Yes, both films -- in a similar vain as Watchmen -- problematize the whole notion of mere mortals prancing around trying to rub-out bad guys. These two films were very fun to watch, and both featured really great music and action sequences, as well as taking the time to delve into the array of emotional and physical dilemmas that might face such unwitting social justice gladiators.
Scott Pilgrim, in a dramatic sense, allows the hero (Scott P.) to learn that his past injustices are not that dissimilar to those of his object of desire: that is, all the pissed-off Exes that he must fight are harboring issues that are not so foreign or distant than the sentiments possessed by his very own list of ex-girlfriends. In all, it's a sweet, intelligent, and vibrant little film. But his emotional education comes too late in the film; his self-realization about his past seems tacked on.
But with Kick Ass we have some serious emotional and parental issues that deserve sincere treatment but then just get dropped. I'm no prude, but having a pre-teen girl curse like a sailor and engage in some ultra-violence "in the name of the father with a vendetta" raises some concerns; not just regarding how the young female is being raised, but also for how the wee actress convincingly (to her credit) played this role.
In all, I think that both films are fun to watch and do provide a refreshing "take" on the superhero genre. My concern rests in how Hollywood both represents and constructs such films that deal with the purgatory of adolescence in a manner that "adulticizes" young people who just aren't ready to be grownups. The catapult to maturity is treated too flippantly for my taste.
