Kick-Ass

Much was made over Roger Ebert's rant on Kick-Ass, particularly his distaste for the excessive violence carried out by Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), and her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage). That Moretz, who seems all of eleven years old, regularly uses profanity that make grown men blush likely played a role in Ebert's dislike for the film, too.

But I think Ebert's age is showing in his opinion on this film.

Kick-Ass serves as a voice for American teens who find themselves becoming more isolated from the previous generation, and more apathetic as a result. They search for life meaning in the post-Baby Boom era, and what they're finding looks and feels different than it did to those of us over the age of 20. Dave Lizewski (played wonderfully by Aaron Johnson) invents Kick-Ass because he's tired of feeling helpless and insecure about his future. He's tired of the disconnect that exists in his community. Dave just wants to make a difference.

When I felt that way back in the 80s, I helped pick up litter on the Interstate. Kids in this movie fight crime and kill bad guys. It's almost the same thing.


Maybe Ebert forgets what's it like to be a kid who wants to do more . . . more with his life, more for his community, more to help find a girlfriend. But I know Ebert doesn't understand what it's like to be a kid who wants to do more in the year 2010.

It's a different generation, Pops. You gotta move over.