Suicide Squad Review

Panned by critics, praised by fanboys, and breaking box office records, Suicide Squad is yet another divisive film from DC!

Wow, now this is one difficult review to write. Walking into the theater without a single notion of the abysmal critical response helped to remove the bias of expecting to tear it apart. In fact, walking to the truck after movie, I was thoroughly entertained and had a great time. But that does not mean I necessarily disagree with the consensus. Honestly, if DC just cannot make quality superhero flicks, a small part of me just wants their movies to fail so hard that it kills the franchise, so as stop oversaturating the superhero genre. Of course, by making so much money regardless of what people say, that is not happening anytime soon.

Let's get back to the film itself. If you hate Suicide Squad, that's fine by me; it is completely understandable. In many ways, it does deserve the panning t. DC just cannot get their stuff together no matter how hard they try. However, as you will find in my review, Suicide Squad does the absolute most important aspect so much better than Batman v Superman….

Directed by: David Ayer
Genre: Action, Comic Book, Fantasy
Release Date: August 5, 2016
Running Time: 123 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Harley Quinn, Excellent main cast, Will Smith is great, Joker scenes, Great humor, Rocking soundtrack, After credits scenes (finally), Good first 20 minutes, Great chemistry between cast, Jai Courtney isn't bad, El Diablo's backstory, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller kills it, Fanservice and Easter Eggs,

The Bad: Awful antagonist, Generic Third Act, A bit too obvious at times, Missed opportunities, Messy plot composition, Some music doesn't work, Subpar CGI,

Plot: 3.0/10- Ultimately, the plot is where is where Suicide Squad falls flat. Despite having so many potential options for the central plot and antagonist, Suicide Squad takes the most clichéd, generic, and boring route to drive the plot forward. Apparently, it is even essentially the same final act as this year's Ghostbusters! With a premise of villains essentially being forced into covert Black Ops missions for the government, the best central plot should have been obvious, but alas, it's a huge missed opportunity (who signs off on this stuff!?).

Another issue with the plot is that the narrative is messy and jumps around from flashback to flashback to side plot to other side plot. The messy editing did not detract from the entertainment value, but it certainly could have been much better, especially considering that the Harley flashbacks are the most interesting part.

Characterization: 8.6/10- For first time, DC made me care about their characters. Suicide Squad's cast of quirky characters is what keeps it from being a bad film. In fact, for me at least, the characters elevated the film to a thoroughly entertaining experience.

Harley Quinn is easily the standout. Harley Quinn has been one of, if not, my absolute favorite character in all of DC ever since her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series. And this portrayal of the character does not disappoint. She isn't quite the show-stopper she could have been, but as a fan, Harley Quinn finally hits the big screen in brilliantly quirky, humorous, and fiendish fashion. Her flashbacks with the Joker are a highlight of the film, although it should have been an entire film instead of just flashbacks.

Speaking of the Joker, contrary to the marketing, he is neither the main antagonist nor a central aspect of the film. Since I never place any value in trailers or marketing, his lack of screen time wasn't disappointing. He is just not a main part of the film and that's fine, although what he is in is quite good.

Deadshot, along with Harley, are the real stars of the films. His backstory and characterization is quite good. You actually care about the character and his reasons for what he does. His one-liners are funny, and his character motivation with his daughter is well executed.

El Diablo's story might be emotionally manipulative to some, but it works. Captain Boomerang is a surprise as his character is hysterical, albeit seemingly useless in a fight. Killer Croc is barely relevant, except for some humorous moments and action sequences. Katana is underused, with only one relevant scene. Enchantress' motivations are poorly conceived, and Rick Flag is just kind of OK. However, Amanda Waller is a standout among the cast with a strong presence and an overall interesting character.

Direction: 6.0/10- David Ayer's direction is hit and miss. The first 20 minutes are full of style and fun visuals. Unfortunately, that same style does not permeate the rest of the film in the same way. The action sequences are uninspired and generally unimpressive. However, the cast's quirks and fun traits elevate relatively average action sequences into a thoroughly viewing experience for me at least. Nothing about the action is bad. There's no shaky-cam or poor editing. It's just not amazing or impressive.

