Review of Suicide Squad (2016) by Nightreviews — 09 Feb 2017

In a world where audiences cannot get enough of superheroes, comics and geeking over the impossibly feverish fade of comic book hero’s adapted onto the big screen, DC Comics is trying to cash in on this highly lucrative cinematic craze by developing a feature length feature, and their competition to The Avengers with Suicide Squad. Yet, if we really look at the bigger picture of Suicide Squad, one can easily see some stark differences, for example; none of the characters are really superheroes but villains; none of the characters presented are really recognizable names, with the exception of The Joker (who isn’t even a member of the squad in the film) and Harley Quinn (who is destined to become a household character by the end of this film, with the help of Margot Robbie of course), and, if not most importantly, assembling a team together, including cast and crew, that couldn’t be more, disassembled.

Quite frankly, Suicide Squad is a complete disaster and mess of a film. The writing of the film is so incoherent, it makes the objective of the team and the audience really question as to why they are doing it altogether. The direction of the film feels forced and almost lacking any artistic creativeness by David Ayer and more-so of a forced studio film shoved down the artistic team’s throat, and, the story is just convoluted, discombobulated and weak. Ayer, who was on my radar of becoming one of my fav directors, blending, almost effortlessly, the use of action with real-world comedy, thanks to the near-perfect End of Watch, **** the bed on this one.

With such star power, including the uncompromising Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, and the once attached Tom Hardy, you would think Suicide Squad was a film with some massive potential to wreck box-office havoc at the end of a very disappointing 2016. Yet, the film itself is a very sad excuse for a summer blockbuster, insulting its audience with any sort of artistic and cinematic credit.

While the narrative of the story has been told before, like seriously, almost exactly like the narrative in the first Avengers. Just to refresh, here is it; A loved one of one of the team members (Thor’s brother’s Loki in the Avengers and Nick Flag’s (Joe Kinnaman) girlfriend June Moone, also know by her villain name Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) in this one, wreck havoc on a city, a team gathers to save the city (New York City in the Avengers, Gotham in this film). Coming out of the gates, the film does not have much street credit.

Suicide Squad was easily one of the most anticipated and exciting movies of summer sixteen. The trailer, which features one of the best bands ever assembled singing one of the best musical arrangements ever created, was easily one hell of a ride to watch. Unfortunately, some of the best parts of the film were featured in the trailer, which took away and ruined the film overall, or, the music just brought the best in the footage. After all, its pretty hard not enjoying watching anything while listening to the angelic voice of Freddie Mercury.

While the movie did feature the likes of Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, the sadistic mastermind behind the formation of the Suicide Squad, in a compelling and completely engaging role as a devilish, heartless and soulless women, who takes her job WAY too seriously, the only real redemption the movie has is Will Smith and Margot Robbie, and I mention those named quite carefully. Notice how I didn’t say Deadshot and Harley Quinn, the characters these actors are playing. Smith, who is an excellent actor whom audiences love whole-heartedly, did not play an interpretation of the almost obscure comic book character. Smith, in turn, essentially just plays himself, in a film adaptation where he must kick ass, save the world and give the occasional motivational speech. Its hard not to like Will Smith in anything really (we will completely ignore After Earth), hence why much of the good criticism will come from him, but people will quickly forget that Will Smith is a likeable guy, but did he give a spot on, target approve depiction of a DC comic book baddie, heck no.

With Margot Robbie, one of the hottest and most attractive Hollywood actresses working today, its hard not to like her in anything, especially when for the duration of the film, she is featured in very sexy short-shorts and ripped nylons, as well as while the camera takes the liberty of shooting her from behind most of the time.