K-A OK

I've seen a lot of action films. A lot. I have to assume they all try to be entertaining, but most fail because, despite their better efforts, they're just the same stuff we've seen before. Explosions and effects don't make an action film work. Character and story does. Wit and originality does.

Which is why I was so delighted by Kick-Ass. I thought it looked pretty stupid from the trailers, so I wasn't prepared for such an exciting, intelligent movie. It wasn't straight action, it was also teen comedy and superhero satire, and done in a combination that entertained me more than any film I've seen in a while.

It hasn't performed as well as hoped. There were hopes it would make around $30 million its opening weekend, but ended up with around $10 million less, and is neck and neck for first place with the fourth weekend of How To Train Your Dragon. (Dragon also opened disappointingly for its genre, but has held well and will be a sizable hit--haven't seen it yet but I hear it's good.)

I wish Kick-Ass had done better--I want orignal films to be rewarded--but I think I understand its relative failure. (Relative in that it's low budget for action, and will probably end up in the black.) This is a film that's off-putting to a large portion of the general audience.

First, it's an R-rated that stars teens, which right off the bat artificially limits what could be much of its core audience. Worse, it's hard R, with considerable violence and profanity, which turns off a lot of people, especially women and older filmgoers. Still worse, most of the R-rated stuff comes from young people--teenagers and, in particular, an eleven-year-old girl. This has made the film controversial; it doesn't matter how well done it is, some just can't, or won't, see it.

In addition, the film falls between two stools. Though it is action, with kids commiting the mayhem, and much of it being satirical, it could turn off a lot of the core action crowd (mostly young males), who will just think it's silly.

So taking everything into account, the $19-odd million it made its first weekend isn't bad. I saw it with a packed house that responded enthusiastically. I can only hope word of mouth among action (and comedy) fans will help it hold.

Still, much as I loved Kick-Ass, I'd be careful about recommending. I think some of my friends might be offended, and blame me.