The Suicide Squad

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.

"I cherish peace with all my heart. I don't care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it."

The first thing that came to mind in the opening sequences of the film was wow there is a lot of gore, especially compared to the first film. I feel like the film makers took on criticism from the first movie and put improvements into this. To me, this was basically like an Avengers movie aimed at adults with violence, gore and swearing.

The film is filled with a great cast who all do a terrific job, especially Margot Robbie, I couldn't see anyone else doing the role of Harley Quinn. She is to Harley what Heath Ledger was to the joker. The movie is filled with funny one liners and never takes itself too seriously. I felt the first Suicide Squad was bordering too much pretty humour and seriousness and wasn't sure what it was. This reboot blends humour and seriousness perfectly. Some of the scenes between John Cena and Idris Elba were hilarious, as well as the lines from King Shark.

I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this to be honest based on the first film, but this delivers exactly what you would expect from a team of anti-heroes, it's funny, entertaining and aimed at a mature audience, and for me it's an 8/10.

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.

...but this has all the imperfections and grit I want in an ADULT superhero movie. As odd as this seems, I saw "Invincible" animation series, and this reminded me of an IRL version of that.

The comedy is actually funny and not cheesy or cringy, the superheroes outside of Cena don't all look roided to be powerful, and there's actually good acting.

Marvel is for kids, DC is for adults-hate it but if you're honest you'd agree.

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.