Acting: 8.4/10- Suicide Squad's cast is certainly a highlight. Margot Robbie plays an excellent Harley Quinn! Will Smith plays a very Will Smith type of Deadshot, yet it works quite well, making this his most memorable role in years. Despite minimal screen time, Jared Leto's Joker makes a good impression with a distinctly different take on the character that could be expanded upon in later films. Viola Davis is incredibly menacing and portrays Waller perfectly. Shockingly, Jai Courtney does not suck. Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag is serviceable, and the rest of the cast are fine with no noticeably strong or weak performances.

Special effects: 6.0/10- With a $175 million budget, you'd think the CGI would look a lot better. It's rather mediocre for one character in particular. The rest of the special effects are fine, but unimpressive.

Soundtrack: 8.8/10- Suicide Squad's soundtrack tries to mimic the success of Guardians of the Galaxy with a collection of catchy music from different eras. Most of the music, even songs from genres I dislike, are a lot of fun and got me hyped up in certain scenes. The usage of the songs can feel a bit unnecessary and forced, although it created a more fun tone. However, using "Spirit In The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum, a song used in Guardians of the Galaxy, was a huge mistake because it just reminds the audience of the far superior film that Suicide Squad is attempting to copy.

Humor: 8.5/10- Honestly, Suicide Squad is a funny movie! It has a good sense of humor with some good one-liners and humorous interactions between the cast of quirky characters. Sure, it pales in comparison to Marvel's wit, but that's expected.

Entertainment Value: 9.4/10- Honestly, Suicide Squad was a largely entertaining experience. The characters kept me invested in the story, and while the narrative is a mess, it never detracted from my fun with all the quirky characters. Unlike Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad is not a self-important slog with dreadfully boring characters, and honestly, I rather watch a shallow movie with characters I actually care about than one that thinks it's deep with horrendous characters.

Overall: 7.0/10- Featuring DC's best cast of characters to date and some surprisingly amount of heart, Suicide Squad's painfully derivative antagonist and conflict mixed with an otherwise messy narrative makes for a very fun and stylish film with numerous flaws. With that said, if you can connect with the characters and enjoy the style, Suicide Squad is worth at least a rent.

Closing comments: If you hated Suicide Squad, that's perfectly fine. In fact, I do not disagree with you. Suicide Squad is not a great movie. It's just OK, and if you like the characters, then it's a fun movie, nothing more, nothing less.

Recommended for: DC fans, Anti-hero fans, Harley Quinn fans,

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Suicide Squad First Impression

It feels so good to be bad. Yes, I've seen Suicide Squad. Like usual, I did not see a single review, rating, or opinion prior to viewing it. And I am really glad that I did. There is so much to talk about in regards to this movie and everyone else’s opinions. But that will be saved for my review. And boy, this is going to be one difficult movie to review. Regardless of the quality of the movie, it was a fun experience. Half the audience clapped at the end (I didn't), and DC FINALLY HAS AN AFTER CREDITS SCENE. About time DC! Hopefully, that will be out in a few days. In the meantime, you can post links to your reviews in the comments for myself and others to see your thoughts. 

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Coming Soon: August 2016

Hey, hey, hey! Hope everyone has been enjoying their summer so far. Unfortunately from a film perspective, it's been a bit of a downer. Nothing has come close to the dizzying highs of Civil War, but let's recap regardless before we dive into the final month of the season. 

The BFG: Color me surprised but man did this one bomb hard for a Spielberg film. Reviews were mostly positive as were audience reactions but it seems that most couldn't make time in their busy schedules for it. 

The Legend of Tarzan: It did "well" financially and audiences/critics seemed to kind of sort of like it. All in all it seems like it had enough to offer (action) but still came up far short of greatness (script/characters).

The Purge: Election Year: I'm a sucker for The Purge films mainly because I want to see if one ever fully grasps and explores the concept at its core. Election Year is the closest (and best) one yet. It had scenes of brilliance, was stupid in some moments, and is another step in the right direction for this continuously improving franchise. RRS: 7/10

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: I loved this film, probably even more so than my score indicates. I was laughing consistently at the raunchy, filth and there were few jokes in my eyes that fell flat. Add in a superb cast and this was another great comedy notch in 2016...just one that I disagreed with most critics about: RRS: 8/10

The Secret Life of Pets: Unfortunately life was poorly timed for this film. I had to put one of my childhood dogs down the same weekend that this film about pets came out and I just couldn't really bring myself to find the motivation to get out to see it. That said, I've heard most audiences liked it, though not as much as they thought they would. 

