So after the fiasco (Isn’t that such a good word?) of the mixed up dates, I eventually saw Kick Ass. Unfortunatly Alex was finishing off packing to move to his new house (much closer to Bristol, only 10 mins on the direct bus from my house. Marv.) so I took along an old colleague, Nick, with me. I had to do this for my own sanity, as Nick was bombarding me with emails and DM’s begging to go.
The screening in one of the smaller screens at the Vue was pretty packed by the time we got there 10 mins before the start time. We were subjected to the usual trailers, including one from the company that arranged the viewing. The reason why these companies have advanced showings is that they want people to give their opinions, and hopefully that gets other people to go see the movie when it comes out.
Well, here I am, telling you that you *have* to see this movie. In fact, I’m willing to go see it again with Alex because it is that awesome.  As you’ve probably guessed by now, I’m not your typical reviewer. So, because he has to earn his ticket somehow, I’ll let @nickbrompton tell his version
I’m not sure when I first became aware of Kick Ass, probably one of the upcoming film previews in Empire Magazine, of which I have been an avid reader for years & a subscriber for a while. I usually take quite a lot of notice of things when they get excited as I tend to find their taste similar to mine – they like art house but sometimes a crap 80’s action movie is just what you need, but Kick Ass didn’t really stick in my head.
Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen director Matthew Vaughan & screenwriter Jane Goldman’s other collaboration (Stardust, though it’s now recorded to watch at home), maybe it was because it stars Nic Cage, & all Nic Cage films for the last 5 years have been utter bobbins. Whatever it was I wasn’t excited, there were big movies like Avatar & Clash of the Titans to look forward to.
This all changed over the winter when I clicked on a link from a twitter feed, not sure who’s it was, maybe Kevin Smith or Edgar Wright but it took me to a trailer featuring Nic Cage & a young girl who uses very very bad language. I watched it at work & nearly fell of my chair, half with laughter, half with shock.  The trailer was surprising, funny, violent & utterly brilliant.  It went round the office like wild fire, everyone was excited.  I took it home & showed my girlfriend & housemate, who both instantly became excited.
Fast forward, spring is in the air, birds are singing & @hayles tweets that she might have a spare ticket to a preview of Kick Ass – I got excited & replied I’d go if there was one spare. This is Thursday night, apparently the Boy might not be able to make it, I cross my fingers & try offering bribery. Then it turns out the Boy can go on Monday night & all my hopes & dreams are dashed (not really but you get point).
Now avid followers of this blog will by now know that Hayley got the days wrong – the preview wasn’t until Tuesday night & by Tuesday afternoon it was confirmed once more that the Boy can’t go – hooray for our hero I hear you all not shouting! I get there, we buy treats, the cinema is packed & we don’t have the greatest seats but soon the trailers are done & the film begins.
2 hours later we emerge, smiling, laughing, wanting to buy jet packs & wet suits. The film is by turns, funny, violent, very sweary, visually inventive and has a great soundtrack.
It runs a fine line between quite touching realism of the life of a teenage boy & fantastical sequences of beautifully choreographed ultra violence. Each set piece is inventive & unique, all the characters get their turn at being funny, there are endless brilliant comic book references (I think repeat viewings will only find more) & Nic Cage does his best work since Con Air (& nearly redeems Adam West from Family Guy joke).
I loved the film, I want to write & share each funny line with you, to describe in detail the action & to swear as only a purple haired pre teen can. But I won’t. It wouldn’t be fair. You should go see this film yourself, you should take your mates & have the most fun you will have had in the cinema for ages, then you should go see it again so it makes loads of money & Hollywood takes notice & starts making more films like this.
If you liked Zombieland, or Spaced, or you just want a great couple of hours then you won’t get much better than this.