Kick Ass

Release Date: April 16, 2010

Watch Date: August 23, 2024

“Dave’s life is completely underwhelming until he makes the simple decision to use his comic book obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero.”

---

   This doesn’t really feel like it should be part of the MCU universe at this point, now does it?

   I mean, we’ve entered the traditional MCU now. Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers! The fact that this movie is technically part of it too, because it’s Marvel, because the multiverse now exists, Bob wasn’t expecting it. But we did have a lot of fun watching it, and I’m kind of glad it was included.

   This movie is over the top. Eventually. Because in the beginning? It’s just a kid struggling to find his identity and using a scuba suit to do it. It’s realistic. He’s not magically strong once he puts on the suit, and even the fact that he feels less pain than normal people doesn’t mean he feels no pain. He still isn’t wearing any protective body armor. He can still be killed, really easily as they very quickly show. There are no super villains. There’s no triumphant music while he takes his first web swing around New York. He’s being a good Samaritan while hiding his identity. Which is admirable, and about all you’re going to get as a super hero in the real world.

   And then, then we get into the comic books aspect and everything gets overblown and over the top really fast. You have a hero who is basically mentally ill in a way a villain would normally be, fighting against a pretty level headed villain for all that he is an evil mob boss. You’ve got guns and gruesome murders, because let’s be honest in the actual world that’s what is happening. You’ve got plots to capture the good guys. You’ve got a jet pack with a machine gun attached, and a bazooka.

   So what starts off as a boy living life in the real world quickly becomes something vastly off the rails, and while the second half of the film is funny and entertaining to watch, there was something charming about the first half that (since I know there’s a sequel) I don’t foresee any chance of us coming back to.

   Unlike the direction of the rest of the MCU, this is not a movie you’re bringing your kids too. But it is fun. Just expect a lot of second hand embarrassment in the first half (Bob had to prevent me from basically watching it behind a pillow the embarrassment was so bad for me.)