The Scene In Kick-Ass 2 That Jim Carrey Regretted Filming
Thanks to the success of the Dark Knight trilogy and the burgeoning Marvel Cinematic Universe, the superhero genre began its renaissance in the early 2010s. After a mixed bag of missteps like 1997's Batman and Robin and home runs such as 2002's trilogy-spawning Spider-Man, costumed heroes had finally gotten their act together at the cinema. This opened the door for more exploration of stories outside the mainstream DC and Marvel catalog, including an adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.'s Kick-Ass continuity. The first film based on the Image Comics title hit the big screen in 2010, and what a success it was.
As gory and profane as the source material, Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass performed well with critics and at the box office — earning a 76% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, and raking in just over $96 million against a $30 million budget. Naturally, this meant that the story of everyday costumed vigilantes was due for a sequel, and by 2013 it became a reality. Kick-Ass 2, while not nearly as revered or monetarily successful, still has its merits, including the introduction of Jim Carrey as Sal Bertolinni a.k.a. Colonel Stars and Stripes.
The legendary actor proved a valuable addition to the cast, though his feelings about the entire production were less than positive in hindsight. In fact, certain scenes from Kick-Ass 2 left Jim Carrey with deep feelings of regret shortly after the cameras stopped rolling.
Kick-Ass 2's gratuitous violence left a bad taste in Jim Carrey's mouth
Less than a year before Kick-Ass 2 made its August 16, 2013 debut, a real-life tragedy struck the nation. On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut with a firearm, and went on to kill 26 people before taking his own life. The shooting shocked the conscience of the nation, yet the enactment of any meaningful gun reform legislation remained elusive. Deeply saddened by the event, Jim Carrey made it known how it affected him, and his attitude toward his most recent title.
"I did Kickass a month b4 Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence," the star of The Truman Show wrote on Twitter in June of 2013, adding, "I meant to say my apologies to others involve [sic] with the film. I am not ashamed of it but recent events have caused a change in my heart." He later mentioned that Sandy Hook opened his eyes, evidently leading to his decision to swear off movies that demand he simulate acts of excessive violence.
Despite Colonel Stars and Stripes' lack of gun use (the one he carried was empty, and he only kept it around as an intimidation tactic), Jim Carrey could never bring himself to endorse Kick-Ass 2 at the time of its premiere. The film arrived at cinemas everywhere regardless, but the actor has stuck by his word and has yet to appear in another graphic film.
Jim Carrey has taken a strong stance in favor of gun control
Carrey, who built a career playing zany, comedic characters — like the energetic criminal Mask and the butt-talking pet detective Ace Ventura — has directed much of his energy in recent years toward progressive political causes. While he expresses much of his activism through his satirical art, he has also been outspoken on a number of specific issues — gun control principally among them.
The same year that Kick-Ass 2 premiered, Carrey participated in a Funny or Die skit entitled "Cold Dead Hand," a hilarious bit that takes direct aim at the gun lobby, and the NRA, in particular. In case anyone missed the point (which would be pretty difficult to do), Carrey tweeted, "'Cold Dead Hand' is abt u heartless motherf%ckers unwilling 2 bend 4 the safety of our kids.Sorry if you're offended..." We're guessing he's not that sorry.
Given the timing, it's certainly possible "Cold Dead Hand" was an attempt to make karmic amends for Kick-Ass 2; it's also possible that Carrey just enjoys irreverent political comedy about causes he believes in.