Kick Ass

I've real mixed feelings about this film. A graphic novel with a cult following becoming a movie that was initially turned down by all the major studios but has been very successful sounds like a good story.

The basic premise about how super heroes are really just ordinary people deep down is interesting.

It's well made with a good cast - Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong - and has good special effects. It should be a good popcorn movie - so why did it leave me with a bitter taste, so much that I'd actually say this is a movie to be avoided?

I think I felt uncomfortable due to the cartoon, yet graphic violence. The character of 11 year old Hit Girl left me really uneasy with her love of violence and 'potty mouth'. Perhaps I'm just gettting old, perhaps I'm just really out of touch and not as open or liberal as I thought - either way it just didn't feel right. I certainly don't think it should have received a 15 certificate.

The 'majority view' of the critics is that this is a pretty good film - see Peter Bradshaw's Guardian review. Time Out offers a middling review here. Interestingly Roger Ebert, the doyen of US critics, is not a fan and even calls it 'morally reprehensible' (see here) - which is very strong stuff from him.

See it and make up your own mind - but personally I think it's one to avoid.