---
title: "Kick-Ass"
year: 2010
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/kick-ass"
fi1m_id: "kick-ass"
imdb_id: "tt1250777"
tmdb_id: 23483
wikidata_id: "Q2201"
fi1m_score: 74
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 22
published: "2026-09-17"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:42.108393+00:00"
region: "HU"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Kick-Ass (2010)

Directed by Matthew Vaughn · 1h 58m · NMHH 16 · Action, Crime

## Identity

Kick-Ass

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/kick-ass
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** kick-ass
- **IMDb ID:** tt1250777
- **TMDB ID:** 23483
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2201
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1250777/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/23483, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2201

**Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 75 from 22 reviews

*In a sentence:* A child swears, the blood flows, and our objections become embarrassingly easy to postpone

> Matthew Vaughn delivers an energetic, funny superhero comedy, helped enormously by Chloë Grace Moretz and Nicolas Cage. Its violence is expertly sold, though the satire becomes harder to defend whenever the film asks us to cheer.

## Synopsis

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is an ordinary teenager who decides to fight crime as Kick-Ass, despite having no superpowers. Mindy Macready (Chloë Grace Moretz), known as Hit Girl, pursues the same line of work alongside her father, Damon Macready (Nicolas Cage), who calls himself Big Daddy. Their father-daughter routine includes profanity and extreme violence. Dave wants to become the sort of hero he admires, but his teenage awkwardness offers little preparation for the fighting. Putting himself forward as a vigilante means entering a business in which enthusiasm is no substitute for knowing how to hurt somebody.

## Review

An ordinary teenager decides that becoming a superhero is a practical option, and *Kick-Ass* has considerable fun with his lack of qualifications. Matthew Vaughn makes a good, rowdy action comedy, with a reservation: the jokes about superhero fantasies grow less convincing as the film gets more excited by its own. The screenplay, by Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman, begins with a useful question about why somebody might volunteer for this work. It gradually loses interest in asking what that willingness says about them.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson gives Dave Lizewski enough awkwardness to make the initial proposition work. The teenage embarrassment matters because it gives us someone to recognise before the fighting takes over. His eagerness is funny without making him contemptible, and the performance keeps some uncertainty alive inside a role built around wish fulfilment. The writing does not always give him enough beyond that eagerness, however, and the other vigilantes have the stronger personalities.

Chloë Grace Moretz makes Hit Girl so assured that the adults seem to be taking an unnecessary amount of time over everything. Her matter-of-fact delivery makes the profanity funnier than the words deserve. We laughed at her swearing, then felt uncomfortable when the same brisk competence made the violence funny. Nicolas Cage, as Big Daddy, makes the father-daughter partnership both affectionate and disturbing. He treats their shared enthusiasm as ordinary parental business, which is where the comedy gets properly unpleasant.

Ben Davis’s cinematography gives the violence a polished, graphic finish that suits the film’s taste for excess. Bodies and costumes register quickly, and the images help the jokes survive the speed of the action. Russell De Rozario’s production design supports that heightened look, giving the costumed figures surroundings in which they do not seem entirely misplaced. The resulting exaggeration works for the comedy, although it makes the suggestion of real danger harder to sustain.

Editors Pietro Scalia, Eddie Hamilton and Jon Harris keep the shifts from embarrassment to aggression brisk, with enough room for a performance to land before the next burst of mayhem. Some transitions are deliberately rude, and the speed mostly carries them. The music credited to Ilan Eshkeri, Henry Jackman, Liam Howlett, John Murphy and Marius de Vries gives the action plenty of encouragement. It helps the fighting feel exciting, though it also makes the film’s occasional unease about violence easier to ignore.

The trouble is that Matthew Vaughn is so good at making these vigilantes entertaining that his objections to superhero fantasy begin to look optional. The film invites us to notice how absurd and dangerous the whole business is, then supplies action calculated to make us cheer it on. We can enjoy that, and often did, without accepting every provocation as a clever point. A child handling brutality with adult confidence is a strong comic shock, but repeating it does not give it much more to say.

The violence and profanity are part of the attraction, so there is little point approaching *Kick-Ass* in the hope of a gentler teenage adventure. Its 118 minutes require a taste for excess and a willingness to find some of that excess funny. Watch it for the performers and the action, with no expectation that the film will examine every ugly joke it enjoys.

*Fi1m score 74, published 17 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is Kick-Ass worth watching?**

*Kick-Ass* is worth watching for anyone with a taste for rowdy, profane superhero comedy, and we scored it 74. Matthew Vaughn keeps the action fast and funny, with Chloë Grace Moretz and Nicolas Cage giving the film its strongest personalities. Its satire of superhero fantasy weakens whenever the film asks us to cheer the violence it claims to question.

**How long is Kick-Ass, and what is it rated?**

*Kick-Ass* runs 1h 58m and is rated 16 by the NMHH in Hungary. It is an action and crime film.

