Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

Jim Carrey shows up in a homemade flag costume with a very loyal guard dog, and whenever he’s on screen this sequel finds its spark. The rest of the time, it’s a movie that confuses mean with edgy. Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Dave joins a club of amateur heroes, which should be a blast and delivers only a handful of good scenes. Chloë Grace Moretz is still the main event, but Mindy spends half the runtime stuck in a high school queen-bee plot that feels lifted from a different, worse movie. Christopher Mintz-Plasse plays Chris D’Amico as a whiny rich kid building a villain team out of spite, and that gag gets old quickly. The fights are loud and choppy, and they keep trying to shock you instead of thrill you. It made $60.8 million worldwide on a reported $28M. A 4.0 because Moretz and Carrey deserve a sharper script than one that just keeps turning up the volume. $28.12 says you try sewing a superhero costume this weekend and quit halfway through the cape.

What works: Jim Carrey is a weird, welcome surprise as Colonel Stars and Stripes, and Chloë Grace Moretz still owns every fight she’s in.

What doesn’t: The tone swings from goofy to cruel without warning, and Mindy’s high school subplot is a dead end.

Who it’s for: Grown-up fans of the first movie who want more homemade costumes and can handle a meaner sequel.