Suicide Squad, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Mr. J!

First, I saw this in 3D, second, I did not regret spending money to see this movie in a theater, third, I do wish it was better. Although the writer/director David Ayer avoids the problems of over-serious, unconnected moments and lack of character that plagued Batman v. Superman, there are other problems he fails to avoid such as padding the story or editing things the audience need not know or can figure out from context. The plot and pace can grate during the first half, but they throw in enough action and payoff in the second half to make up for a poor start. 

Graffiti-art poster--very cool!

Some of the backstory is unnecessary, but most of the flashbacks remain short, to the point, and have a direct impact on the characters and why they act the way they do in this story. Character-wise, these actors and writers swept me straight off the floor. Character marks the biggest and most important improvement from the prior DC outings. These villains experience a lot of genuine hardship and disappointment and end up saving the world as much for each other as for their own self-interest. The character development was my greatest concern coming into the idea of a movie all about established villains. 

A hero may not succeed or may fail to live up to their ideals and we crave to see them overcome their own doubt or weakness. Villains have already decided to let their struggle define them and have a set worldview of might makes right and that the world hates them, therefore they owe the hostile world nothing. Yet this film more than surpassed my expectation, leading to some genuine tears and excitement by the ending. They also blended practical and CG effects well, using their resources to great effect in the powers, sets, and fights. 

The Squad in all their dysfunctional glory!

This movie features a lot of hard rock and fun gangster music and it really fits with these not optimistic, very cynical, violent, and disturbed characters. I wish more of the music featured in the epic battles and that there could be more variety or simply less fights since the minions don't change significantly between the three battles with the squad. I also wish the movie skipped, or at least cut down, on the first half-hour to keep us present and empathetic with the squad. 

And everyone's favorite: Harley Quinn

This mostly bloodless action movie featuring supervillains discusses a lot of mature topics like prison, guilt, murder, and obsessive relationships, but also has a fun time with cliches, selfishness, insanity, and fight sequences. Overall, there are clumsy mistakes in the writing and editing, but the other three-quarters of the movie offers genuine character development, fun fight sequences, serious but subtle discussion, and supervillains destroying minions and pushing Rick Flagg's patience. I give myself bonus points for keeping this spoiler free, and I rank this movie 3.7 stars out of 5. If you liked Guardians of the Galaxy but wished it was more adult, this is the movie for you. It didn't blow me away, but I enjoyed the second half so much, it made up for the first half's problems. I also rank it that high because I really would love and enjoy a sequel.

Clyde Northrup

(Pragmus Omega)

Chief Editor and Co-founder