15 Most Disappointing Films Of The Decade (So Far)

5. Kick-Ass 2

Kick-Ass wasn't really a sleeper hit. Although it was an independent production and lacked the name recognition of other comic book flicks, the film had been around in the mainstream for a few months before its release thanks to the Daily Mail-fuelled "controversy" around Hit Girl. What was surprising about the film was how it got above the swearing pre-teens and unflinchingly cartoon-y gore and delivered a smart dissection of the genre and its fandom. Not quite a cinematic equivalent of Watchmen (that surely was The Incredibles), it was still something more knowing than many of the big budget "real" takes on the superhero.

In the sequel, however, things took a sour turn. The vulgarity got amped up (one scene has Christopher Mintz-Plasse fail at a rape because he can't get up) and the actual events became more outlandish, meaning the constant reminders it was trying to be a grounded story and that Dave wasn't in a movie felt flat and manipulative. There'd been these eccentricities in the original, but in Kick-Ass 2 it just felt like Jeff Wadlow was trying to top Matthew Vaughn, rather than provide a well-rounded film.

You could argue that producing an unnecessary, over-the-top sequel with controversy pettier than the original (Jim Carrey wouldn't publicise the film because of gun use) is a great comment on the current universe-driven cinematic landscape, but coming based on Kick-Ass you expect something more.