Title: Suicide Squad (2016)
Director: David Ayer (Sabotage)
Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnamon, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Cara Delevinge, Jared Leto, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Adam Beach, Karen Fukuhara
Plot: As the rise of the meta-human threat increases, US intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Davis) assembles some of the worlds most dangerously talented criminals to join a “Suicide Squad” and fight evil with evil whether they like it or not.
“What if Superman had decided to fly down, rip off the roof of the White House, and grab the president right out of the Oval Office. Who would’a stopped him?”
Review by Eddie on 3/08/2016
Click here for Jordan’s review
Disclaimer – this is a spoiler free review
After a solid 12 months of some fairly loud hype, the “worst heroes ever” have finally been unleashed on the anticipating world in a film that in many ways will make or break DC comics plans for blockbuster domination and while David Ayer’s much talked about film is not able to live up to all the expectations it has been fairly or unfairly burdened with, it’s unquestionable that Suicide Squad is a silly and often deliriously fun thrill ride that will likely have popcorn munching audiences clambering for more.
Filled with an array of colourful characters (debatably to many so) and tasked with combining them all together to make a cohesive and structured whole, End of Watch and Fury helmer Ayer struggles with the balancing act in the films opening stand and there’s undoubtable teething issues for the film as it try’s to introduce us to each member of this new fan-dangled squad of evil doers.
The film bares scars of the reshoots and likely studio led editing suite meddling that went on behind the scenes and a raft of the squad’s players get short shift and the films plot line barely has time to breathe before we are all of a sudden thrust into yet another big bad trying to destroy the world as we know it, which isn’t fantastic as the films central threat and narrative drive isn’t all that much chop and feels as though it may’ve suffered from the creative teams soundtrack shortlisting work rather than story polishing.
These shortcomings however are quickly mostly forgotten about as the rag tag group of antiheroes begin to get their individual moments to shine as their mission takes hold and while as expected the film is mostly the Margot Robbie and Will Smith show there’s ample joys to be found outside of Harley Quinn (and her uncomfortable looking hot pants) and Deadshot (laboured with one atrociously cheesy flashback sequence) with supports like Jai Courtney’s Aussie larrikin Boomerang, Jay Hernandez’s fiery Diablo and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s grizzled Killer Croc. The film could’ve almost doubled these side players on screen time without question, although with Smith and Robbie on such winning form it’s easy to see why the film always reverts back to these key players.
Suicide Squad’s other participants all have varying degrees of success and shortcomings and in one case an hilariously short screen time.
Viola Davis’s cold and calculated government agent Amanda Waller is someone not to be messed with, while Cara Delevingne proves once more she’s a model with great acting potential. It’s perhaps surprising then that personally I found Jared Leto’s Joker the most curiously hard turn to judge and taking the Heath Ledger factor entirely out of the equation, Leto’s 10 to 15 minutes worth of screen time (those expecting the Joker show may be disappointed) as the crazed clown is a performance that will be interesting to see judged once the movie going public has had time to contemplate it, but overall it does feel like the films largest disappointment when it comes to hype verse delivery.
It’s not that Leto is bad perse, but there’s something just not quite right about his grilled up incarnation of the beloved comic book figure although it could be argued that his vision of the killer clown is being harnessed and moulded for more of what’s sure to come.
Not a cinematic masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination and sometimes a frustratingly inert experience that was in need of a much better plot, big bad and perhaps even more memorable action ticks and pure spectacle, Suicide Squad will be lapped up by audiences around the world and should keep a large portion of its established fan base happy, as there’s little denying the films fun factor when our crazy group of antiheroes take centre stage with the cast playing them is clearly having the time of their lives.
The worst heroes ever therefore make for some far from boring guilty pleasure good times.
3 1/2 downed chopper’s out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
Reblogged this on film critic online.