**Where can I watch Kick-Ass in Hungary?**

*Kick-Ass* is not on any streaming or rental service in Hungary at the moment. It is available in 20 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Kick-Ass, and is it suitable for children?**

*Kick-Ass* is a 15 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not suitable for children. The violence is graphic and frequent, a child character swears heavily, and much of the comedy depends on watching her hurt people with adult confidence. Squeamish viewers and anyone hoping for a gentler teenage adventure should look elsewhere.

**How does Kick-Ass compare to Attack the Block?**

*Kick-Ass* is the louder and cruder of the two, while [*Attack the Block*](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block) is the more disciplined and the more affecting. Joe Cornish's estate siege is frightening as well as funny and gives its young cast a conscience, where Vaughn's film treats its violence mainly as a joke. Choose *Kick-Ass* for excess and *Attack the Block* for a story with weight.

**What should I watch after Kick-Ass?**

After *Kick-Ass*, try [*Attack the Block*](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block) (2011, Fi1m 84): Young Londoners tackle danger with resourcefulness, bad manners and an unexpectedly persuasive conscience. Then [*RoboCop*](https://film.one/film/robocop) (1987, Fi1m 91): For comic-book brutality whose jokes about power have something solid behind them.

### Reviews we read (22)

- **Little White Lies**, Matt Bochenski (4/5/5): The critic hails Vaughn's comic-book adaptation as a fresh, irreverent breath of air in the superhero genre. It singles out the sharply scripted mix of sex, violence and knowing wit for particular praise. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/kick-ass)
- **Empire**, Chris Hewitt (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as an evolutionary leap for Vaughn, a thrilling, violent and darkly funny comic-book movie made with creative freedom. He singles out the world-class action sequences, tonal shifts and performances, especially Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/kick-ass-review/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic finds Kick-Ass a hilarious, outrageously violent black comedy that twists superhero tropes into something anarchic and irresponsible. He singles out the film's genius for provocation and incorrectness, particularly in the Hit Girl action sequence. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/mar/31/kick-ass-review-film)
- **Screen Daily** (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it an adrenalin-fuelled shot in the arm for the superhero movie, likely to become a cult classic with strong box-office potential. It highlights the over-the-top violence and strong performances, particularly from Chloë Moretz as Hit-Girl. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/kick-ass/5011630.article)
- **Total Film**, Mark Salisbury (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it the most refreshing spandex cinema in years, a profane, violent, gory and gleeful romp that pokes fun at po-faced superhero films. He praises Vaughn’s handling of tone and character, and singles out the twisted father-daughter dynamic of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/kick-ass-review/)
- **Evening Standard** (80/100, inferred): The critic deems it a triumph of wit, energy and visceral violence, an assured leap for Vaughn. He singles out the strong central performances, especially Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz, and the audacious, funny deflation of superhero and teen-movie conventions. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/first-review-kickass-kicks-ass-7419146.html)
- **The Independent** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film hugely enjoyable, riddled with profanity, jet-black comedy and kick-ass action. He singles out Chloe Moretz as the ultra-violent, potty-mouthed Hit-Girl as the standout star, along with strong turns from Cage and Mintz-Plasse. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/dvd-kickass-15-2068831.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (70/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a seductive but disturbing mix of slick mayhem and profanity that captures young male fantasies, praising the live-wire energy and Chloe Grace Moretz's performance while noting its R-rated brutality and cultural provocations. It positions the movie as a timely exhibit of hyper-violent pop culture. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-apr-16-la-et--kickass-20100416-story.html)
- **Time Out**, Ben Walters (70/100, inferred): The review finds the film an efficient, reference-packed action romp with engaging performances, especially from the young leads. It notes the hyper-violent tone and post-Tarantino ultraviolence as defining elements. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/kick-ass)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (C+): The film squanders its clever premise of an ordinary teen becoming a superhero by opting for stylized comic-book bigness over real stakes. It shines in scenes featuring Chloe Moretz's memorable Hit-Girl but otherwise feels like an ersatz blockbuster. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/kick-ass-1798164765)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (2/4): Vaughn's film is a sloppy trifle that panders to fanboy audiences with wish-fulfillment and pop-culture references but lacks grit or imagination as either satire or entertainment. It fails to develop characters or earn its heroics beyond cheap thrills and profanity. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/kick-ass/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, The Associated Press (50/100, inferred): The critic describes an awkward everyman who succeeds as a crime-fighter without powers, noting strong performances especially from Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl. The film mixes fanboy wish-fulfillment with ultraviolence but struggles to sustain its balancing act. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/kick-ass-film-review-29392/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (40/100, inferred): The critic examines the film's extreme violence, particularly scenes featuring an 11-year-old girl as a vigilante, questioning audience tolerance for such brutality in a comic-book adaptation. It notes the performances and the filmmakers' restraint in not killing the child character but highlights how the movie reflects jaded cultural attitudes toward screen bloodshed. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/movies/18scott.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (30/100, inferred): The review criticizes the film's cynical use of an 11-year-old girl in hyper-violent scenarios, likening it to violence's answer to kiddie porn and faulting the script for coarsening viewers. It finds the rest of the movie secondhand and overly reliant on familiar comic-book excess without effective satire. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/04/26/street-justice)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A-): The critic praises the film's fun, balanced mix of heart and extreme violence, highlighting strong performances by Aaron Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz, and Vaughn's direction that captures comic-book chaos with childlike joy. [Read](https://collider.com/kick-ass-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, Mark Pickavance (5 out of 5): The film is brilliant and the best comic book movie of 2010, more consistently entertaining than The Dark Knight. It cleverly upends superhero conventions with brutal yet balletic action sequences and strong performances, especially from Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/kick-ass-review-4/)
- **Eye for Film**, Max Crawford (4.5/5): The review describes the film as delivering exactly what it promises—an energetic, self-aware superhero parody with cartoonish violence and strong performances. It singles out Hit-Girl as the standout character and praises Matthew Vaughn for keeping studio interference at bay. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/reviews.php?film_id=18586)
- **/Film**, David Chen (9/10): The critic finds the film an irresistible, over-the-top culmination of recent action and superhero trends, expertly fused by Vaughn into something fresh and crowd-pleasing. They highlight Chloë Grace Moretz’s scene-stealing Hit-Girl performance and the film’s humorous, excessive violence. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/508622/davids-kick-ass-movie-review/)
- **The Wrap**, Leah Rozen (90/100, inferred): The critic defends the film against accusations of being morally reprehensible, calling it a wildly fun superhero movie that upends tired formulas cleverly. She singles out the extended shootout scene that references and tops Tarantino’s Kill Bill for its dazzling violence and humor. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/kick-ass-too-offensive-oh-lighten-16365/)
- **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (80/100, inferred): Kick-Ass is a hell of a ride and a fresh, vigorous love letter to superhero stories with punk rock energy. It excels in its energetic action sequences and standout performances from Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz as the memorable father-daughter duo. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a205110/kick-ass/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Craig Skinner (4/5): The critic calls the film audacious and hugely entertaining, a fun mix of over-the-top action, comedy, and comic-book references that delivers crowd-pleasing vulgarity and spectacle. They single out Chloë Grace Moretz’s layered, pitch-perfect performance as Hit-Girl for particular praise. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/review-kick-ass/)
- **Paste**, Sean Edgar (80/100, inferred): The critic calls it a pitch-black love letter to the genre that realizes fears of violent vigilantes in ironic fun, praising the manic energy, Chloë Moretz's Hit-Girl, and how it blends teen memoir with violent satire. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/chloe-moretz/kick-ass-review)

