lead characters with additional elements of emotional depth and levity without losing the inert humour found in each of their original portrayals. While it's more than a little irritating to see the first movie's effective romantic backbone quickly sidelined when Lyndsey Forcesca's Katie is taken out of the equation, for the most part each member of the original cast gets a chance to flourish in their return. Even the lost legend Nick Cage's Big Daddy is paid tribute on various occasions, though in such a manner that never makes his presence (or indeed his absence) seem over-indulgent or nostalgic.

Indeed, concerns that Jim Carrey's charismatic masked Colonel Stars and Stripes serves the futile purpose of simply filling the shoes of Mindy's father can be rest aside now. In the eyes of this reviewer, this represents Carrey's greatest performance in years, an unrestrained and thus more intelligent role for the comic actor to fulfill in style. It's a true shame that due to recent tragic events Stateside, the Hollywood star withdrew his support from the sequel, as judging by the evidence provided in his all-too-brief screen time here, the press interviews with Carrey alone would have warranted a watch for their sheer isolated hilarity. On the basis of this fine portrayal, it's arguable that this could represent a turning point in the Truman Show star's career.

Perhaps the fanbase's worries shouldn't have been channeled towards the newcomers joining the cast for this second outing, then. Instead, one of the central issues with follow-ups to successful motion pictures arises notably here- despite packing an oft-audacious and cunning narrative, this is a flick that can often stand in its predecessor's shadow and at times threatens to find itself completely engulfed by expectations. There are arguably too few gags which truly hit the mark as successfully as the original's greatest moments did, while the action setpieces littered throughout the storyline often come off more as diversions from the core proceedings. These unashamedly physical battles are entertaining without a doubt, yet they can feel more subsidiary in this case, simply intended to pad out an already stingy 103-minute running time.

What perhaps makes this structural shortcoming such a recognizable misstep in the grand scheme of the piece is that virtually all of its other contributory elements are so strong. The loss of X-Men: First Class (and Kick-Ass) helm Matthew Vaughn from the project initially seemed devastating to fans, but again Wadlow has stepped into the role of director with ease, his first foray in the realms of action on the big screen a defining debut for a man that we'll undoubtedly see again in the near future. Cinematography is too often neglected in modern film reviews, but just as Vaughn crafted each visual factor of the original with expertise and artistic vision, so too does his spiritual successor offer up the goods via a blazing, colorful piece of cinema that never ceases to dazzle in terms of pure eye candy.

No matter the stance we've arrived at regarding its aspirations of matching its predecessor, Kick-Ass 2 is nonetheless an unequivocally essential viewing experience for film fans this Summer. The soundtrack's full of memorable classics employed in brilliantly innovative sequences, the direction is superb and barely registers as any major contrast to what's come before, and best of all the cast (both old and new) retain that quintessential balance of emotion and comedy perfectly. There may well have been more intelligent, more bombastic and altogether more super entries released in the genre between Kick-Ass' 2010 debut and its follow-up three years on, but something can be made certain to you now, dear reader- there's still nothing quite like this franchise, and Kick-Ass 2 comes remarkably close to blurring the lines of opening and headline acts, offering hope that the oft-lamented curse of the sequel is no longer quite as devastating as it once seemed.
4/5