One of the funniest superhero movies just landed on BBC iPlayer

(Image credit: Lionsgate movies)

published 30 August 2023

Chloë Grace Moretz must be channelling her inner Hit Girl right now, her excellent Amazon Prime Video series The Peripheral has unfortunately been cancelled. In better news, her breakthrough role (as the foul-mouthed Hit Girl) is now available to everyone with a TV license with Kick-Ass now on BBC iPlayer. That means you don't even need to subscribe the one of the best streaming services.

Matthew Vaughn's 2010 take on the superhero genre looks even more unique in the face of the current Marvel overload and it is still laugh-out-loud funny. You see, Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) doesn't have any powers or martial arts training, after an accident his nerve endings are a bit shot (increasing his threshold for pain) but that's it. He's just a teenage boy and a very awkward one at that.

It's Hit Girl and her father Big Daddy (Nick Cage chewing all the scenery) that are the real superheroes but when Kick-Ass becomes a MySpace (remember that?) sensation, his popularity soars. It soon becomes clear however that he is in way over his head when he gets on the wrong side of mafia boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong). Fans of comedy will also enjoy the presence of Superbad's McLovin himself, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, as fellow hapless superhero 'Red Mist'.

Expect gore, guns, some pretty adolescent humour and more swearwords than you can count. Great right? If you're going back to college or uni soon, a double-bill movie night could be a brilliant way to bond with new housemates.

The sequel, unsurprisingly called Kick-Ass 2 is also now on BBC iPlayer, although not quite as good as the original it is still worth a watch (and adds Jim Carrey) if you're after some immature fun. It's great to see some big-name Hollywood flicks coming to the BBC's on-demand service, especially as if you have a TV license, it's completely free and without ads. That sounds like a pretty Kick-Ass deal to me.

Andy was T3's Tech Staff Writer, covering all things technology, including his biggest passions such as gaming. If he had to save one possession from a fire it would be his PlayStation 5. He previously worked for Tom’s Guide – where he got paid to play with ChatGPT everyday. When it comes to streaming, Andy will have his headphones glued in whilst watching something that will make him laugh. He studied Creative Writing at university, but also enjoys supporting his favourite football team (Liverpool), watching F1, teaching himself guitar, and spending time with his dog.