by Sure, Suicide Squad (2016) is not considered horror, but they can’t all be, right?
So let me start this by saying I haven’t read the comics. Neither The Husband nor myself are comic book fans (anymore), but we are decently versed on the superhero mythos. We know the difference between DC and Marvel (ok, that’s mostly due to our 8 year old, but whatevs) and I’m a huge Harley Quinn fan. (If you ask nicely, I’ll even do the voice)
So, when we heard all the rumblings about Suicide Squad (2016) start up months ago, we were psyched. Or, I was – I can’t speak for The Husband. When I heard who was playing The Joker, I was less psyched. Now, Jared Leto is a talented individual, but The Joker requires a certain… what’s the word I’m looking for here? Panache? No, maybe outlandishness is the right word, and Leto has always seemed pretty low key to me. I wasn’t quite sold on Margot Robbie either, though admittedly, I hadn’t seen her in much. To be honest, it was the voice that threw me.
The other characters, I was less familiar with. Even Will Smith’s character. But who cares. I like Will Smith, and if you don’t, keep it to yourself!
I heard all about Leto’s on-set antics, his method acting, and that seemed to reinforce my original opinion – could he carry of The Joker? And then the reviews came out.
Now, let me backtrack. The Husband and I took Son Four to see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice for his 12th birthday. Let me remind you guys that I go into movies with NO expectations, therefore I am rarely disappointed. Now, back to BvS, I enjoyed it. I was touched when Superman spoke to his lady love. (You people know what I’m talking about.) And Ben Affleck worked for me as Batman, but then I’m not a huge Batman fan. Wonder Woman rocked, and in the end, we all left the theater satisfied. But many critics weren’t satisfied, and we saw the same sort of chatter with Suicide Squad. Son Number Two took our youngest to see it on opening weekend. Our youngest liked it, and happily told me all about it. Our older son said it was just ok.
So, this Saturday The Husband and I ventured out to our local theater to take a gander at it, and you know what? I dug it.
I’d heard from a number of people that the storyline was pretty convoluted. It wasn’t. I heard from a number of people that Will Smith and Robbie were both great. They were. I heard that the “Villain” was a tad underwhelming. He/she/it kinda was.
But overall, it was a fun way to spend two hours on a warm Saturday night.
So the gist of it is – and I’m not going to give away too much here – Amanda Waller (played by the amazingly intimidating Viola Davis) decides that the next Superman might not share our values, and putting together a squad of the worst of the bad might not be such a bad thing. So, she recruits:
The Suicide Squad
Deadshot: Will Smith back in top form. He was a blast as this character. A tired, beaten down gun for hire. The best of the best. And yet his top priority is his daughter.
Harley Quinn: Margot Robbie was great as the demented doctor. And I gotta say, The Husband was right on – she swung that bat like a champ.
Killer Croc: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is an attractive man, but you wouldn’t know it under all that makeup. I don’t know much on the backstory about this character, but I enjoyed what little his character had to do.
Captain Boomerang: Jai Courtney isn’t usually someone that inspires me with his acting skills, but his hard drinking thief with no conscience was good for a few laughs here.
Diablo: The likeable Jay Hernandez is hidden under heavy ink, but aside from Smith and Waller, this was my favorite character. Diablo truly has a heartbreaking backstory, and there was a palpable sadness that Hernandez brought to the screen, but when he let his freak flag fly, HOLY SHIT! Best get out of the way.
The Enchantress: Played by the almost too young looking Cara Delevingne, this was another intriguing character. Dr. June Moone becomes possessed by a VERY old witch. And truth be told, I wasn’t that interested in Moone – her character came off as whiny and needy. But Enchantress… WHOA NELLY!
Katana: I am not that familiar with Karen Fukuhara, but I liked this character as well. A kick ass gal with – you guessed it – a katana that holds the souls of its victims. Heartbroken over the loss of her husband, for some reason she decides she has Rick Flag’s back.
Rick Flag: Or Robocop. Supposedly Joel Kinnaman is the best special forces soldier the US has ever seen. And yet, he falls prey to Waller’s scheme. Get him to fall in love with the rather dull Dr. Moone, who is also the Enchantress, who Waller has on speed dial. And yep, it all works out, and yep, Flag is Waller’s lackey.
Slipknot: Now, I like Adam Beach. And Slipknot had a sort of grimy dirtiness to him, but his lack of backstory was a bit confusing, but alas… well, see the movie.
Back to it… Waller sells some people with a whole lot of medal on their chests on her idea – the Suicide Squad. And hey, if they screw up, just throw them under the bus. A way to control them is devised, and then the poo hits the fan.
To be honest, this was the Deadshot and Harley Quinn show, but I was ok with that. Their characters were interesting, and I liked the chemistry Smith and Robbie brought to the screen. Perhaps because I am not familiar with all the ins and outs of SS and only have a general idea of that group, some of the inconsistencies didn’t bother me the way they bothered true fans.
I came out of the theater thinking this movie was a fun set-up for DC’s big movies – Wonder Woman and Justice League (which look AWESOME!). And you know what? It did its job.
Sure, there were some plot holes, the biggest is how the hell does Waller manage to NEVER look dirty or beat up with all the shit she goes through? I mean not a hair out of place, not a smudge anywhere. I’m still confounded dagnabbit!
Yes, the villain was a tad underwhelming. Oh, and Flag was a bit… whiny?… for me. Yet I had a good time getting to that final battle. Did I mention how badass Diablo was?
And, sure, it was fun watching Scott Eastwood pop up. But again, I have to say it… this was the Will Smith show. YES! Independence Day is still one of my favorite flicks. Men In Black, Ali, I Am Legend – the man has been in some FUN movies, and it was nice to see him back to form here.
I mean, this is a summer movie. I expect loud, colorful and lots of punches thrown, and that’s what I got. Smith looks a bit older, and that works here. He looks a bit rough around the edges, which also works here. But duh! Will is good at what he does. Getting us to crack a smile while he kicks some ass.
Robbie was a surprise, as I was prepared to dislike her take on Harley Quinn, but she gave it her all, and seemed to have fun – and that’s what I wanted. Leto got less screen time than many thought he would get. And now, a few days later, I can say I didn’t hate his take on Batman’s nemesis as much as I thought I would. On the other hand, I wasn’t overly impressed either. But, for me, Viola Davis and Jay Hernandez stole a bit of Smith’s and Robbie’s thunder. Davis was cruel and cold, and she looked like she had a blast doing it. Hernandez was a destroyed man, looking for redemption, and you just hoped he would find it (NOT going to give it away.).
I do think The Husband had less fun than I did, but then again I am more easily impressed than he is.
I give this Four Harley Bat Beatings out of Five.
