Kick-ass Drumming Up Controversy

The producers of Kick-Ass are apparently courting controversy for the movie in the hope that it will help boost awareness before its release on April 16. In interviews and news conferences the filmmakers have talked about planned protests from unnamed parents groups who are angry over violent scenes in the movie, particularly those in which the two children who dress up as superheroes are beaten by the villains. Yet, so far at least, there has been no indication that any leading parents group has even been shown the movie, let alone protested it. The producers, on the other hand, have been spreading the word that the film includes numerous violent scenes. At the South by Southwest (SXSW) media convention in Austin, TX this week, director Matthew Vaughn said that actor Mark Strong, playing the principal villain, balked at a scene in which his character beats up Hit Girl, played by 11-year-old Chloe Moretz. CinemaBlend.com quoted Vaughn as saying, "I wanted Mark to stamp on her head in the fight and really kick her around the room, but he refused to do it. ... He felt uncomfortable about stamping on her head." The real controversy is being generated by comic-book fans who have their own gripes about the movie -- or at any rate about the comic book series on which it is based. Wrote Gavin "Gavok" Jasper on the comic-book website 4thletter.net, "Funny and entertaining at times? Yes. But it's pointless. Kick-Ass is about a dude who puts on a funny costume, gets beat up a lot and briefly endures a situation with the mob. No real story, just situations."

19/03/2010