Suicide Squad (2016)

 

I have been waiting a long time for this movie. It has been heavily covered from all angles for almost a year now online and I see it all so I think I can't be surprised anymore. But I am fascinated by the final product. It's not as bad as everyone says it is. The characters are well developed and the action is terrific. It's a decent comic book movie that kept me interested throughout. I almost want to watch it again.

Jared Leto's Joker is pretty good for a psycho and I think it was a smart choice to not make the movie all about him. A little of Leto goes a long way. His part though is a nice separate story arc that really keeps the story interesting when it might be lagging. A bad day just got infinitely worse for the Suicide Squad with the involvement of the Joker. Each appearance the Joker makes also come with a different outfit for Leto. I liked that part. This Joker is kinda a dandy and not the mess that Heath Ledger's Joker always was. It's a subtle thing but a crucial distinction from the other Jokers we have seen. I thought he would be over the top like a Jim Carry version of the Joker but Leto was restrained in his portrayal if that makes any sense. He doesn't dominate the movie but is crucial to it.

 

Margot Robbie is the live action personification of Harley Quinn that we have all been waiting for and took the full retard approach to the character which is the only way you can play Harley and it all worked. I love her, am charmed by her but don't trust her for a second. I could watch an entire Harley movie with her in it. I wish they gave awards for this kind of pop cultural performance because she deserves it.

The Batman part is small but well done. Again, you can overuse the Bat but the movie resists that urge as well. Some will see this as holding back but there are a lot of moving parts in a movie like this and decisions have to be made. I believe the right ones were done for the story they were allowed to tell by the Studio and DC. This movie makes me even madder at Batman V Superman for being such a massive missed opportunity and a steaming pile of dog crap.

 

I have mentioned many times that I love the character of Amanda Waller. She is not a super powered being but she has a gift for manipulation and is not afraid to send others to do her wet work without guilt or conscious. She also has balls the size of church bells. Viola Davis does a great job as the evil Waller.

 

I know the critique of this film has been poor but in this case the movie is a lot better than you have been lead to believe. It's Will Smith playing Will Smith but aside from that I had a lot of fun at this one. DC finally made a good superhero film - a good GROUP superhero film. That was something I thought only Marvel was good at. The characters have some nice bonding moments and there is heroic sacrifice aplenty going on amongst all the bad.

 

 

I do hate the main villain. I thought it would be parademons they would be fighting from Apocalyse and they have to shut down a Boom Tube to prevent the invasion force from Darkseid who should then be the main villain in the Justice League movie. THAT would make sense. Here the villain is a bit goofy as are her minions which reminded me more of the puddies from Power Rangers. They are only there to be mindless cannon fodder and for our 'heroes' to fight. Without them there is no action but I wish they had been something more inventive. They were also very dark and in the darkened set they are virtually invisible until they are flopping all about as they are killed. A little of those scenes go a long way as well. I preferred the individual victories and smaller moments when we learn more about these characters. Sure they do bad things but they are essentially almost decent people who will do the right thing given the right circumstances. I believed in their redemptive moments and that is a big plus for the film. It's fun to see the bad guys do some good for once.

 

 

Once you accept the corny villain in this one and her bad, hammy over acting - by my hated Cara Delevingne, you kinda go with it.

 

I hope it makes Margot Robbie a superstar. Her performance is really terrific. Often she is the equal if not the better of the Joker. Now THERE is a Bonnie and Clyde like film for me. But again. Leto is best when he is underused. Director David Ayers made the right choice with that.

 



Personally I feel most sorry for Adam Beach as Slipknot (The Man Who Can Climb Anything - sigh - so stupid), a good local Canadian boy who gets his chance at a major blockbuster only to die doing what he liked to do the best. Not great for him but his death did make an important plot point believable to he had to go. Poor guy won't even get an action figure.