A wannabe superhero jumps off the top of a high rise building to looks of an amazement – only to plummet to his death below. A father shoots his young daughter in the chest to show her how it feels to take a bullet. Welcome to the world of Kick-Ass. Daily Mail readers beware.

 Comic book fan Dave Lizewski is your typical ignored high school student who decides to become a superhero Kick-Ass, even though he has no actual powers, or training or money. However after saving a gang member in a fight, he become a YouTube sensation and draws the attention of crime boss Frank D’Amicoa and real superhero team Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz).

It’s easy to see why the major studios initially stayed away from it. The script is littered with enough profanities that its child star Chloe Moretz would undoubtedly be grounded if her mother heard her using the ‘C’ word anywhere else but in a movie. That’s what the 15 rating is there for though, because the film is a complete blast.

 Taking a tongue in cheek (and at one point a gun in cheek) spin on serious comic book movies, Vaughan and co-writer Jane Goldman have crafted one of the worst and yet most human superheroes ever. Aaron Johnson is excellent as a confused teenager looking for his purpose who becomes an accidental hero while Christopher Mintz-Plasse is achingly funny as Red Mist – becoming a superhero to impress his gangster father. Nicolas Cage has his best role for years as Big Daddy, part Adam West part Christian Bale. He can almost be forgiven The Wicker Man remake.

 The change in tone from the funny to the tragic is sometimes jarring but Vaughan has a great eye for the visual and creates some refreshingly new set pieces. This is helped by the fact that most of the carnage is unleashed by the youngest member of the cast. Chloe Moretz will probably never get a better or funnier role.

 Get your ass down to the cinema now!