Review of Suicide Squad (2016) by Rathael — 05 Aug 2016

SUICIDE SQUAD.

2/1/2 STARS OUT OF 4.

Suicide squad is a perplexing film. Be it from lack of direction, or some could say overabundance of direction from the studio. Some could say there is a good movie hidden under the layers of bad.SUICIDE SQUAD.

2/1/2 STARS OUT OF 4.

Suicide squad is a perplexing film. Be it from lack of direction, or some could say overabundance of direction from the studio. Some could say there is a good movie hidden under the layers of bad.

What did work, was some character portrayals of characters. And that is where the movie shines the most, the whimsy and joy that Viola Davis, Margot Robbie and Will Smith bring to their respective characters of Amanda Waller, Harley Quinn and Deadshot, and to an extend Jared Leto (who really did not have much to do in the movie) as Joker, and surprisingly Jay Hernandez as Diablo.

Rest of the cast really did not have enough time or material to be developed properly. Killer Croc is just there to be menacing and growl(even though has two fun quips), Captain Boomerang is Jai Courtney (enough said) there is also another guy in a group? You're going to have to take my word of it because I am still wondering why he's there. Katana who is a somewhat obscure character is in the movie as well and also just not given a lot to do. This all brings me to Enchantress who is not that well known character from the comics. Her character is very interesting, and they should have focused on her backstory a bit more for everything just to seem well connected. Rick Flagg is the a leader of the rag-tag of villains and does fine job at it, however nothing in the script really allows him to have any meaningful breakout moments.

Where the movie fumbles a lot is in its execution of the plot and especially editing of that plot, which partially makes sense if the stories of multiple editors working on the film. This all culminates in the tonal disparity between parts of the film. It almost does not let the movie breathe, as at a point in the movie plot just one would say changes entire direction, and from that point on it is as if you are watching a different movie. And that would not be so much a problem if that change was not as jarring as it is. Main plot of the movie sort of just happens and you as a viewer are just along for the ride, not much is really explained, and fore mentioned characters of Harley, Deadshot, Diablo and Waller are what is keeping the movie from collapsing into itself completely.

Parts that I really really loved about the movie, other than those four characters which I cannot stress how fantastically were portrayed by their respective actors are small things in the movie.

Harley Quinn's backstory and flash backs with the joker (there is a scene that is going to smiles on lot of people's faces that have read the comics). Location of where the main battle is happening, which is a location well known throughout the DC universe. Cameos throughout the movie that are well placed and not too jarring.

All in all movie is far from being perfect or even great, however it is entertaining and well worth watching if not so much for plot then for the character portrayals of some of DC's most interesting and beloved characters.