Title – The Suicide Squad (2021) 

Director – James Gunn (Slither) 

Cast – Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian (voice of) Sylvester Stallone 

Plot – Amanda Waller (Davis) enlists the services of prisoner Bloodsport (Elba) to lead a group of old and new Suicide Squad team members on a top secret mission to the island of Corto Maltese to stop a dangerous experiment from being set loose into the world.  

“Who’s Milton?”

Review by Eddie on 09/08/2021

If there was ever a man to bring a rag-tag group of miscreants and misfits to screen its director James Gunn. 

The man responsible for bringing The Guardians of the Galaxy into our world, Gunn has here with The Suicide Squad shown once more that when it comes to bringing to life eccentric and colorful characters in bizarre situations, there’s no better master of mayhem and dark humor than the spectacled filmmaker. 

Existing as if David Ayer’s 2016 film never saw the light of day (a film that isn’t what you’d call great but also a film that gets too much hate for what it is), Gunn’s Squad kicks things off with what will likely go down as one of 2021’s most memorable opening segments as a whole new set of bizarre anti-heros are introduced to us (special shout out to the Weazel who appears to have skipped his swimming lessons) in what is a tone setting beginning that showcases to us very quickly that this blood-filled and darkly humorous tale is going to be a very wild ride indeed. 

Armed with a big bag of tricks that he constantly dips into throughout the films two hour plus run-time, Gunn barely allows Squad to pause for a breath as he messes with timelines, keeps the action coming thick and fast and ensures characters are well and truly disposable, keeping us guessing when it comes to who’s going to survive this Amanda Waller organized mission to the island of Corto Maltese to stop a very dangerous scientific experiment from getting loose after a political upheaval engulfs the country. 

There’s nothing worth too much of a note when it comes to the story or set-up here, as Squad follows a very crazed Dirty Dozen still plot that fly’s of its bunch of characters such as Idris Elba’s stoic Bloodsport, Margot Robbie’s rocket launcher wielding Harley Quinn, John Cena’s tighty-whitey sporting Peacemaker and scene stealers David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man (his visions are things of nightmares) and the Sylvester Stallone voiced King Shark, making it a by the numbers narrative that is infused with such a kinetic sense of energy and playfulness that you can’t help but enjoy what is going on around. 

With some utterly entertaining set-pieces, a brilliant kill-off between Peacemaker and Bloodsport is going to be a fan favorite and some great running jokes or sight gags (here’s looking at you Milton) Squad also does a great job at avoiding the pitfalls of many modern day comic book features with things feeling fresh and fun throughout most of its screen time right up until the unfortunately long in the tooth finale takes hold and won’t let go. 

The films most glaring flaw, Squad does such a great job of keeping things tight and focused but come the final 30-40 minute final stand, Squad starts getting a little wearisome with an end battle against a very unique enemy that drags on for too long. There are still great moments here but you feel like if you were rating Squad in a curve scenario, there would be a very noticeable dip prevalent once our wild bunch reach their final destination. 

Final Say – 

Not at all too be taken seriously, The Suicide Squad is the closest thing we’d get to a mature rated Guardians of the Galaxy as James Gunn leads a group of unique souls across a familiar journey that becomes one of the DC universe’s greatest cinematic pleasures. 

4 detached arms out of 5