Suicide Squad Movie Review

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The Trailer:

The Good:
As you'll probably notice, this movie has a unique style and delivery. The music soundtrack was really good, and there was a dynamic use of colors to really clash with the movie's already dark atmosphere. There was more than enough action to keep you engaged. What I was actually impressed with was how the movie was able to juggle both humorous moments and still have individual dramatic scenes that connected you with the characters.

The strongest highlight of Suicide Squad is the ensemble of its characters and cast. Before I go into the individual characters, I personally believe that no one character really stole the show. The majority of the characters were introduced very well, and each had their moment to shine in their own right.

Will Smith (as "DeadShot") was almost too conveniently cast for this role. It was a walk in the park for him to convey the "bad guy with a good heart" type of character. (I swear he must love any role that will allow him to get teary-eyed.)

Margot Robbie (as Harley Quinn) was quite enjoyable. They didn't shy away from using her sex appeal, but at the same time giving a more personal look into her character. Her character was probably one of the more interesting ones given the fact that she had so many different factors to work with. She was funny, personable, loving, psychotic, and dangerous all at the same time.

Viola Davis ("Amanda Waller" ) was just perfect. Dare I say, she was almost more terrifying than the Joker himself. (I'll get to him next) If you're familiar with Waller's character from the animated cartoons or comics, you know she's a no nonsense type of individual. Davis captured every ounce of that character with her great performance.

Let's talk about Jared Leto. Yes, he's in "The Good" for a few reasons. Rather than trying to be Heath Ledger's upgraded version of the Joker, Leto managed to make his own version of Joker. Rather than being the anarchist he was more of a kingpin mobster. As I said earlier, no one character overtook the movie. In my opinion, the Joker was no exception. He was a "safe" crazy Joker. Rather than that being a negative, the biggest reason why his Joker works is because his Joker fits this specific movie alone. (He's not winning any Oscars though for this.)

The Bad:
In an effort to be more fun like Marvel movies, this film ended up doing exactly what I feared. There were just a few too many jokes or references that felt forced and unnecessary. (ie: Phil Jackson)  The inclusion or continuation of some of the one-liners felt like deleted scenes that were left in as a knee jerk reaction to all the criticism Batman V Superman received for being too dark. Seriously though, I don't think I can take another reference such "We're the bad guys".

I'm not sure what exactly went wrong, but this movie felt like it was going in two different directions. The first half of the movie was great. The characters were developing with intriguing introductions, and need for the team was well established. Then the second half of the movie felt like director David Ayer took a seat and Zack Snyder stepped in. -_-

The movie veers from being a nice grounded film, to being...well....the Ghostbusters splashed with the Mummy. There's just this turning point in the movie where you'll probably be thinking "What the hell is going on?", or "How did we get here?" This ultimately makes the plot feel awkward and misplaced. It of course doesn't help that there are flash backs that may add to some of the confusion as well.

My last issue was the really bad CGI. You'll know it when you see it, but the CGI in with certain characters reminded me of the horrible CGI in the Scorpion King. (Yeah, that movie from 14 years ago)

The Reason:
This was an entertaining movie that just so happened to have some noticeable flaws.  First half of the movie was fun and energetic (almost like Deadpool), while the second half went almost full Batman V Superman. I may be completely off, but I have to blame Zack Snyder for this. He was the executive producer for this film, and while he may not have directed the film, his overall vision has confined this movie from standing on its own. In other words, because of all the stuff Snyder has set into motion, Suicide Squad had little to no choice to follow suit. (Which is a sad case for a movie that had all the right pieces.)

I almost was a victim of "fanlexia". (Here's the definition) I refuse to get caught up in the over exaggerated, negative hype that other reviews are putting out about this movie. Movies are only "trash" when they have no redeeming qualities. This movie had some solid pro's. It just depends on how forgiving you'll be with its con's. If other reviews or word of mouth are scaring you off, then I'd suggest watching this at least for a discounted matinee rate at your local theater. Be sure to stay until the very end for an end credit scene as well.

The Rating: 6.5/10

My [Loosely based] Ratings scale
10-9 = A Must watch at any cost. 
8.5- 7.5 = Theater worthy 
7-6.5 = Matinee/rental worthy at best
6 = Watchable (If it's free)
5 - below = Avoid at all costs

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