Hi Eddie – long time, no chat! I kinda thought this would be the result, and your review has confirmed everything. DC do seem to be getting it wrong each time in the plot department, and live action villains have always been a problem for them (even Michael Shannon as Zod). Not sure if I’ll rush to see it now…
Hey Dull great to hear from you! I cant deny I was a little disappointed with this film but it does largely stem from the pretty weak plot. It is fun, but it couldve been a lot more.
E
I thought this film would be okay, and that’s what it’s turning out to be. Might watch it. Might.
Reuben
Its not a must watch mate thats for sure, just throwaway fun.
E
Good review, Eddie. Like many, I was hoping that this movie would be incredible awesome, but it looks like it wasn’t meant to be. Then again, I’m more of Marvel fan than DC. Was Robbie good in it?
I was hoping for awesome to buddy! Its not the film we all expected i believe. Robbie was great mate. Her and smith were clear mvps but they had the most to do.
E
Ah, I’m not a fan of Jared Leto’s Joker either, from what I have seen so far. I was rather hoping this would be a success, so that DC may finally take a shot at a live-action Justice League Dark. But the mixed reviews don’t spell well!
I get the feeling we haven’t seen the worst of the reviews yet either Jade. It is one mass audiences will lap up but there will be some very loud haters for a film that does have some pretty glaring flaws.
E
Pingback: Looking for some Suicide Squad review? – cornucopiaofthoughts·
Sounds disappointing but I’ll still likely give it a go. I’m a Marvel guy but I do want to see DC succeed with their own brand of super hero movies. They keep getting some really crucial things wrong.
That’s it action its kind of like they just don’t have a handle on the basics, they wont have many more chances to get it right!
E
Pingback: Film Review – Suicide Squad (2016): Jordan’s Take | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Really enjoyed this review! I was so close to giving it 3 1/2 stars but maybe my lack of DC/film knowledge lead me to give it 4. I think I gave Leto the benefit of the doubt on his Joker too although I think they oversold the ‘mafia’ style of him, sometimes it felt a bit forced but I think he did a good job with what he was given, it’s hard when you’re being compared to other versions and the Joker is such a huge character too! Maybe more screen time would have made him a bit easier to adjust to?
It’s really nice to read a proper review about the film and see how it’s done. Definitely keeping an eye on you boys to take some tips on how to write them a bit better.
Keep up the good work, it’s really enjoyable!
-Fern
Thanks Fern, we look forward to having you along for the ride! Feel free to drop us a line at any time.
J and E
Hi there, first time commenter (or is it spelt commetor?), whatever, anyways great review, I liked how your review covered a lot in a condensed manner. It is just crazy how many different opinions I’ve seen in regards to this film with some that love it, hate it, or some that just like it or are somewhere in the middle. I think I may have to watch it again to make a better judgement to see if I’ve missed something certain fans are going on about or if my ambivalence will shift.
I do feel I was pretty kind to this film buddy but I to look forward to catching it again to make a better call on it.
E
Pingback: Opinion Piece – 2016: The Year of the Dud Blockbuster | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Good review. I saw the film on the weekend, gave it * * * on my blog. It was a lot better than Batman vs. Superman. Only one little bit of hype for the upcoming Justice League film: the cameo by the Flash. This film was much more even and fun. It helped that it didn’t have the OP Superman in it. Sadly, I see that he is in the cast of characters for Justice League, which means that the villain must either have kryptonite, be a Kryptonian, or be Bizzaro. But wait, the three Superman reboots have already used all those plots. Can they possibly create a new plot for Superman? I’m betting its just going to be kryptonite again.
Superman certainly does need something a little new to make it work!
E
Pingback: Film Review – Doctor Strange (2016) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Best and Worst of 2016: Eddie’s Take | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: The Movie Guys – 2017 Oscar Predictions | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Bright (2017) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: 5 Actors That Need a Hit | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Aquaman (2018) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: The Best & Worst of 2020 | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – The Suicide Squad (2021) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Black Adam (2022) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Pingback: Film Review – Violent Night (2022) | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·