There is an important distinction to be made with Fuyuhiko Nishi's High Kick Girl. As a star vehicle for Rina Takeda - the titular high kicking girl - it's more than adequate. If the goal is simply to serve notice that Japan has a legitimate female martial arts star on their hands, High Kick Girl does a perfectly good job. Takeda commands the screen, she has good charisma, and - importantly - she is fearless in equal measure to her considerable martial arts skills. This film will very likely be a coming out party for Takeda and a calling card to further work on the international market, should she so desire. And - hopefully - it should do the same for Tatsuya Naka, who starred previously in Nishi's Black Belt and delivers a very strong turn here as Takeda's martial arts master. So, a better than passing grade on that front. If, however, you care to judge High Kick Girl on script or technical merits - cinematography, sound design and the like - then the marks come in considerably lower.

Plot: Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan with a few friends and who lives alone with his father. His life is not very difficult and his personal trials not that overwhelming. However, one day he makes the simple decision to become a super-hero even though he has no powers or training.

IMDB rating: 8.4/10 (33,162 votes)
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloл Grace Moretz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Christopher Mintz Plasse

Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides U to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.

Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.