"Suicide Squad" Movie Review

"Suicide Squad" is one of, if not the, most hyped movies of 2016. After a teaser trailer was unleashed at Comic Con in 2015 and was then leaked online, the fervor to see this movie has been ridiculously high. I personally have also been chomping at the bit to see this movie for a little over a year now (any one of my friends can confirm this as I'm sure I became pretty annoying in my discussion of the movie and how excited I was to see it). After a great ad campaign and loads of teasers, the "Skwad" has finally hit theaters. During what has been described by many, a disappointing summer for movies, "Suicide Squad" was supposed to be the shot of adrenaline that brought the season back to life with pure villainous synergy. 

Amanda Waller as played by Viola Davis
[Found on Google Images]

I have been missing most of summer's cinematic offerings thanks to my stint with abject poverty (that's a discussion for a later blog), so I was hell bent to NOT miss this movie. I made it there opening night and was greeted with the movie I had been waiting for, and while there was a lot I really, really, REALLY liked, I was a bit disappointed because I ended up not loving it nearly as much as I wanted to. 

"Suicide Squad", for those who don't know, focuses on government agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) who gathers a group of dangerous and "metahuman"criminals with no hope of ever getting out of prison to create "Task Force X", who she then makes perform covert suicide missions in return for clemency. After a supernatural threat is unleashed on Midway City and is threatening the world, Waller sends in her group of villains led by solider Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) to wipe it out and save the planet. 

If you're not a big comic book fan, this film gives you the opportunity to meet some of DC's most interesting and dangerous bad guys that haven't had any exposure on the big screen; there's Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) who is a man with the skin, teeth, and strength of a crocodile who has no problem brutalizing (and sometimes eating) anyone who crosses his

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as the impressive
Killer Croc
[Found on Google Images]

path. Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) who is an Aussie with crazy boomerang skills and a taste for robbery, El Diablo (Jay Hernandez)- a man who has devilish pyrokinetic powers, Deadshot (Will Smith); an assassin for hire who never, and I mean never, misses a shot no matter how impossible, and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie); a former psychiatrist who fell in love with the Clown Prince of Crime, a.k.a. The Joker (Jared Leto), and through a series of torture, brainwashing, and a chemical dip became as crazy and dangerous as her "puddin'" is, if not more so. 

This is the first time any of these big-time baddies have had any time on the Silver Screen, which is pretty awesome since we live in a world of reboots and sequels. Sure, new villains get introduced in super hero movies all the time, but usually it's in a rebooted franchise (X-Men and Spiderman come to mind) or it's around a continued story line for a hero/heroes (the rest of Marvel's films) but this is the first time the super villains have their own movie, and the heroes play second fiddle in the story. That right there was hugely interesting to me as DC has some of the best and most interesting villains in their comics and stories. 

Harley and Deadshot [Found on Google Images]

I was blown away by the actors in the Suicide Squad- all of their characters complimented each other nicely, and the audience can feel and see the connection between them. They had great chemistry and that really made the movie work well. According to multiple sources the cast wasn't only close on screen but they've also bonded as a group outside of filming. Will Smith recently was on Jimmy Fallon's late night talk show and even said that he hasn't had any experience on set comparable to this experience, and it shows. While the group as a whole were great together, there were a few different performances that stood out to me. 

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn [Found on Google Images]

Margot Robbie was one of the biggest surprises in the movie, as she literally nailed the role of Harley Quinn. She had the accent, the humor (including the cringe-worthy jokes that Harley was known for) and she was able to tap into Harley's insane love for the Joker, which isn't an easy love to show. She was likable but also unhinged and was so entertaining she stole just about every scene she was a part of in the movie. 

Will Smith also really impressed me with his portrayal of Floyd Lawton a.k.a Deadshot. After seeing one too many Will-Smith-movie flops, I was worried that this was going to be another round of Will-Smith-playing-Will-Smith. Rather, it was Will-Smith-playing-a-character-with-Will-Smith-humor which was perfect. The movie also included his backstory to establish his history with the audience, and it added a lot of complexity to the character in a short amount of time. Not only do we learn just what a deadly badass he is, but also he's just a dad trying to stay with his daughter and keep her safe and happy which makes him a much more relateable and layered man. 

