Kick-Ass
Stream
Rent & Buy
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.
What critics thought
Matthew Vaughn's ultra-violent superhero satire divided critics sharply: admirers celebrated its audacity, dark humor, and Chloë Moretz's breakout performance as Hit-Girl, while detractors argued its gleeful brutality involving a child crossed ethical lines rather than subverted them. The satire itself was a flashpoint — some found the genre deconstruction genuinely sharp, others felt the film was too in love with its own outrageousness to land any real critique.
“A ridiculously entertaining, perfectly paced, ultra-violent cinematic rush that kicks the places other movies struggle to reach. ... the film's violence is clearly fantastical and cartoonish and not to be taken seriously.”
Chris Hewitt·Empire
“Fast, periodically spit-funny and often grotesquely violent, the film at once embraces and satirizes contemporary action-film clichés with Tarantino-esque self-regard.”
Manohla Dargis·The New York Times
“Never as shocking as it thinks it is, as funny as it should be, or as engaged in cultural critique as it could be, Kick-Ass is half-assed.”
Karina Longworth·Village Voice
“When kids in the age range of this movie's home video audience are shooting one another every day in America, that kind of stops being funny.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Matthew Vaughn's Kick Ass is hollow, glazed, and not quite there.”
Tim Robey·The Daily Telegraph
Parents guide
- Violence
- severe
- Sex
- moderate
- Profanity
- severe
- Substances
- moderate
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
Action, Comedy, Crime
Cast & Crew
Matthew VaughnDirector
Aaron Taylor-JohnsonDave Lizewski / Kick-Ass
Chloë Grace MoretzMindy Macready / Hit Girl
Nicolas CageDamon Macready / Big Daddy
Lyndsy FonsecaKatie Deauxma
Mark StrongFrank D'Amico
Deborah TwissMrs. Zane
Christopher Mintz-PlasseChris D'Amico / Red Mist
Elizabeth McGovernMrs. Lizewski
Omari HardwickSergeant Marcus Williams
Xander BerkeleyDetective Gigante
Garrett M. BrownMr. Lizewski
Clark DukeMarty
John MurphyComposer
Marius de VriesComposer
Ilan EshkeriComposer
Henry JackmanComposer
Liam HowlettComposer
Jane GoldmanWriter
Ben DavisCinematographyFrom the studio
Kick-Ass
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.
What critics thought
Matthew Vaughn's ultra-violent superhero satire divided critics sharply: admirers celebrated its audacity, dark humor, and Chloë Moretz's breakout performance as Hit-Girl, while detractors argued its gleeful brutality involving a child crossed ethical lines rather than subverted them. The satire itself was a flashpoint — some found the genre deconstruction genuinely sharp, others felt the film was too in love with its own outrageousness to land any real critique.
“A ridiculously entertaining, perfectly paced, ultra-violent cinematic rush that kicks the places other movies struggle to reach. ... the film's violence is clearly fantastical and cartoonish and not to be taken seriously.”
Chris Hewitt·Empire
“Fast, periodically spit-funny and often grotesquely violent, the film at once embraces and satirizes contemporary action-film clichés with Tarantino-esque self-regard.”
Manohla Dargis·The New York Times
“Never as shocking as it thinks it is, as funny as it should be, or as engaged in cultural critique as it could be, Kick-Ass is half-assed.”
Karina Longworth·Village Voice
“When kids in the age range of this movie's home video audience are shooting one another every day in America, that kind of stops being funny.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Matthew Vaughn's Kick Ass is hollow, glazed, and not quite there.”
Tim Robey·The Daily Telegraph
Parents guide
- Violence
- severe
- Sex
- moderate
- Profanity
- severe
- Substances
- moderate
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
Action, Comedy, Crime
Cast & Crew
Matthew VaughnDirectorAaron Taylor-JohnsonDave Lizewski / Kick-AssChloë Grace MoretzMindy Macready / Hit GirlNicolas CageDamon Macready / Big DaddyLyndsy FonsecaKatie DeauxmaMark StrongFrank D'AmicoDeborah TwissMrs. ZaneChristopher Mintz-PlasseChris D'Amico / Red MistElizabeth McGovernMrs. LizewskiOmari HardwickSergeant Marcus WilliamsXander BerkeleyDetective GiganteGarrett M. BrownMr. LizewskiClark DukeMartyJohn MurphyComposerMarius de VriesComposerIlan EshkeriComposerHenry JackmanComposerLiam HowlettComposerJane GoldmanWriterBen DavisCinematographyFrom the studio
Stream
Rent & Buy