Movie · 2013 · Action, Adventure, Crime · 1h 43m · R · English
Curator score: 1.1/10 (602.3K ratings)
You Can't Fight Your Destiny.
Overview
After Kick-Ass’ insane bravery inspires a new wave of self-made masked crusaders, he joins a patrol led by the Colonel Stars and Stripes. When these amateur superheroes are hunted down by Red Mist — reborn as The Mother Fucker — only the blade-wielding Hit-Girl can prevent their annihilation.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.1/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 2.79/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 33%
Metacritic: 41
TMDB: 6.4/10
Director
Jeff Wadlow
Production
Marv, Universal Pictures, dentsu
Cast
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Lyndsy Fonseca, Jim Carrey, Iain Glen, Clark Duke, Lindy Booth, Garrett M. Brown, Morris Chestnut, Donald Faison, John Leguizamo, Augustus Prew, Robert Emms, Monica Dolan, Steven Mackintosh, Andy Nyman, Daniel Kaluuya, Tom Wu, Olga Kurkulina
Curator Review
Verdict
A messy, meaner sequel that doubles down on the first film’s juvenile shock humor and uneven tone, but still has enough energy, action, and Chloë Grace Moretz’s ferocity to keep comic-book fans engaged. It’s more scattershot than inspired, and the satire lands inconsistently, yet it remains watchable if you’re in the mood for crude, hyperactive vigilante chaos.
Best for
Viewers who like irreverent, R-rated superhero deconstructions
Fans of chaotic ensemble action-comedy with a nasty streak
People who enjoyed the first film and want a louder, uglier follow-up
Audiences looking for comic-book violence over polished storytelling
Skip if
You want a tight, well-balanced sequel
You dislike crude sexual humor and juvenile shock gags
You prefer superhero films with emotional depth or clean tonal control
You’re already turned off by the first film’s brand of satire
Overview
Kick-Ass 2 is the kind of sequel that mistakes escalation for improvement. It pushes harder on the crude jokes, the splattery violence, and the “real world superheroes” premise, but the result is less sharp than noisy, with a tone that keeps slipping out from under itself.
Worth noting
That said, the movie does have a scrappy, comic-book-trash energy that never fully dies. Chloë Grace Moretz remains the best reason to watch, and the action has enough bite to remind you why this franchise got attention in the first place.
Bottom line
As a follow-up, it’s disappointing; as a piece of disposable, aggressively juvenile superhero mayhem, it can still go down easy if you know exactly what you’re signing up for. The problem is that the film keeps reaching for satire, gross-out comedy, and emotional stakes all at once, and rarely lands all three.
Top Letterboxd reviews
taylor (3★) · 1412 likes
i mean it wasn’t great but not every sequel can be High School Musical 2
Benjamin Clarke (2★) · 859 likes
Where’d Evan Peters go?
7eafhurricane (3.5★) · 780 likes
Was that kiss necessary?
These idiots gotta make everything romantic.
Matt Singer (1.5★) · 768 likes
I'm not reviewing this for anyone, so here are some notes on KICK-ASS 2:
-This movie takes the biggest problem with the first film, its uncertain tone, and amplifies it. The whole gag of these KICK-ASS movies and comics is supposed to be super heroes in "the real world." "This isn't a comic book, this is real life!" characters in KICK-ASS 2 say on multiple occasions. But Mark Millar and Jeff Wadlow cannot resist an opportunity for a puerile gag… more
mads (2.5★) · 632 likes
aaron taking off his shirt made this whole movie worth it. all the stars are just for that scene and that scene alone!
1999 · Action, Thriller, Crime · 1h 48m · R · Curator 3.6/10 (419.3K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
A stylized vigilante crime film with comic-book morality, swagger, and a cult following.