Another character that really stood out to me was El Diablo. He is definitely the strongest and most dangerous member of the team since he has immense pyrokenetic abilities (think "Firestarter" but much more controlled), but he also refuses to use this power through most of the movie due to tragic moments in his past that shaped him into the character we meet in the

Jay Hernandez lights up the screen as Diablo
[Found on Google Images]

film. I loved his toned-down attitude and how he tried so hard to remain passive through most of the film because that adds real strength to his character. And when he does break his restraints to help the team it's incredible- I wasn't expecting him to be as amazing as he was so that was really impressive in my eyes. 

The other characters in the movie weren't without merit- I am looking forward to a Suicide Squad sequel where we get to see more Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc and hopefully Katana. 

This movie was great fun, but no film is without it's faults. And while this one didn't have too many, they definitely landed a few good blows to what would otherwise be a thoroughly enjoyable flick. 

Katana and her sword Soultaker
[Found on Google Images]

My first gripe is also what a lot of other critics and movie-goers are picking at; the villain. Of course, in a movie full of villains it's extremely hard to have a bigger villain than the rest of the cast. The big baddie in "Suicide Squad" is a 6000 year old witch from another dimension named Enchantress. She can posses hosts, travel anywhere on Earth in the blink of an eye, and is damn formidable in battle. It should be easy to come up with something compelling for her, right? Well, if that's what you were thinking you would be wrong. Unfortunately, the plot took the current Super-Hero-Movie standard of "Bad guy wants to take over world for reasons,

The Enchantress played by Cara Delevingne
[Found on Google Images]

creates giant machine to do that, team has to shut machine down, bad guy beaten." Seriously, lately that seems to be the most used plot device for these types of movies. While her purpose in the film was definitely squandered, I thought the portrayal of the character was interesting. The way she moved, how she dressed, her makeup and hair- everything was very attention-grabbing for me. I wish something different could have been done with this powerful and interesting character, but it is what it is.

As much as the villain bummed me out, it's not a drop in the bucket compared to what really angered me about this movie. 

"Suicide Squad" introduces us to the new Joker who was played by Jared Leto (as previously mentioned). It's been 8 years since the Joker has been in a major motion picture; the last time we saw him, he was portrayed incredibly by the late Heath Ledger who won an Oscar for his performance. Ledger shattered all expectations when he went on screen as the Joker- he took the role to a whole other dark and twisted level that hadn't been explored in superhero films, and nothing has been able to hold a candle to it since then. Enter Jared Leto- an equally

Jared Leto as The Joker
[Found on Google Images]

dedicated and talented method actor who for months never broke character and got so into the Joker's head that his costars were afraid of him. And every time he was on the screen, all eyes were on him. When I saw and heard the Joker I was never sure if I should laugh with his jokes, be drawn in by his charismatic edginess, or be utterly terrified because I didn't know what he was going to do next. And THAT is what the Joker is all about, ladies and gentlemen. However, as much as I loved him, I wanted to see so much more of him, but I was sorely disappointed. 

All of the ads, teasers, trailers, plugs and spots strongly pushed the notion that the Joker was going to be an integral part of the film, and that was a huge draw for a lot of people. When the teasers and ads started coming out for the film, and the new look of the Joker was shown, people were really resistant to his sleek apparel and his plethora of tattoos, which of course is a far cry from the standard look of the Joker. Once that dropped, the hype around the movie really started to pick up, and the more hype there was, the more the Joker was pushed in trailers and was teased as being a big deal in the movie. But after seeing the film, he was in about 5 or 6 scenes, only 3 with any major dialog, and all of those scenes were way too short for my liking as well as the liking of other viewers, and Jared Leto himself. He was recently being interviewed by Movie'n'co about his role in the film, and  was asked what he would say to fans who wanted the Joker to have more time on screen, and he said, "To the people who want more Joker, I'd say 'Me, too'." 

