So, I’ve decided to start a new series here that I thought was needed. I review crappy movies, hidden gems, and tell you which ones are awesome, but what about the new Blu-Ray movies? Are they worthy of your hard earned cash? Do they make your brand new TV worth the investment? This is the place where I tell you! This week I review Kick-Ass.

Film

Kick-Ass is a film based on the comic book series of the same name. It comes from director Matthew Vaughn and stars: Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz, and Nicolas Cage. It tells the story of a nerdy high school kid named Dave Lizewsky who decides to be a modern day superhero. He buys a crappy looking suit and goes out to fight crime, only to realize, it’s a lot more difficult than he would imagine. He keeps going at it, until finally, he manages to save someone. This sparks copy-cat vigilantes to take the law into their own hands. A couple of those include a father/daughter combination known as Hit Girl and Big Daddy. Big Daddy is after revenge because crime boss, Frank D’Amico, is responsible for everything wrong in his life, while Hit Girl, his weapons-trained daughter, comes along for the ride. They pack big weapons and more power than Kick-Ass that makes him believe that maybe being a superhero wasn’t such a good idea after all. Crime boss, Frank D’Amico, is furious that Kick-Ass has been causing so much trouble for his business and wants him taken out. His son has an idea to befriend him and lead him into a trap; thus, Red Mist is born.  It all ends with a climax that even Batman would be jealous of.

Video

Kick-Ass comes to you from Lionsgate in 1080p using the AVC codec, and is shot in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Note: If you want to learn more about the AVC codec, check it out here. I found the video to be a little strange. At times it can be really bland and muddy. Specifically in the beginning of the film where Dave is eating breakfast with his family. Then there are scenes that look spectacular. Specifically any scene with Hit Girl’s purple hair, and the final action scene. I did notice that the black levels were off at some points, nothing too major. Overall, I thought the film looked a little too bland for my taste. It really isn’t one to show off your new TV.

Audio

It packs a thumping 7.1 lossless track that is definitely “show-off” worthy. Your bass speaker(s) will get a work out when Big Daddy’s shotgun goes off. The scene where Big Daddy goes postal in the warehouse is one of the best sounding moments I’ve heard on Blu-Ray yet. The bullets that ricochet, the explosions, the punching, all will make your speakers break out the power you want. Once the action stops and the dialogue rolls around, you’ll find that it’s quite clear and you will not need to be fumbling around with the remote to adjust the sound.

Special Features

Matthew Vaughn Audio Commentary

A New Kind of Superhero: The Making of KICK-ASS.

It’s On! The Comic Book Origin of KICK-ASS

The Art of KICK-ASS

Marketing Archive

D-Box Metadata Track to Connect to D-Box Motion-Based Systems

Lionsgate Live

Plus, DVD version and Digital Copy included.

Final Thoughts

In an era where we’re getting lots of comic book adaptations, this breaks the norm and gives it a fresh taste, in my opinion. It definitely isn’t a film for everyone, and it won’t show off your new TV, but those that give it a chance will find a hilarious ride that your ears will thank you for it.

Thanks

Blu-Ray.com

Amazon.com

imdb.com

Don’t forget the popcorn

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