Skip to main content

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

What is it about?

Kick-Ass returns with a group of inspired citizens who also become "super heroes" to fight the evolved "Red Mist" who vows revenge against everyone Kick-Ass knows. 

Who is in it? 

Aaron Taylor-Johnson - Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass

Chloe Grace Moretz - Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl

Favorite Scene: 

After being called to audition for the team, Mindy mirrors what she would do if she fought five others. While in her mind she was Hit Girl, in reality she put together an incredibly acrobatic performance which caused immediate friction between her and the "popular girls". 

Favorite Quote: 

Mindy: "You don't have to be a bad-ass to be a superhero, Dave. You just have to be brave."

Review: 

I really enjoyed the original Kick-Ass movie. There is just something about the appeal of a real-life super-hero with real-life consequences that is very intriguing. Dave Lizewski doesn't have Batman's billions or Superman's immeasurable strength. Kick-Ass 2 does a tremendous job of displaying the difficulties of Mindy and Dave trying to fit in as normal people in the real world, while struggling to fit in who they really are - super heroes. 

The sequel picks up where the original left and really had a built-and-ready-to-go plot of Red Mist's revenge of his father. While KA2 goes that route, there were a few things that made the movie feel a bit "cheap." Kick-Ass 2 turned up the gore, blood, and violence to the point of mirroring a Quentin Tarantino film.

While not terrible in any way, there is just a certain quality that was lost from the original with the addition of gimmicks and aspects such as violence, gore, nudity, and language rather than the dynamic story told in the original.

However, despite the very clear difference in vision for the film (very much due to different directors), Kick-Ass 2 is still very much enjoyable. And of course, still a very good watch. 

Grade: 3/5

Recently Read

Dome Pondering Move Review: Say You Will (2017)

What is it about? A recent high school graduate cares for his mother while attempting to navigate his first relationship following his father's suicide.  Who is in it? Travis Tope - Sam Nimitz Katherine Hughes - Ellie Vaughn Favorite Scene: [spoiler alert] Sam plays his song for his mom. Favorite Quote: Ellie: "I wish we could have met down the road, maybe when we were like 27." Sam: "I think we needed each other now." Review:  Say You Will was an absolutely pleasant surprise of a watch from the Amazon Prime offerings.  I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with this one, but after the credits rolled, it was a movie that provided authentic characters and a great lesson on life. We don't always have to have everything figured out, and it's okay if you don't.  What makes Say You Will so beautiful is that all of the characters are carrying some inner struggle that connects them in the moment and time that helps them through whatever it is. The unlike...

The Pondering 10 - Most Fascinating Things of 2025

2025 sure did ebb and flow.  Is it just me, or did August through December zoom by? Nonetheless, we are at that time of the year again, which brings about some common traditions around these parts - the Pondering 10 Most Fascinating Things of the Year, and then the Dome Pondering Year in Review .  (Most Fascinating Things: 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 , 2020 , 2021 ,  2022 , 2023 , & 2024 ) Life really presented itself in unique ways this year, with a sense of a deeper layer of belonging and purpose, more so than what society has reflected since the pandemic. 2025 brought a deeper understanding of life through war, disaster, politics, the human spirit, and appreciation, among other things.  We'll get into that in the Year in Review.  For now, let's run it! Here is my Most Fascinating Things list for 2025: --- 10. Marjorie Taylor Greene Oh yeah, we're going there. MJT makes the very end of the list with a recent change in political positioning. I find it ...

Dome Pondering - 2025 Year in Review

2025 brought depth and growth.  In many ways, 2025 provided so many challenges and opportunities, allowing for a deeper, more layered approach to the world we live in. Our world is changing, and often, not for the better. Over the last 365 days, life has been more complex, more exhausting, and is asking so much more of us through these transitions and nuances than it did 365 days ago.  No big deal, right?  But hey, you're here. We're here. And we're going into 2026 much stronger, whether we realize it or not. But before we do, let's bid adieu to 2025.  As always, I'm incredibly gratefu l to those of you who still visit this little speck of the internet that houses my thoughts, rambles, and learnings. Thank you for taking a break from instant dopamine hits and videos, and likely the much cooler options of prepared content and indulging my humbled words. It is much appreciated.  It's the 20th annual - TWENTY YEARS of doing this! - Dome Pondering Year in Review. Le...