Kick-Ass 2
Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson
" Kick-Ass 2 is cool, but not Kick-Ass cool "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the regular release
Kick-Ass was one of the surprises of 2010, a fun, over the top ballsy picture that had violence and black humor going hand in hand. A testament to the demands of today's audience, wanting it as brutal as possible, yet without losing the boundaries of reality. Because going over the top is only allowed if you make it demanding and gripping. Leave that to Matthew Vaughn, a director who has done all that with Stardust and later X-Men: First Class. Films that went beyond the expectations, and delivered unique visions of movies we thought we saw before. And of course due to the success (though not specifically financially), Kick-Ass received its expected follower, a movie I feared would completely destroy the magic of the original.
But luckily, somehow the new director got it right. Well right enough. Of course it can't reach the original, but somehow everything's on board that made Kick-Ass such a thrill, and luckily there's enough inventiveness to keep it original enough for the fans. And thank god they knew what an impact the score created inside the picture. Thank god they heard the cries of soundtrack fans wanting a taste and more of that perfect sound. You see, the first had music of composers Ilan Eshkeri (returning for Matthew Vaughn after his amazing score for Vaughn's previous film Stardust), Marius Vries and Henry Jackman, while using the original cues from composers such as Ennio Morricone and above all John Murphy. Because who can't forget the astonishing impact of Murphy's Sunshine in the night vision shootout scene?
So all that created the electrifying musical world of Kick-Ass, a score that sadly never received its original release (probably due to the re-use fees of those scores). But luckily La-La Land didn't want fans to wait for a second time by releasing the second Kick-Ass 2 score (this time composed by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (of the 2010 release Skyline)). And thank god for musical continuity, because a sequel is nothing if you don't honor and adapt as much the strengths of what made the original so amazing. So Captain America: The Winter Soldier might have fooled the listeners by throwing that continuity away, thank god for several directors (or producers) who know what kind of impact is needed to re create that magic again.
So, what does this mean? Well a lot more main theme performances that's for sure. Perhaps even too much? Opening in a rather oomphed style ("Main Titles"), the theme's perhaps over compensating the continuity of the world of Kick-Ass. But then again, it's such a cool theme in the first place, I can somewhat live with it here. Especially when it's heard briefly in the ultra cool beat heavy "Senior Year", giving us enough of those cool Wreck-it Ralph beats to enjoy the hell of it. And when the theme is back in full force in "Justice Forever", you appreciate the added original ideas and heroic as hell coolness of it all the more (by the way this version was heard over the blu-ray menu in case people were wondering what that cool music was).
One of the other cool things is now that John Murphy's music isn't used but altered here, like his 28 Days Later theme that gets a light make-over in "Honor to Serve Him", "You're Not Hit-Girl", "Toxic Mega-C*nts", "Real Evil" and "Night-B*tch Gets It" or putting a spin on it by injecting enough original ideas in the Sunshine inspired "Convenience Store" to signal the motherf*cker is back with a vengeance. And if kick-asser's or motherf*ckers aren't cursing up the joint, then normal high school romance is flourishing instead (parts of "Mindy's First Date" and "Mindy & Dave").
And when we're arriving to the big action tracks, the music shifts forward between the main theme, the new action theme and the John Murphy inspired bad guy theme, giving you an exciting (though not memorable) cue such as "Cemetery Attack / Hit-Girl is Back". So thank god then for the ultimate finale cue "Warehouse Showdown", throwing the same 3 themes in the blender again, only this time on the rhythm of The Dark Knight Rises for your enjoyment (or horror). And luckily the ultra cool final track is the one and only amazing "Flying Home" cue coming to greet us one final time ("Hit-Girl's Farewell").
Ps, this La-La Land release adds about 7 minutes that were not digitally available from the download release.
Yes, you hear me using the world cool enough, but that's Kick-Ass 2 in a nutshell for me. The movie (which was better than I feared it would be) and the score (using the musical continuity that made the first one so goddamn amazing) is perhaps in parts not truly original, because both composers use enough the theme or the musical foreboding tunes of John Murphy to re create as much as possible the world of Kick-Ass. But therein lies also the strength. Considering it's such a cool musical world to kick ass in, and considering the first is still not officially released until this day, this is the score fans can relate to, and this is the score that somehow uses the strengths of the original. For fans of the film and especially sound, this is the one that makes Kick-Ass well kick ass. Though it can't equal the first one, both the movie as the score.
Favorite Moment - Hit Girl's Farewell (0.54 - 2.02)
When the composers recreate the even better final track of Kick-Ass, get ready for the best main theme version of all.
