Kick-Ass

Wow - I wasn't expecting THAT at all! I had seen one trailer and decided I wanted to see the movie so I avoided reading anything else about it. I was expecting a light comedy for geeks.
There is a lot of humor, but it was also very substantial - and violent.
I enjoyed the movie on a visceral level - very primal. It was intense. I could barely stay contained in my seat, I kept covering my face; my mouth was stuck open in shock and awe during much of the film. A lot of really good action scenes.
I thought the movie was shocking, and funny, and interesting. Shocking because it was so frank and real. Shocking because the real hero was an 11 year old girl assassin. Shocking because the father used his daughter as his weapon of revenge. Funny because the guys seemed so real - yes, there's lots of violence, but count on a teenage boy to be more interested in sex. Funny because it was so outrageous. Funny because...well, there were a lot of funny lines. Interesting because it was about how people watch violence in this multi-media world, Interesting because the father and daughter had a really loving relationship, Interesting because a superhero is someone who doesn't just stand by watching.
I was reminded of Quentin Tarantino and Josh Whedon's Doctor Horrible.
The music was great - Banana Splits theme song when Hit Girl went into the drug apartment and kicked ass.
There was patriotic music when Kick Ass, in the flight suit, uses the gattling guns to shoot down Amico and save Hit Girl.
Lots of layers to the movie.
At the end, little Hit Girl takes on the security team of the drug kingpin - and she KICKS THEIR ASS. I know I should be shocked that a little girl is doing all this - but I was so rooting for her and wanted to tell those violent bullies that they were getting their asses kicked by a little girl!!!!!!
It's like a schoolyard taunt come to life.
During this part - the bad guys were pretty funny. That was the most intense scene of all.
The sad scene was when Hit Girl is coming in to save Big Daddy and Kick Ass and Big Daddy is so proud of her and she's trying to listen to him to get instructions about what to do next. That's the one time she looked like a little girl.
Man - its a strange and crazy and good movie.
At the end, when she's going back to school, some bullies try and take her and she just kind of smiles at them. We know what happens next. And I thought how freeing and powerful that is for a girl to know she can physically kick anyone's butt; she doesn't have to be afraid 'cause she can take care of herself. That's pretty powerful. I wish I'd had that growing up - and even now. All of us women should know that - in this world of violence and machismo and war and rape and abuse - we can protect ourselves from people who try to physically harm us.
I wish.
That was my last impression from the movie.
All around great job by everyone, I think.

I wish I could write a better review, but I have to write quickly or I'll forget - so just impressions.

I'm going to read what critics have said about the movie. I suspect I'll feel ashamed for liking it so much...what will it say about me? What can I say? I still feel a lot of pent-up energy from watching it.

Update:  Indeed, Roger Ebert gave it 1 star, there was controversy about the language of the little girl (really? The language?) and I think some people missed the point that the little girl being violent was one of the themes of the movie.  Many people get that.  Some did not.  I still think it's an odd, terrifying, stand-out movie.