## Details

- **Director:** Matthew Vaughn
- **Director:** Matthew Vaughn
- **Screenplay:** Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman
- **Cinematography:** Ben Davis
- **Editor:** Pietro Scalia, Eddie Hamilton, Jon Harris
- **Music:** John Murphy, Marius de Vries, Ilan Eshkeri, Henry Jackman, Liam Howlett
- **Production design:** Russell De Rozario
- **Costume design:** Sammy Sheldon
- **Producer:** David Reid, Tarquin Pack, Kris Thykier
- **Cast:** Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass; Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy Macready / Hit Girl; Nicolas Cage as Damon Macready / Big Daddy; Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie Deauxma; Mark Strong as Frank D'Amico; Deborah Twiss as Mrs. Zane; Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Chris D'Amico / Red Mist; Elizabeth McGovern as Mrs. Lizewski
- **Runtime:** 1h 58m
- **Certificate (NMHH):** 16
- **Release (Hungary):** 17 June 2010
- **Genres:** Action, Crime
- **Budget:** $28 million
- **Box office:** $96 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdBiTjy7AEI

## Where to watch in Hungary

Not streaming, renting or buying in Hungary at the last check.

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, EE, FR, HK, ID, IT, LT, MX, NZ, PA, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 2010: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Super* (2010): Another amateur vigilante, with uglier consequences and considerably less protection from the jokes.
- *Attack the Block* (2011), Fi1m 84: Young Londoners tackle danger with resourcefulness, bad manners and an unexpectedly persuasive conscience. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/attack-the-block.md)
- *RoboCop* (1987), Fi1m 91: For comic-book brutality whose jokes about power have something solid behind them. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/robocop.md)
- *The Heroic Trio* (1993): Three women lead a Hong Kong action fantasy with little interest in restraint.
- *Mystery Men* (1999): For makeshift superheroes whose inadequacies remain funny without needing quite so much blood.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/kick-ass