The Suicide Squad

This movie is surprisingly fantastic. Much has been said about it so I want to just add my two cents about universe building in movies. From the very first scene, Suicide Squad made it clear what it was. You understand the world you are in and the rules in place, or lack there of. It then follows those defined rules throughout. Comic book movies can take many forms from gritty realism like Joker all the way to off the wall zany like we see here. As long as the movie follows it's own rules, viewers are willing to go wherever the director wants. What an absolute blast of a good time this one is.

In "The Suicide Squad," the action-packed sequel to "Suicide Squad," the thrill starts right from the beginning. Set in a lush jungle on a mysterious island, the movie immediately captivates the audience with its promising backdrop. The second installment outshines its predecessor in various ways, particularly in the realm of characters.

While Will Smith's performance in the first movie was rather commendable, Idris Elba takes the reins in part 2, displaying his immense talent and becoming the perfect leader for the squad's perilous missions. The addition of Peacemaker brings a refreshing dynamic to the team. Harley Quinn's character undergoes significant development, making her role even more delightful. Unlike the first movie, where some superheroes seemed out of place, each character in "The Suicide Squad" has a well-justified presence, contributing to a greater character arc.

Engagement and entertainment remain consistent throughout the film, with very few dull moments. The writers skillfully follow a classic approach, bringing the story full circle by ending with a scene that harks back to its origins. Among the diverse cast of superheroes, Bloodsport shines as one of the best, while ratcatcher 2 also impresses with her captivating performance.

While the script is engaging overall, there was one instance that seemed implausible even in a lighthearted context. A character's head is chopped off, the peculiar part was that his eyes continued to move. Although this added an element of dark humor, it might have stretched the bounds of believability even within the superhero genre.

In conclusion, "The Suicide Squad" surpasses its predecessor by delivering a gripping and action-packed adventure. With improved character development and a smart balance of humor and action, it keeps the audience entertained. Director James Gunn masterfully crafts a superhero spectacle that fans and newcomers alike thoroughly enjoy.

I am in two minds about this film.

On one hand, I really did enjoyed it well enough.

However, I'm in no rush to see it again and it was rather... dull... in places.

Not something I thought I'd ever say about a James Gunn movie.

The beginning is great fun, and I don't know where else they can take the Harley chatacter after this (other than maybe a prequel?), and there are plenty of funny moments with some great action beats.

It just felt a little... I don't know.

Maybe because Gunn was clearly let off the leash he didn't have to restrain himself and so moments that may have been handled with more care were allowed to simply explode?

There is a lot of blood and gore, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

As I said, I enjoyed it, and I will watch it again someday, I'm just in no big rush to revisit it.

A generous seven out of ten.

I've read the Suicide Squad and DC comics for a very long time, and all the low reviews with the 'restore the Snyderverse' hashtag can go away.

The first time I watched The Suicide Squad it was with a number of other people and I have to admit that I really didn't get much from it. It was just OKAY to me.

A couple of months later, my husband and I watched it and I really listened and paid attention, and I thought it was excellent - apart from the dumb / gratuitous harm to the birds (what the heck was that about, anyway?) and the ridiculous villainous "thing" (I won't say more in order to avoid a Spoiler tag). The 'twist' early on, and the comedic flow, especially between Elba and Cena, was fantastic.

The thing is, although I normally do not find many movies to be rewatchable, we just got through watching it (for me, a third time) with family, and if anything, I found it even funnier than the last time! My rating of 9, is for the times I laughed just today.

Remember when James Gunn was 'temporarily' fired by Marvel Studios and we were all disappointed by the decision? Well, it turns out that was a blessing in disguise when Warner Bros. Booked him for a slot of this movie and months later, he was reemployed by the giant-sized company for GOTG 3 and he just killed two heroes with one stone. 2021's The Suicide Squad is indeed, THE Suicide Squad that we all deserve!

The most outstanding thing about this latest squad is the way they blend and mix in everything into the recipe. It's like you're watching a bunch of genres; comedy, dark comedy, fantasy, action, thriller, drama, superhero, spoof and commentaries; political, social contexts, world revolving issues all together and yet, it tastes très bon! Often enough, movies that try to do everything together fail big time but not this one. This is a cinematic achievement.

James Gunn, who also directed Guardians of the Galaxy, knew that the Marvel/DC films have rehashed their materials multiple times; basic origin, romance, giving up, final battle. Hence, Gunn develops a non-formulaic approach that seems suicidal at first but triumphantly creates something unique and unpredictable. From the get-go, Gunn's vision is unconventional but polished, enough to make the audience feels they have never seen anything like it before.

Talking about unpredictability, it indeed is what it is. You never know what will come next, who will die or survive. There are a few times that Gunn uses the head fake technique to deceive viewers from its sequential but engaging storytelling. Like Deadpool, something unexpected happens at the moment when you least expect it.

The juxtaposition of both the 2016's and 2021's is evidently visible. While 2016 has its moments, almost everyone could agree it was disappointingly bland af. The 2021 entry has a strong direction and far better pacing, let alone twists that are fully captivating. The only couple of things that 2016 did it better were the trailers and the soundtrack.

The Rated-R is straight up hardcore to the face. It's superbly gory, darkly comical and unabashedly funny, all without pulling its punches. This is how DC films should be, not as dour as Zack Snyder's but not as light as Marvel's either.

When it comes to flaws, albeit its powerful opening scene, I feel that they waste many of the potential characters here insofar some of them never even got the chance to show their abilities, skills, talents or superpowers.

I am also not impressed by the intensity of the movie's brightness particularly on the background in some scorching white scenes. It defaces the texture of the film and should dazzle some viewers, left distorting of what could have been an iconic scene like the slo-mo segment.

All in all, 2021's The Suicide Squad makes for a suicidal task with flamboyantly sheer colourful characters that collectively sign up for one thing amidst this pandemic chaos; blasting out loud the volume of fun and violence, subsequently climbing to the top as the best DCEU Film ever made.