Overview
A high school nobody takes on the world of crime-fighting, armed only with determination and a mask.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- irreverent
- witty
- profane
- action movie night
- comic book marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually inventive, violently entertaining, and profane, with its comic-book adaptation conventions pushed to an outrageous extreme.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dave Lizewski has no powers or training and is repeatedly confronted with the real consequences of fighting criminals.
The film combines bloody action set pieces and outrageous language with energetic humor and comic-book spectacle.
Dave's comic-book obsession motivates his transformation from unnoticed student into the costumed crime fighter Kick-Ass.
Stylized costumes, heightened action, and graphic violence coexist throughout the vigilante and mafia conflicts.
Films like Kick-Ass, and why
Watchmen
Shares subversive superhero conventions, graphic comic-book violence, irreverent humor, and morally complicated vigilantes.
Super
Shares adolescent wish fulfillment, comic-book stylization, secret identities, and a violent crime-fighting fantasy.
Shoot 'Em Up
Shares hyperviolent action, gleeful profanity, dark comedy, and stylized vigilante justice.
Movie Details
- Director
- Matthew Vaughn
- Release Date
- 2010-03-26
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (12664)
Cast
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Chloë Grace Moretz
- Nicolas Cage
- Lyndsy Fonseca
- Mark Strong
- Deborah Twiss
- Christopher Mintz-Plasse
- Elizabeth McGovern
- Omari Hardwick
- Xander Berkeley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Kick-Ass about?
- An ordinary comic-book obsessive becomes an untrained masked vigilante and stumbles into a brutally funny war against organized crime.
- What is Kick-Ass like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Kick-Ass as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Kick-Ass violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Kick-Ass as graphic.
- What did critics think of Kick-Ass?
- Critics broadly found the film visually inventive, violently entertaining, and profane, with its comic-book adaptation conventions pushed to an outrageous extreme.
- Which films are like Kick-Ass?
- Films with a similar feel include Watchmen, Super, and Shoot 'Em Up.
- How long is Kick-Ass?
- Kick-Ass runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Kick-Ass?
- In United States, Kick-Ass streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel.