The Infiltrator: This is a mediocre/good movie elevated by none other than Bryan Cranston. He gives a stellar performance, it's just a shame that the film around him couldn't match in quality because we would have had a gem on our hands. RRS: 7.5/10

Ghostbusters: Not nearly as bad as the internet trolls would have you believe. It's problems are with the 50% hit rate of jokes and editing. The all female cast is the single best thing about it and I sincerely hope they consider the R-rated route next time around. RRS: 7/10

Lights Out: I'm most bummed about missing this one because many critics I trust say its a short, sweet, and effective scare fest. It looked intense and I may have to catch it sometime down the line. 

Star Trek Beyond: I'm a big fan of Into Darkness (seems like the only one sometimes) and this installment didn't do much for me. It was fun, sure, but it felt like complete filler -- there were no stakes or danger, despite what the film would have you believe. I like my sci-fi films with some heft, and this was mostly just shallow fun. RRS: 7.5/10

Jason Bourne: Better than the critics would have you believe, but still not as great as that original trilogy. That's mainly because its story doesn't add much to the overall Bourne mythology. RRS 7.5/10

Bad Moms: Not the dud I predicted it would be, but not reaching greatness either. Most critics and fans agreed this was funny, but this year has certainly seen better and this film could have been a whole lot more.

Most Disappointing: Star Trek Beyond

Most Surprising: The Purge: Election Year

Worst Movie: None this month it should seem...just a lot of average

Best Movie: Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

As always, please click the movie titles for the trailer. Let's check out August!!

Suicide Squad -- Aug 5

For It: It has some of the best trailers since Fury Road and Godzilla and they have me super pumped. This looks like an expertly cast film that's far more fun than we've seen any other DC film have. The appeal of a spot-on Harley Quinn and a new Joker are too good to pass up.

Against It: DC has been struggling, no doubt about it. BvS left many disappointed, including myself, so we're now turning to Suicide Squad to "save the day". I think that this one will only be limited by how much fun it's allowed to have. If they take the Snyder approach and it comes across super serious, it will likely be another dull entry. But keep in mind that this is the first non-Snyder-directed film of the DCEU. 

Pete's Dragon -- Aug 12

For It: A strong cast and a classic story are never a bad start and the fact that this is just another Disney classic getting the live-action treatment means that it will certainly make a lot of money.

Against It:I was never particularly into this story as a kid and the trailers didn't do much to convince me otherwise. For me, it seems to lack the magic of true Disney classics and the initial trailer felt like it was going through the motions of recreating a classic animated film.

Sausage Party -- Aug 12

For It: Its premise, plain and simple. The early trailers have been hilarious and there is so much potential for comedy gold here that it has me very excited. The great voice cast doesn't hurt either.

Against It: It's all about the jokes. Knowing who's involved, I'd be sorely disappointed if this turned into another stoner-romp, but I have faith that this will be a lot more like This is the End (fantastic) than Pineapple Express (merely OK).

Hell or High Water -- Aug 12 (limited)

For It: Early reviews from festivals are super strong and it looks like a tight, well organized thriller with a superb cast.

Against It: The stakes seem small. What will it do to make us really care? This is where the performances and the script hopefully shine.

 Ben Hur -- Aug 19

For It: Ummmm....the chariot races? They look pretty cool I suppose.

Against It: Color me surprised if this one ends up being anymore than a critical and commercial bomb. Other than Morgan Freeman, it seems to have no redeeming qualities, is full of no-name actors, and attempts to remake one of Hollywood's largest tentpole films into a likely very forgettable remake.

War Dogs -- Aug 19

For It: Its based on a true story, the initial trailers are great, and Miles Teller and Jonah Hill seem like a great duo. This could be a late surprise of the summer and a really well orchestrated comedy/thriller.

Against It: It will need to work on the balance between life-and-death seriousness and humor. Also, Todd Phillips (director of Hangover trilogy) needs to bring a lot more of the talent he had in the first film (and part of the second), and leave at home whatever he brought to the third film.

Mechanic: Resurrection -- Aug 26

For It: Jason Statham beat-em-up movies always have room for potential and the fact that this is an R-rated one leads me to believe there could be some cool fight scenes.

Against It: Was The Mechanic a movie that deserved a sequel? How many years ago was that? The fact that I don't know the answers to these questions off the top of my head makes me realize how forgettable that film was.

