Suicide Squad (2016) [Review]

Aug 8, 2016
5 min read

"We're bad guys. It's what we do."

PLOT SYNOPSIS

The government sends a motley crew of criminal misfits on a mission to save a city from a monsterous threat ... or die trying.

REVIEW

Oh boy, here we go. The latest entry in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

SUICIDE SQUAD has been polarizing, to say the least. Critics have destroyed it, DC fans have (mostly) enjoyed it, and everyone else is a mixed bag.

Where do I stand?

I enjoyed SUICIDE SQUAD. A lot, actually. Yes, it is far from perfect, but it's nowhere close to being the horrendous glob of shite the critics are making it out to be. It is highly entertaining and I had fun watching it.

As soon as the film starts up, we're treated to some classic rock and loads of humour, which is a big hint that this won't be a grim affair like previous DCEU entries. The tone and spirit continue to exude confidence, attitude, and playfulness as we're introduced to the individual squad members through stylized "dossiers" and flashback montages. While some have poo-pooed this approach, its haphazardness felt appropriate in my eyes when considering the nature of the characters on display. It also reminded me of the underappreciated gem BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM, which made me grin like a fool.

Speaking of the characters, let's get the universal praise out of the way: Will Smith and Margot Robbie, the "biggest" names on the poster, are, without question, the standouts in the cast. Not because they are clearly the "main" characters (Deadshot and Harley Quinn, respectively), but because they both deliver some of their best performances to date. This is especially true of Smith, who hasn't had his "streetwise bad boy" hat on since 2004's I, ROBOT. It's great seeing him in his element again. Robbie's gold star comes from her incredibly spot-on portrayal of Quinn, the fan-favorite character whose silver screen debut has been long overdue. She's cute, bubbly, and delivers the comedy in spades, all while maintaining a Brooklyn accent. She's also responsible for some of the film's more memorable ass-whoopings, bringing her athletic know-how to the forefront to deliver some intense acrobatic insanity!

Of course, you can't have Harley without Mr. J, and that's where Jared Leto comes in. Up until the film's release, fans dissected all the imagery and clips in order to form opinions on this new, controversial Clown Prince of Crime. Comparisons to previous, legendary incarnations inevitably surfaced, and people have been debating things ever since. Now that the dust has settled and I've witnessed the performance myself, I'm both excited and disappointed. I'm excited because Leto's take on the 75 year-old character is excitingly modern, refreshingly disturbing, and shockingly fitting for a film this dark, twisted, and slightly off-kilter. I'm disappointed, though, because we get so little of him. Yes, what little we do get is gold, but it's so inconsequential to the plot that it feels like a massive waste not having more. Regardless, I for one approve of this new Joker and hope to see him in future DCEU titles.

Let's touch upon the film's unsung hero: Viola Davis as the though-as-steel Amanda Waller. Wow, what a performance. She portrays the character so well, so easily, that I'm convinced she has a similarly fiery personality deep down inside that she was able to tap for inspiration. She is convincingly cold, calculating, and menacing throughout the feature, and is the gem that forms the backbone of the film.

The rest of the cast ranges from great to good, each actor playing his/her part well. Jai Courtney, as Captain Boomerang, is surprisingly great. I say "surprisingly" because his last few roles as an action hero weren't exactly memorable. Luckily, it seems that after all those duds, he's come into his element playing the comedic relief. Sure, he's playing a druken Ozzie lowlife, but it works out for him because he is the funniest thing in this movie after Robbie. Heck, he might actually be funnier.

Jay Hernandez is appropriately melancholic as El Diablo, providing some emotional weight to the proceedings thanks to the character's tragic background and reluctance to fight. These elements are all a huge catalyst for some very cool sequences, though, so it's not all for naught. Joel Kinnaman is pretty decent as Colonel Flag, the squad's leader, delivering a performance that is as good as could be expected considering the script he got. Same for Carla Delvigne's Enchantress (who actually has some really cool moments), and the rest of the players. They're all good, and might have been great if they'd had more time to shine.

Alright, so now we get to the nitty-gritty: the negative reviews, and my counterpoints. Lots of the criticism online was pointed at how "simple" (i.e. boring) the plot is. Well, I'm not sure what those folks were expecting, but this is a comic book movie about a squad of (mostly) powerless misfits who are in over their heads. In other words, it's an ensemble movie and writer/director David Ayer's story is small enough in scale to ensure the focus remains on the characters, their interactions, and their camaraderie. Something more "epic" in scale would have detracted from this.

Others complained that the villains, and their schemes, are too generic and uninteresting. While I do agree that the antagonists' motivations are uninspired, and their use of a giant sky laser/beam is cliched, I feel their looks and personalities are the opposite of generic; creepy and appropriately otherworldly is how I'd describe them. Their powers are surprisingly cool and threatening enough to warrant city-wide destruction, but subdued enough to allow our protagonists to make a dent. In other words, an overly complex set of villains with equally complex goals would have been too distracting in a film that already has to juggle a dozen characters whose aspirations are essentially to blow stuff up while insulting each other.

Lastly, the editing seems to bear the brunt of the attacks from naysayers. I do understand where this critique is coming from: the frequent flashbacks, jarring edits, and overuse of pop songs spread throughout the film are clear signs of studio tampering, and it inevitably results in ours brains wondering if there's a more tonally-consistent cut out there that makes a bit more sense. However, I've got to admit that the final product's unorthodox presentation is what made it stand out for me, and its chaos made me enjoy myself beyond my initial expectations.

I was surprised by a fast-flying, no-holds barred adventure movie that didn't take itself too seriously in its mission to deliver a good time, and that's why I recommend SUICIDE SQUAD. The characters, music, and comedy all came together in entertaining ways to create an enjoyable romp that was well worth my summer dollars.

SUMMARY

If you can forgive a few weird editing choices, some minor plot holes, and a somewhat uninspiring villain, you'll be in for a fun ride that is well worth two hours of your summer time.

VERDICT

GOOD

PROS

Will Smith is back in action and delivers one of his coolest performances in over a decade
Margot Robbie steals the show as fan-favorite Harley Quinn
Viola Davis is amazing and provides a strong backbone for the film
Jared Leto is great as a new, disturbing Joker
Many other stellar performances, especially from Courtney
Fun, if somewhat overused, licensed soundtrack
Loads of humor and heart, a stark contrast to the previous DCEU efforts
Cool cameos by other DC characters

CONS

Obvious edits and reshoots can be jarring if you're over-analyzing
The Joker's part was clearly larger in the original cut, and we're left with only a fraction of it ... making him feel unimportant in the grand scheme of things
The film's villains are very cool, but their motivations are somewhat uninspired, which may lead to the audience feeling uninvested

YOU'LL ENJOY THIS IF