Suicide Squad (2016)
Starring: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnaman
Directed by: David Ayer
Written by: David Ayer
Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 2 hr. 3 min
Two Cents:
So structurally, this is a disaster. A blitz of introductions sprinkled throughout the film, intertwined with an end of the world plot, and two smaller subplots connected to the film’s two best characters, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Deadshot (Will Smith). This film is like a freshly stocked gumball machine with a large stick of dynamite taped to it. It’s a colorful collection of jokes, characters and music, that sometimes can be appreciated separately, but as a whole, quickly become a sickly overly saturated mess.
I was, however, entertained somehow.
Despite its many flaws, I always found myself reconnecting with the film every time Harley Quinn or Deadshot were in a scene. Jared Leto’s, Joker, was also a highlight for me, though he doesn’t get nearly enough screen time to develop into something more interesting. These three characters get the most (and that’s not saying much) development and the best dialogue, which unfortunately means the rest of the squad get very little to do.
As a bumbling colorful diversion with a fun soundtrack, Suicide Squad isn’t a complete waste of time, but there’s also nothing especially clever about director David Ayer’s kitchen sink approach to telling this story. Just like Dawn of Justice earlier this year, this film feels more like a warmup for the Justice League franchise, rather than a concerted attempt to use the rich source material and tell a compelling story.
Movie Prep:
If you’re a fan of these characters, then I expect you’ll enjoy this film. This is a collection of great character moments set to a decent soundtrack, just don’t expect much of a story.
Best Element:
Margot Robbie and Will Smith are what made this film watchable for me.