Must See (in order): Suicide Squad, Sausage Party, War Dogs

On My Radar: Pete's Dragon, Hell or High Water, Mechanic: Resurrection

Predicted Duds: Ben Hur

And there's our summer!  See you next month as we approach Oscar season. As always, I'd be really appreciative if you came and followed me through Blogger at RATH'S REVIEWS and like me on Facebook HERE! I follow-for-follow 100%. Thanks again!!

Suicide Squad Trailer #1 Review

Let's face it people, regardless of whether or not the movie sucks, this trailer is a ton of fun! And the use of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is absolute perfection! You can never go wrong with Queen music, and the editing is top notch. You might remember a few years ago, I created a movie tribute (watch it below), and I created a few others that were never published, so editing clips to music something I always like seeing. Anyway, the trailer is excellent! And it actually gets me excited for the movie itself. The creators seem to be having fun with it, instead of being all dark and brooding. Plus, villains are always the best. A movie about villains is what I have wanted for a long time, and the Suicide Squad is the perfect vehicle for that concept. Even though using rockin' 70s and 80s tunes is taking a page out of Guardians of the Galaxy's playbook, it would be great if Suicide Squad used some great classic tunes during the film. However, that probably will not be the case. Honestly, though, Suicide Squad has the potential to be DC's best film since The Dark Knight. Granted, that's not saying much. What do you think of the trailer? Do you plan to see this film? Please comment below and let me know! And below is my movie tribute if anyone is interested.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Suicide Squad New Cast Photos

New photos of the Suicide Squad are here along with the Joker on the covers of Empire magazine. The photos give us a closer look at some of the members of the team. As for the Joker and Harley, I still need to see them in the film before being sole on their appearance. What do you think? Please comment below and let me know! Please check back tomorrow for a special Halloween edition of Netflix Picks!

Source: IGN.com

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Suicide Squad Comic-Con Trailer Review/Reaction

The Suicide Squad's Comic-Con has officially been uploaded by Warner Bros. after many bootlegs online, and it gives us our first look at Jared Leto's Joker and more! If you followed my coverage of Suicide Squad, you know that of all the upcoming DC movies, this is the one that I want to work because Harley Quinn and movies about villains fascinate me. So, does this teaser trailer satisfy my expectations? Well, in some ways, yes, and other ways not so much. 

We finally get to see Margot Robbie in action as Harley Quinn! And the jury is still out on the portrayal because, she does not get many lines in the trailer. She definitely looks completely insane, and I love how she does the shotgun thing with her bat. I also like the pale skin and lack of scars or many tattoos. The backstory of her being a psychiatrist is a crucial part to the character, and the writers must keep that intact, which is my main worry.

Visually, the film looks low budget, almost somewhere between television and film, which reminds me of HBO or Netflix in terms of cinematography. It seems to lack the visual skill that makes people want to see it in the theater. Obviously, I will be watching it in theater, but it almost looks less cinematic than Netflix's Daredevil, which could hurt its box office draw. With all that said, we will not know until we see the movie for ourselves.

Will Smith is one of my biggest problems. He is not playing a character, he is playing Will Smith: Bad Boy version. I have a feeling that he will be given too much screentime, and while he is a fun actor, he is always Will Smith, by which I mean he rarely disappears into the role. The other Suicide Squad members appear to be cannon fodder to show off the explosive chips in their heads.

Lastly, there is Jared Leto as the Joker. Well, he is so much better in action than the promotional stills lead us to believe, which is expected. However, his line at the end, "I'm not going to kill you.... I'm just going to hurt you, really, really, bad," sounds almost too similar to Heath Ledger's Joker. On the other hand, I like the facial expressiveness and body language of Leto in the clip. Aside from the stupid tattoos, Leto will probably be a great Joker, and I want to see more of him. Plus, the Batman cameo is going to be fun!

What did you think? Please comment below and let me know!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Joker Suicide Squad Photos

Set photos from Suicide Squad confirm that Jared Leto's Joker is the same one from the promotional photo. After the initial negative reaction the official picture of The Joker, everyone was saying the insane tattoos were just apart of the anniversary of the Joker, and obviously, that is not the case. However, these set photos do give me a better impression in some respects and worse one in others.  

For one, what exactly is director David Ayer and Leto trying to go for with this Joker? Based on the photos released, he does not look enough like the Joker for a casual moviegoer to recognize the character. Sure, Ledger's Joker was different than what had come before, but he still retained certain key aspects of the character that made him instantly recognizable. On the other hand, Leto's version barely retains any key features aside from the green hair, although I like the green hair. 

