For comic book fans and super hero fans alike, there has been such hype generated for this movie in the years since it was announced. But when the movie finally came out, it did not receive the kindest reviews from movie critics. That does not seem to have stopped us fans from flocking to the theaters to see it. Like most fans, I did my best to not let the negative views affect my desire to see this movie and I was still very excited for it’s debut. After seeing it, I can say that the hate it received was not deserved. I want to express what I liked and didn’t like about the movie without giving anything away.
Overall, I very much enjoyed the movie and do recommend comic book and super hero fans to see it and share their own thoughts (please share opinions in the comments section below, but keep this review spoiler free for now). Suicide Squad didn’t have that same feeling as many other super hero movies: organize super heroes together and have them save the day. The big difference is that the main characters are not heroes, they are villains being recruited to try to do some good.
These villainous characters are the main stars here and they deliver a fun experience. A character is only as good as the actor who is playing them, and lucky for us, we have a really good cast. The Joker, played by Jared Leto, is always an interesting character. The Joker has been played in the past by some very talented actors (Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Mark Hamill) which would seem to leave some big clown shoes to fill. Each actor has played the Joker with a touch of their own flair and Leto definitely adds his touch. He tiptoes down the line of perfect insanity and being too over the top but manages to stay perfectly insane. Margot Robbie does an unbelievable job as Harley Quinn. She absolutely nails the character from dramatic, wild-eye facial expressions to wacky speech to the physical appearance of someone committed. She steals the show and is supremely entertaining to watch with her insanity and spouts of comic relief. I also thought Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag and Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang turned in very strong performances as well.
The action sequences were well done. They did not have that shaky camera work that Marvel seems to love in their films. The plot does follow a pretty standard formula for a hero movie but it is serviceable. While I did enjoy the movie and thought it was an overall positive experience, it is not a perfect movie. There are some drawbacks that I will briefly go over without ruining any of the movie. It is not an overly long movie at 2 hours 3 minutes however it seemed to drag on. As much as I loved certain characters, there are plenty of characters that were weak and forgettable. I don’t want to say which ones at this point so I’ll let you decide that on your own.
I do look forward to the DVD/BluRay release with what I hope will be an unrated/rated R director’s cut. In the meantime we have this version which delivers quality action, some laughs, and manages to exceed the critic reviews.
This movie earned 2 1/2 Apologies.
-Movie Apologist