By Lauren Bradshaw

Finally the sequel to 2010’s cult-favorite masked vigilante film Kick-Ass has arrived! Kick-Ass 2, directed by Jeff Wadlow (Never Back Down), blasts into theaters with as much ass-kicking and cursing as the first film. It has humor, great action scenes, and even a shark! I am also happy to report that the dog in this film does NOT die. That always gives films extra brownie points in my book.

However, what’s missing from this sequel is the tongue-in-cheek humor that made its predecessor so popular. While Kick-Ass had a great time making fun of itself and its genre, Kick-Ass 2 seems more interested in being an actual action movie and using bathroom humor for laughs. While some scenes genuinely are very funny, I could have done without the “sick stick” (just wait until you see the damage this weapon causes). Only one scene, which involves Dave (Aaron Tyler-Johnson) wearing an “I Hate Reboots” shirt, was reminiscent of the first film. While Kick-Ass 2 is a fun summer movie, don’t expect it to live up to its predecessor.

Since we last saw him, Dave/Kick-Ass has stopped fighting crime and is focused on being a normal high school senior. He is doing well in school and has a beautiful girlfriend, however, he realizes that he misses Kick-Ass.

To scratch his crime-fighting itch, Dave enlists Mindy/Hit Girl (Chloe-Grace Moretz) to mentor/train him to become a better superhero, though she must keep her double-life a secret from her guardian Marcus (Morris Chestnut).

When Marcus does finally realize that Mindy has been sneaking out to fight crime, he guilt-trips her into hanging up her cape “for good.” This isn’t only a problem for Dave, it’s also a problem for Mindy, who must now spend her time dealing with normal high-school girl problems; think Mean Girls. With his mentor out of commission, Dave decides to use the combat skills he’s learned to enlist in an Avengers-like (sarcasm) group of other “superheroes”, led by newly-reformed Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey).

Now all the crime-fighting team needs is a “big bad” to battle. It doesn’t take long until we once again meet Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a bratty teenager who wants revenge on Kick-Ass after he killed his crime-lord father (in the first film). Of course, Chris, whose super villain name I cannot write for this review, is still dealing with his daddy issues and wants to prove himself as a formidable member of his evil family.

It isn’t long before he uses his vast amounts of money and influence to create a network of “super-villains,” who are out to destroy the city and the vigilante superheroes. Now it’s up to the good guys to bring Chris and his goons to justice.

While the other actors do a good job in Kick-Ass 2, Chloe-Grace Moretz once again steals the film. Moretz always finds a way to make her characters incredibly likeable, while also giving them a little edge. It’s amazing that she’s only 16 years old! Moretz is one of the most talented child actors to come out of Hollywood in a long time and the girl has staying power. Unlike Dakota Fanning and Haley Joel Osment, it looks like Moretz is in it for the long-haul, and I’m excited to see her star continue to shine. By the end of this film, I convinced myself that all roads are leading to a Hit Girl spinoff, and I am so thrilled to see that!

It’s hard to find a sequel that is as good as its predecessor. Although Kick-Ass 2 doesn’t break this rule, it is a great summer blockbuster with enough action and humor to keep you entertained. Make sure you stay through the credits to see an interesting scene that may lead to Kick-Ass 3!

My Review: B