Despite my issues with it, I am trying to stay optimistic that his costume will look better on screen, or that this is from a one-off costume for the character. Hopefully, Leto's performance will propel to at least the quality of Nicholson's Joker (in terms of quality, not similar in any way).

I am starting to like this new look for Harley to a degree. I don't love it, but I like it.

What do you think? Please comment below and let me know!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Suicide Squad Full Team Revealed

The Suicide Squad has finally been revealed! The entire team is featured in the picture above, and there are some things I like, and other things are not so good. The biggest reveal for me is Harley Quinn, since she is one of my favorite characters in the DC universe, and I am mixed about her appearance. Much like the entire team, her costume looks like a cosplay, and not the amazing kind, but the type that is just okay. I am sure Margot Robbie is a capable actress; however, the costume is not selling me on the character just yet. With that said, I want to be optimistic about the character and the film in general. As I have said multiple times, this is the DC movie that I want to be good, so maybe, just maybe this can turn out to be better than it looks.

As for the other characters, they all have a very "Gangsta" look to them. Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang appears to be a little too low tech, but there is nothing that bad about his costume. Karen Fukuhara as Katana, the samurai sword woman in the front, gives off the appearance of a cosplay, and again, but the amazing kind. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc looks very strange since his upper half is big, while his lower half is too small. Enchantress and El Diablo are okay, but nothing special. As a whole, maybe the film is intentionally trying for low-budget appearance because none of the costumes look that much better than the Suicide Squad in CW's Arrow. However, I really want to see them in action, because as we know from the pictures of Daredevil's original costume that pictures often do not look nearly as good as the final product. Lastly, not entirely unexpected, The Joker might not apart of the team, but rather the antagonist.

Below is an excerpt from IGN.com naming each character and actor: "The photo depicts (from left to right) Slipknot (?)* (Adam Beach), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Enchantress (Cara Delevingne), Katana (Karen Fukuhara), Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and El Diablo (Jay Hernandez). Ayer dropped the photo with the sentence 'Task Force X assembled and ready'."

Below is a picture of Will Smith in full Deadshot armor and costume. Even though it looks somewhat strange, it is accurate to the comics so I give a passing grade.

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Jared Leto's Joker Revealed in Suicide Squad

What the heck!? Jared Leto's take on the Joker has finally been revealed for the upcoming Suicide Squad, and it nothing like anyone expected. What is going on here!? He looks like some punkrock drug dealer! Of all the upcoming DC films, Suicide Squad is the one that I am most hyped for, and this new photo isn't doing my hype any favors. 

Despite initial impressions, there are some interesting aspects of this photo. For one, Jared Leto is, again, unrecognizable in a role, and I have no doubt that he will kill it as the character (pun intended). The skull jester looks somewhat sinister, and the mouth on the arm is not a bad idea. The "HAHAHAHA" everywhere isn't terrible I suppose, but just like Jeremy Jahns said, these tattoos look like something a Joker fan would get, and the "Damaged" on his forehead is not something the Joker would do to himself (maybe he didn't?).

His eyes look insane, and the green hair is a good throwback to the classic look, so those elements are not bad. What I absolutely hate is the grill on his teeth, or are silver replacement teeth. Hopefully, the Joker will wear a snazzy purple suit like the original Joker, so that the tattoos are not as prominent. Or maybe this will look a lot better in the film. With such a punkrock look for the Joker, I am afraid of what that might mean for Harley Quinn's appearance; will she also be a punk rocker? Of all the DC movies, I really want this one to be good! David Ayer has had some ups and downs with his films, but he has had several critical hits, and I hope this is one of them, because a movie about villains is exactly what I want to see. 

On a side note, this version of the Joker reminds me of Jake Martinez (picture below) from Tiger and Bunny (I highly recommend the series for superhero fans). From how he is portrayed in the series, Jake is a very Joker like to the point where he has an assistant that refers to him as "Mr. Jake," much like Harley and the Joker.

To a lesser degree, his small build and tattoos remind me of Jonny Lee Miller's take on Sherlock Holmes in Elementary (not that’s it s positive or negative thing).

What do you think of this new Joker? Please comment below and let me know, and do not forget to check out my Avengers Countdown post by clicking here.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.