With ads like this putting Harley and
Joker front and center, how could we not
think they would be a bigger part of the movie?
[Found on Google Images]

This film also introduces the world to Harley Quinn and Joker's twisted relationship. Anyone who has seen the animated series where she first appeared, or read any comics featuring her and "Mistah J" together (especially The New 52) will tell you how dark, abusive and insane their relationship is. The history of their love was first explained in an episode on "The New Batman Adventures" called "Mad Love". The basis of that story has be changed and adapted since, and was altered in The New 52 comics, which this film seems to use for their Harley and Joker origin story. However, while the movie tried to make it look slightly more romantic, they totally glossed over the abuse and head-games Joker and Harley doled out to one another which is a major part of their relationship. In this film, while he is definitely and unquestionably a bad guy, in my opinion he comes across as less abusive than Christian Grey in "50 Shades of Grey", as everything he asks of Harley, she does willingly rather than being coerced into it. And when The Joker is less abusive than Christian Grey, you're doing something wrong. 

UItimately, while these two points were really disappointing, the film is still enjoyable. I'll be interested to see what comes in the future as far as sequels and how the Squad will tie into the DC Cinematic Universe. "Suicide Squad" has already broken August box office records despite the critical beating it's been taking. And even with all of the movie's problems, I myself don't think it's warranting the dismal 26% Rotten Tomatoes is giving it. I mean, that's putting this movie on the same level as "Green Lantern." "Green Lantern"?? Really?? This film is MUCH more balanced and entertaining than that unfortunate DC trainwreck. Of course, the response to "Suicide Squad" has been almost as divisive as the reaction to "Batman v. Superman", so I guess it's really up to the audience member in question. This movie goer on the other hand, really liked the movie. I wanted to fall in love with it, but instead I just have a solid appreciation for it. This movie definitely helped DC gain closer ground to a movie that is as impressive as what Marvel is putting out, but there is still some things that clearly need to be done to close the gap between the two. 

"Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" Movie Review

Before going to see this movie, I was well aware of the split between general audience members and critics in regards to "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice". While it's been receiving low ratings on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes from critics at 29%, general viewers have been praising it, raising their initial ratings into the 70% bracket. 

While I am no comic nerd by any means, I am a fan of Batman. I've never owned a Batman comic in my life, nor have I read one; however I grew up watching Adam West's portrayal of the Caped Crusader, as well as watching Batman the Animated Series, and enjoying seeing Micheal Keaton bring the character to life in Batman and Batman Returns. I can also openly admit that when I was young, I enjoyed Batman Forever. I can't say the same about Batman and Robin; but that's another story entirely. The point is- I like me some Batman. 

I will admit that I was much more excited for the release of Suicide Squad in August, I was pretty interested to see Batman V. Superman- after all, this film in addition to Man of Steel, are basically laying all of the groundwork for the DCEU; with Aquaman, The Flash and others following this movie, there was a lot riding on it's success. The pressure was on. 

After sitting through this film, I can see why a lot of critics are panning it, however, I don't quite understand why they're giving it so low of a score, and that's something I don't say regularly. 

Here are my thoughts. 

I remember a few years ago when it was announced that Ben Affleck was cast to play Bruce Wayne/Batman for this movie. There was outrage, indignation, and general upset. And for all of the problems I felt this movie had, Affleck wasn't one of them; he was actually the best part of the movie. I actually really enjoyed his acting as the Dark Knight. DC movies/stories are sometimes hard to relate to, since all of the heroes are held at the utmost pinnacle of morality, but Batman has always been the one who was the most relate-able, at least in my eyes. He has a dark past, a lonely existence, and while he does try to do the best he can, sometimes he does make mistakes and he owns up to it, and works harder not to do it again. That was a quality of the character I was so glad to see they kept in this story, and Affleck really made you believe that he was that character. Frankly, I also feel that he did a much better job portraying Batman than Christian Bale did. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. 

