Film

Kick-Ass 2

Name: Kick-Ass 2
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Released: 2013
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Lyndsy Fonseca, Jim Carrey

Superhero
Vigilante
Relentless

Kick-Ass 2 doubles down on the irreverent violence and teenage wish-fulfillment of its predecessor, following amateur superheroes as they band together against a vengeful villain. It's a gleefully crude action-comedy that treats costumed amateurs as real people with real weapons. For anyone who found the first film's tone exhilarating rather than exhausting.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoyed the first film's mix of scrappy heart and gleefully brutal comic-book violence, and want more of Hit-Girl's rage and Chloë Grace Moretz's deadpan.

Skip it if you found the original's bloodshed and foul-mouthed cynicism a step too far, since this sequel leans harder into both while the high-school subplot drags between set pieces.

What it asks of you: Just under two hours at a brisk clip, it swings hard between cartoonish gore and teen melodrama, so you need a strong stomach and quick tonal footing.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Kingsman: The Secret Service2015

Stylish spy action-comedy with the same anarchic energy and sharp-suited violence. Matthew Vaughn (who directed Kick-Ass) crafts something that feels like wish-fulfilment for grown-ups who loved comic book spectacle.

But The humor can veer into smug territory, and the action occasionally overwhelms character. Not for anyone bothered by violence played for laughs.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World2010

Video-game logic applied to a coming-of-age romance, with the same visual invention and commitment to the absurd. Edgar Wright's direction makes every frame feel like it's winking at you.

But The self-aware cuteness can feel forced, and Scott himself is harder to root for than the people around him. Some find it exhaustingly quirky.

The Losers2010

A fun action film about misfits on a revenge quest, with genuine chemistry between the ensemble and a refusal to take itself seriously. Quick, colorful, and entertaining without pretense.

But The plot is thin and forgettable, existing mainly as scaffolding for action sequences. It's a popcorn film, nothing more.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Kick-Ass 2

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The World's End2013

Both films use comic-book violence and teenage fantasy to examine what heroism actually means when real people live with the consequences.

Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's final collaboration channels adolescent wish-fulfilment into science fiction. It has the same energy as Kick-Ass—young men imagining themselves as heroes—but weaponizes it as genuine social commentary.

But It shifts tone dramatically in the final act from comedy to melancholy. The ending asks you to sit with uncomfortable truths rather than celebrate the victory.

Turbo Kid2015

A B-movie love letter set in a neon-soaked post-apocalypse, where an underdog kid becomes a superhero. It's trashy, violent, colorful fun with real heart underneath.

But The budget shows—not in a charming way. Some dialogue feels stilted, and the tone wavers between serious and absurd without always landing.

The Nice Guys2016

A buddy cop film with genuine chemistry, humor that lands, and action sequences that feel earned. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe banter their way through LA in the 1970s.

But It's talky for an action film. If you came for wall-to-wall spectacle, you'll find yourself waiting between set pieces.

Dredd2012

A brutally efficient action film about a cop cleaning out a high-rise drug den. Technically inventive, visually striking, and uninterested in wasting time on anything but the mission.

But Characterization is minimal and plot is paper-thin. The repetitive structure—go up, fight, repeat—works by design but can feel one-note.

RED2010

Retired assassins dragged back into action for one last job. Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich having obvious fun with violence and one-liners.

But It's gentle compared to what it could be. The violence is bloodless, the stakes feel low, and the humor occasionally placates rather than amuses.

Bunheads2012

A TV series from Amy Sherman-Palladino about dance and small-town life, with witty rapid-fire dialogue and genuine affection for its characters. Lighter than Kick-Ass but with the same comedic rhythm.

But The early episodes feel scattered, and the ballet sequences may test patience if you don't care about dance. It's slower and quieter than you might expect.

Shoot 'Em Up2007

Pure kinetic action with no apologies: a man with a gun and a baby takes on assassins. It's visually creative, relentlessly paced, and commits entirely to its absurd premise.

But Plot and character are nonexistent. It's spectacle and adrenaline—if you need story, you'll find it exhausting rather than fun.

Mysterious Skin2005

Both center on young people constructing superhero narratives (imagined or literal) as survival mechanisms, but where Kick-Ass celebrates the fantasy, this film shows you what happens when fantasy fails.

A haunting film about two boys processing childhood trauma through different fantasies: one imagines himself abducted by aliens, the other becomes a hustler. It's devastating and precise.

But This is heavy trauma cinema about child abuse. There's no fun here, no joke to land on, and it demands emotional investment that Kick-Ass explicitly refuses.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex2002

Both treat extreme violence and body modification as normal, but SAC uses that to ask serious questions about consciousness and power that Kick-Ass is uninterested in asking.

A anime series about a special ops squad in a future where humans can modify their bodies into perfect weapons. It has the same commitment to violence-as-spectacle and questions about identity underneath the action.

But It's deliberately philosophical and slow—episodes build toward ideas rather than payoffs. If you want constant adrenaline, you'll find yourself frustrated by the pacing.