No one in their right mind would describe “Kick-Ass” as a family movie. Any film that features a purple-haired pre-teen girl spewing F-bombs while cutting mobsters to shreds with samurai steel is going to land an R-rating, no problem.
But the set of a “Kick-Ass” movie? Now that’s a family affair.
MTV News was on the London set of “Kick-Ass 2” in 2012, getting a firsthand look at what the second adventure of self-appointed vigilante and bona-fide loser Dave Lizewski has in store for the fans at home. On the day we visited the set, we saw one of the film’s most epic action scenes come to life, thanks in large to the work of Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the super-villain formerly known as Red Mist — now going by the considerably filthier moniker, the Mother F—er. It’s not just the new name that’s going to separate Mintz-Plasse from his McLovin days, either; the actor teased that his character goes through such a dark transformation that he required help from an acting coach. Based on what we witnessed, the coaching paid off big time.
The film’s ruthless bad guy and subsequent bad language aside, there’s no question that the set of “Kick-Ass 2” is a safe, family-friendly zone. For instance, the actors who make up the superhero team Justice Forever — Donald Faison as Doctor Gravity and Clarke Duke as Battle Guy, for instance — get along with each other as if they’ve been best friends since grade school. When she’s not busy decapitating bad guys as Hit-Girl, Chloe Moretz gets tips and feedback from her mother and brother. “Kick-Ass” creators Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. are the true rock-stars on set, with each and every high-profile actor clinging to the duo like an entourage that would make Vinny Chase blush.
Most importantly, everyone — even the most famous actors in the cast — takes the time to introduce themselves to the set’s newcomers, even overweight nerd-reporters like yours truly.
Sadly, that’s about as specific as we’re able to get right now — and trust us, you wouldn’t want us spoiling the big surprises headed your way anyway. For now, consider this a preview of our “Kick-Ass 2” preview. In the months ahead, we’ll tell you much more about our up-close impressions of Justice Forever’s headquarters and the Evil Lair, Moretz’s ability to kick ass while speaking Russian, director Jeff Wadlow’s orange microphone, and beyond.
-MTV