Run time: 123 mins       Certificate: 12A
Director: David Ayer
Cast: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie.
Release Date: August 5, 2016.

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Suicide Plod

Many were pinning their hopes on Suicide Squad to prove the DC cinematic universes worth after the less than stellar Batman V Superman, and it had a lot going for it. Tackling a group of lesser bad guys with both writing and directing credits meant that David Ayer could let loose and have fun with the concept, something the trailers seemed to be confirming with their devil may care vibe. The end result however is a confusingly edited slog; hints of what once may have been a far better film sometimes shine through but in its gutted state Suicide Squad is an astoundingly tepid affair. For all its touting of ‘worst heroes ever’ the Suicide Squad are in fact just like any other group of uninspiring heroes, and its a fact that works against the very concept of the film from the moment they’re forced together. Say what you want about BvS, but at least it had ambition.

Despite the overall result its clear David Ayer is a good match for the Squad. His grittier repertoire of films makes him right at home when dealing with the criminal elements of the film, in particular the handful of Joker scenes we’re treated to that play heavily on the characters hard to swallow yet provocative gangster angle. Its an area he’s clearly at home in as its as ‘real’ as the film gets, albeit with a maniacal clown at the forefront, and he manages to keep the realism raw without ever losing the comic book vibrancy of the characters. This storyline is only part of what makes up the film though, and is an element that is largely ignored in its second half in favour of a far duller supernatural crisis.

Once the team is assembled proceedings should have shifted up a gear after its numerous introductory flashbacks (how these couldn’t be spaced out throughout the film is beyond me) but rather it slips into neutral, happily coasting on uninspired battles with mindless mobs and smatterings of forced character development in between. The worst act our supposed bad guys commit is some looting, beyond that they all get on relatively well and fall in line when the day needs saving for no reason other than they have little else to do. Some of the editing only exacerbates the by the books script, with one example in particular having a member of the squad decide to leave in one scene and magically reappear in the next with no reason for returning whatsoever. The final cut seems to be set on dropping the more interesting sub stories in favour of paving the way for the uninspired finale, a trend DC needs to grow out of if wants to present more accomplished stand alone films, let alone coherent ones.

Not all is lost however, as many of the individual elements that make up the disappointing whole are very well done. Kate Hawley’s costume design deserves special mention as each of the characters get ups are bespoke but fitting of the grittier universe they inhabit. Roman Vasyanov also brings his claustrophobic flare from End of Watch in his cinematography here, shooting the more intense scenes deftly whilst also managing to present wider shots fitting of some iconic comic panels when needed. The haphazard soundtrack is both hit and miss in its unashamed attempt to coin in on Guardians of the Galaxy mix tape approach, with some scenes working well and others like Harley Quinns elevator ride set to K7’s ‘Come Baby Come’ coming across as gratingly forced.

The cast do impress across the board even if they often find themselves working against the script. Will Smith’s Deadshot is frankly what you’d expect from a Will Smith role as he brings his endearing charm and comedic delivery to each and every one of his scenes and hopefully cements himself for a future appearance in the DC line up. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is every bit as dastardly yet appealing as hoped, even though the film often struggles to justify her role in the team. Viola Davis again nails the character of Amanda Waller despite the films numerous attempts to undermine her no no-nonsense appeal, her cold calculative demeanor often being questioned by some of her dumb founded decisions. The other stand out is easily Jay Hernandez’s Diablo who brings a tangible sensitivity to the repentant mass murderer throughout without ever losing the characters edge, his pivotal scene of back story being one of the few that genuinely hit their mark.

The rest of the ensemble cast all fill out their roles well, with Jai Courtney’s Boomerang being surprisingly likeable, its just a shame that they’re given too few a moments to make their own. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc for instance barely says a word, and not in a good way à la Groot or Chewbacca either. Ben Affleck returns as the caped crusader for all too briefer time, but he again commands the role both in and out of the suit. Last but far from least in terms of anticipation had to be Jared Leto’s new take on the Joker, and frankly given his relatively small screen time its still hard to judge. As polarising as his appearance may be, it did seem as if he was trying something new in each of his scenes complete with costume changes, and for every eye rolling laugh through a tattoo there was a visually striking dive into Ace chemicals. Leto certainly won’t win anyone over with his performance, but he may certainly make an impression down the line given more of a chance.

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Verdict

The Suicide Squad had it all; a fitting director, a stellar cast and a unique concept. While it may have been understandable if it failed to accomplish all it set out to do like its grander predecessor what’s even more disappointing is that it never even tries. Instead our group of bad guys save the world from a cookie cutter threat whilst not acting all that differently from an average bunch of super heroes, and even then the result is muddled after editing. In playing it safe Suicide Squad loses the very essence of what could have made it great, here’s hoping its individual achievements survive to see a better film.

Hits

+ Great all round cast, particularly Smith, Robbie and Davis
+ Ayers right at home in the Jokers gangster centric scenes

Misses

– Being bad guys they aren’t all that bad
– Lacks momentum or any sense of urgency
– Heavy handed editing is nonsensical in places
– Bland villain and plot drags down the Squad
– Not all of the cast are given time to impress

Overall Rating