Film trailer: 'Kick-Ass' red-band clip stirs controversy

(Lionsgate Films)

The opener at the SXSW (South by Southwest) film festival in Austin, Texas this month created a big buzz around the cinematic version of the comic book Kick-Ass, releasing in the UK this weekend before the US date, April 16. But the comedy also arrives with some controversy.

The "red band" version of its trailer includes violence and offensive language and has been circulating the web, causing alarm that the movie exposes young kids to questionable content, such as the teen actors wielding weapons, getting beat up by villains, and uttering foul words.

The story, adapted from a creator-owned comic book series published by Marvel's Icon imprint, centers on a high school comics fan named Dave Lizewski (played by Aaron Johnson), who decides to become a superhero, Kick-Ass, despite having no powers, but in hopes of gaining some attention.

The film also features Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl, and Red Mist portrayed by Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who voices the character Fishlegs in How to Train Your Dragon.

As the studio promotes the fearless foursome attempting to battle the bad guys, a clip was also released highlighting the humor in the film, showing the "Mist Mobile" decked out with mood lighting and special details (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH3zAtlcFdM).

The "red band" trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dciaHj4xPVA

RC