Superman saves Lois [found on Google Images]

One thing I also heard people had a problem with in this movie was the fact that Batman was using guns and shooting people. As a reminder, Zach Snyder broke the DC "no-kill" rules in Man of Steel when Superman killed Zod, so that is something that seems to be continuing in these films. For me, however, it didn't really effect my view of the movie in any way. The movie also brought in these really weird dream sequences throughout the movie, and at times it almost felt like I was watching A Nightmare in Wayne Manor, as it was hard to tell when you were in a dream or in the present. These little sequences were a little unnecessary and could be taken completely out of the film and the story wouldn't have suffered from it. 

Henry Cavill as Superman gave another performance that was just like the performance he gave in Man of Steel; I didn't really care for that film, so I could have taken it or left it. However, compared to other cinematic Supermen, Cavill is holding his own. 

Gal Gadot who portrays Diana Prince/Wonder Woman was really fun to watch. The one gripe I had though, was I wish she had more screen time. 

Though I generally liked the heroes in this film, they're only as good as their villains. And to me, that is where this film hit a bit of a rough patch. When I learned that Jesse Eisenberg was cast as Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor; I generally like Eisenberg's work, so I was interested to see what he would do as this character. While I can say that he did give a great performance, I can't help but feel that he would make a much better Riddler than Lex Luthor. His character was quirky, twitchy and sinister, and I have always seen Lex Luthor as someone who was more serious, sophisticated and sinister. The studio took a risk in hiring him- while it may not have been the best casting decision, at least the performance was earnest. 

We're also introduced to Doomsday in this film, which upped the ante for the film. He really did add to the action in the film, and I thought it was a bold move to have him in here this early in the franchise. You Superman films out there should know what I'm talking about. 

The supporting cast was really enjoyable- I had no issues with any of their performances. Gold star everyone! 

Ben Affleck as Batman [found on Google Images]

I was a little worried to see this film; I honestly thought it was going to be another Transformers 4- way too much info crammed into the movie, too much destruction porn, and no convincing acting. While the length of the film was ridiculous (2 1/2 hours!!!), and there was a LOT of info, exposition and buildup, and also a ton of destruction porn, I'm happy to say I didn't find this movie anywhere NEAR as horrible as Transformers 4. Why? I honestly attribute it to the great casting. If it wasn't for a good cast of characters, even the weakest links; it was way better than Transformers 4. I've been nervous attending nerd-centered films for reasons like that, but this year so far I've been pleasantly surprised, and may actually try giving them a fair shot again. 

The only other issues I had with this film were: 

Shaky cam- I HATE SHAKY CAM; it's what I hated about Man of Steel, and this film is no different. Also, drowning everything in grey/blue filters could have probably been skipped, but that's just my personal opinion. 

This was a VERY serious movie; on the whole it made sense to be serious because of the story they built up through Bruce's eyes, but a little bit of lightening up wouldn't have hurt anything. While it was easy to connect with Bruce's struggle as well as parts of Clark's struggle, it really was lacking in any joy. The only scene where I felt any stab of levity was early in the
film in a scene between Lois and Clark. What made the first Avengers movie so enjoyable was while there was serious trouble throughout the movie, silver linings were aplenty, and when the team came together and won the fight there was just so much joy and excitement for that. In this film, while it was cool to see Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman come together for a common goal, it was just that; cool. It didn't leave the audience cheering like it did in the Avengers and I think that's where Marvel tops DC every time; there's just more happiness and excitement with the seriousness. 

I can see why critics don't think too fondly of it, however I do feel that 29% from Rotten Tomatoes is a bit exaggerated; I agree more with Metacritic and IMDB (Metacritic being the lowest score I would give this movie). I personally would put it somewhere in the 50%-70% bracket. 

Wonder Woman makes a brilliant entrance [found on Google Images]

Overall, it wasn't the worst film I've seen, but it also wasn't the best. If you're a fan of DC comics and heros, it may be worth seeing in theaters, but it would probably be a better rent from Redbox or DVD purchase. Having said that, I recently heard that in the wake of the negative reviews of Batman v. Superman, parts of Suicide Squad have gone back into editing to add more humor and to lighten the movie up a little more, because apparently it had the same amount of seriousness that this film had. I am a little worried now, but not enough to not go see it. The crew/writers/producers/director of Batman v. Superman are definitely learning from this release, and hopefully they can take these lessons forward in their new films.