SXSW: 'Kick-Ass' premiere

By Jay A. Fernandez

Befitting the film itself, the “Kick-Ass” premiere at the Paramount Theatre that kicked off SXSW Friday night was a gleefully over-the-top affair that had audiences pumped. Like two bullets to the chest, Lionsgate wanted to make sure everyone got the impact of Matthew Vaughn’s ludicrous look at kids playing at superheroes (an idea that sprung, funnily enough, from the childhood of the comic’s co-writer Mark Millar).

So Vaughn, Millar, artist John Romita Jr. and several cast members showed up for the Q&A, "Kick-Ass" SUV shuttles were stacked out front of the theater ready to shepherd fans to their next screenings and a nearby building provided the backdrop for a joke from the movie: a kind of Bat-signal “in the shape of a giant cock.” 

The filmmakers are definitely angling for a franchise, with Christopher Mintz-Plasse (aka Red Mist) encouraging the audience afterward to “go see this movie so we can make a sequel.” The film itself ends on a note that explicitly nods to a follow-up that echoes the first “Spider-Man” while, oddly, quoting a line from Tim Burton’s first “Batman.”

The film is full of comic and other pop culture reference as it comments on characters steeped in that fantasy world. The script makes direct or indirect reference to Jason Bourne, Batman, Spider-Man, Superman, Wolverine, Scott Pilgrim, Ditko’s Spider-Man comics, “Kill Bill,” X-Men, Fantastic Four, “Lost,” “Sin City,” “American Beauty,” and on and on. Nicolas Cage, as Damon Macready, adopts a parodic Adam West-style stuttered cadence for every line he delivers as superhero alter-ego Big Daddy. (There’s also a nice potshot taken at Frank Miller when the leads go to the theater and the overheads scroll reads: “NOW SHOWING: THE SPIRIT 3”; that got a good laugh from the crowd.)

One gun battle is shot mostly from the point of view of someone wearing night vision goggles with gun held in front in the style of first-person shooter video games. One guy at the afterparty was rhapsodizing about it, “I felt like I was back playing Halo!”

Vaughn looked pretty beat -- he had just gotten off a plane from London and the film was only finished a week ago. He admitted that after an early look at footage, he decided he wasn’t happy with some of the action and went back six months after shooting wrapped to re-shoot ten days more of fighting. He had shown a rough cut of the movie in Austin back in December, but now, as he put it, “there are no more excuses.” This is the film. “Be vocal if you like it,” he said as the film began to unreel.

One last thing: Mintz-Plasse said during the Q&A after the premiere that he now has a scar from where he clocked himself in the head with a nunchaku during a fight seen with Aaron Johnson (aka Kick-Ass) during filming. That guy plays the part of McLovin no matter what he does.

Comments

[egille]

It is exsiting moments now, Kick-Ass is coming some superheros is perhaps in the line waiting for tickets, if they are superheros why not fly.

[Texas breast reduction]

I was actually waiting for the review for kick ass because i wasn't that much impressed by the trailers. its good to know that Kick-Ass' is a realistic look at a young boy who attempts to become a real superhero, complete with bumps, bruises and the reality that he can't see through walls. The emerging reviews are positive so far so would not ming watching it.

[cali]

This Kick-Ass review is the best one I've seen yet. This guy knows his stuff. http://go.ign.com/96nEnw

[m3 zero]

It is the story of a average teenager Dave Lizewski, a comic-book fanboy who decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. As any good superhero would be.

[links of london Heart]

The first trailer was flatout awful, the second one much improved but still lacking an IT factor.

[Ab Circle Mini]

I wasn't impressed with the movie even though I thought it wasn't bad. I just had high hopes for this concept and I liked the cast.

[nike shox]

its good to know that Kick-Ass' is a realistic look at a young boy who attempts to become a real superhero, complete with bumps, bruises and the reality that he can't see through walls. The emerging reviews are positive so far so would not ming watching it.

[pay stub template]

Another kind of action hero, I like the girl who do "karate" very good. She so cool when fighting with bad guys.