Track Listing
1. Main Titles (1.30)
2. Senior Year (2.23) Excellent track
3. Honor to Serve Him (1.07)
4. Dave's Field Test (2.34)
5. You're Not Hit-Girl * (1.38)
6. Convenience Store (2.01)
7. Rich as Sh*t (0.52)
8. Justice Forever (1.44) Excellent track
9. Fat Bouncer Dismissal (2.18)
10. First Mission (2.06)
11. Toxic Mega-C*nts (1.18)
12. Mindy's First Date (2.54)
13. Real Evil (4.09)
14. Mindy & Dave (1.36)
15. Night-B*tch Gets It (1.27)
16. Remembering Colonel Stars and Stripes (1.28)
17. Unjust Arrest * (0.53)
18. Fatherly Sacrifice (1.50)
19. Unpleasant Picture Text * (2.40)
20. Cemetery Remorse (0.58)
21. Cemetery Attack / Hit-Girl is Back (4.12)
22. To Be a Real Superhero (2.27)
23. Warehouse Showdown (5.57) Excellent track
24. Shark Bait / Rooftop (2.45)
25. Hit-Girl's Farewell (2.15) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
26. Main Titles * (alternate) (1.29)
27. Last Resort * (unused) (1.06)
* album exclusive track
Total Length: 57.37
But luckily, somehow the new director got it right. Well right enough. Of course it can't reach the original, but somehow everything's on board that made Kick-Ass such a thrill, and luckily there's enough inventiveness to keep it original enough for the fans. And thank god they knew what an impact the score created inside the picture. Thank god they heard the cries of soundtrack fans wanting a taste and more of that perfect sound. You see, the first had music of composers Ilan Eshkeri (returning for Matthew Vaughn after his amazing score for Vaughn's previous film Stardust), Marius Vries and Henry Jackman, while using the original cues from composers such as Ennio Morricone and above all John Murphy. Because who can't forget the astonishing impact of Murphy's Sunshine in the night vision shootout scene?
So all that created the electrifying musical world of Kick-Ass, a score that sadly never received its original release (probably due to the re-use fees of those scores). But luckily La-La Land didn't want fans to wait for a second time by releasing the second Kick-Ass 2 score (this time composed by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (of the 2010 release Skyline)). And thank god for musical continuity, because a sequel is nothing if you don't honor and adapt as much the strengths of what made the original so amazing. So Captain America: The Winter Soldier might have fooled the listeners by throwing that continuity away, thank god for several directors (or producers) who know what kind of impact is needed to re create that magic again.
So, what does this mean? Well a lot more main theme performances that's for sure. Perhaps even too much? Opening in a rather oomphed style ("Main Titles"), the theme's perhaps over compensating the continuity of the world of Kick-Ass. But then again, it's such a cool theme in the first place, I can somewhat live with it here. Especially when it's heard briefly in the ultra cool beat heavy "Senior Year", giving us enough of those cool Wreck-it Ralph beats to enjoy the hell of it. And when the theme is back in full force in "Justice Forever", you appreciate the added original ideas and heroic as hell coolness of it all the more (by the way this version was heard over the blu-ray menu in case people were wondering what that cool music was).
One of the other cool things is now that John Murphy's music isn't used but altered here, like his 28 Days Later theme that gets a light make-over in "Honor to Serve Him", "You're Not Hit-Girl", "Toxic Mega-C*nts", "Real Evil" and "Night-B*tch Gets It" or putting a spin on it by injecting enough original ideas in the Sunshine inspired "Convenience Store" to signal the motherf*cker is back with a vengeance. And if kick-asser's or motherf*ckers aren't cursing up the joint, then normal high school romance is flourishing instead (parts of "Mindy's First Date" and "Mindy & Dave").
And when we're arriving to the big action tracks, the music shifts forward between the main theme, the new action theme and the John Murphy inspired bad guy theme, giving you an exciting (though not memorable) cue such as "Cemetery Attack / Hit-Girl is Back". So thank god then for the ultimate finale cue "Warehouse Showdown", throwing the same 3 themes in the blender again, only this time on the rhythm of The Dark Knight Rises for your enjoyment (or horror). And luckily the ultra cool final track is the one and only amazing "Flying Home" cue coming to greet us one final time ("Hit-Girl's Farewell").
Ps, this La-La Land release adds about 7 minutes that were not digitally available from the download release.
Yes, you hear me using the world cool enough, but that's Kick-Ass 2 in a nutshell for me. The movie (which was better than I feared it would be) and the score (using the musical continuity that made the first one so goddamn amazing) is perhaps in parts not truly original, because both composers use enough the theme or the musical foreboding tunes of John Murphy to re create as much as possible the world of Kick-Ass. But therein lies also the strength. Considering it's such a cool musical world to kick ass in, and considering the first is still not officially released until this day, this is the score fans can relate to, and this is the score that somehow uses the strengths of the original. For fans of the film and especially sound, this is the one that makes Kick-Ass well kick ass. Though it can't equal the first one, both the movie as the score.
Favorite Moment - Hit Girl's Farewell (0.54 - 2.02)
When the composers recreate the even better final track of Kick-Ass, get ready for the best main theme version of all.
Track Listing
1. Main Titles (1.30)
2. Senior Year (2.23) Excellent track
3. Honor to Serve Him (1.07)
4. Dave's Field Test (2.34)
5. You're Not Hit-Girl * (1.38)
6. Convenience Store (2.01)
7. Rich as Sh*t (0.52)
8. Justice Forever (1.44) Excellent track
9. Fat Bouncer Dismissal (2.18)
10. First Mission (2.06)
11. Toxic Mega-C*nts (1.18)
12. Mindy's First Date (2.54)
13. Real Evil (4.09)
14. Mindy & Dave (1.36)
15. Night-B*tch Gets It (1.27)
16. Remembering Colonel Stars and Stripes (1.28)
17. Unjust Arrest * (0.53)
18. Fatherly Sacrifice (1.50)
19. Unpleasant Picture Text * (2.40)
20. Cemetery Remorse (0.58)
21. Cemetery Attack / Hit-Girl is Back (4.12)
22. To Be a Real Superhero (2.27)
23. Warehouse Showdown (5.57) Excellent track
24. Shark Bait / Rooftop (2.45)
25. Hit-Girl's Farewell (2.15) Excellent track
Bonus Tracks
26. Main Titles * (alternate) (1.29)
27. Last Resort * (unused) (1.06)
* album exclusive track
Total Length: 57.37