The Suicide Squad
Discussion
Night and day better than it’s predecessor. I quite enjoyed Justice League but this is likely the best DC film to date. Certainly more enjoyable and less plodding and predictable than Black Widow. For me the Marvel TV output post Netflix Daredevil has all been a failure. Perhaps DC can turn a corner now?
I didn't see the first. This was okay.
There isn't much to Harley Quin really, and there are a lot of other characters so they are all a bit thin. There's even a joke on this within the film. There's some light humour, some jumping back and forth between character threads, some out of order story telling. Mostly it's action, action, action. Interesting that the basic plot is covering up US govt misdeeds, but otherwise no huge surprises. 7/10
There isn't much to Harley Quin really, and there are a lot of other characters so they are all a bit thin. There's even a joke on this within the film. There's some light humour, some jumping back and forth between character threads, some out of order story telling. Mostly it's action, action, action. Interesting that the basic plot is covering up US govt misdeeds, but otherwise no huge surprises. 7/10
It’s a sequel in that some of the previous cast return. It sags in a couple of places and without spoilers, they spend too long with HQ and a minor storyline possessed of some inappropriate dialogue (referring to someone’s genitals as a beautiful monster!!)
But considering how poor the previous HQ film was coupled with the turgid WW84, this is superior. Prefer Zacks JL though.
But considering how poor the previous HQ film was coupled with the turgid WW84, this is superior. Prefer Zacks JL though.
I thought it was utterly fantastic and I'm not normally a fan of these kinds of films.
Lots of proper laughs and it pulls you right in.
The characters (those that make it to the end, anyway!) even have proper identities and relationships that build through the film.
The only possible criticism I can offer is that the third act was a little bit "Dr. Who but with a bigger budget" - other than that, strongly recommended.
Lots of proper laughs and it pulls you right in.
The characters (those that make it to the end, anyway!) even have proper identities and relationships that build through the film.
The only possible criticism I can offer is that the third act was a little bit "Dr. Who but with a bigger budget" - other than that, strongly recommended.
Meh - 4/10 - Other than the female Rat Catcher who seemed to have virtually all the character growth in the film, the rest just felt lifeless and worn-out already.
Idris should have played a completely different character rather than just being discount Deadshot (literally the same backstory), Margot's Harley is the same irrespective of the film she's in, Cena is just playing Cena with so Homelander from The Boys, The Shark is a waste of everyone's time and the polka-dot guy, who could have been a really well fleshed out character with an interesting backstory, gets about 1 minute to tell his story and gets sidelined for most of the film.
Everything felt lazy and laboured when I watched it, the jokes rarely landed with my cinema (only 20-ish folks at an 8pm Fri night showing - ouch!) staying quiet for the vast majority, the CGI was mostly OK at best, the story was generally "back of a fag packet" lazy with the few "twists" visible from space, the direction generally was chaotic with a "Guy Richie-esque" back and forth time line proving to be something Gunn can't do very well.
On the plus side however there were a few good moments wrapped into the film too - Harleys escape whilst flowers erupt around her was visually fantastic, the start scene was a nice little subversion, even if it wasted Michael Rooker and Nathan Fillion etc, and the almost Predator-like "clearing the jungle camp of rebels" which became a "who can have the best kill" between Elba and Cena was fun with a good pay-off.
However those few moments just, for me at least, weren't enough to bring it any higher than a 4/10.
Idris should have played a completely different character rather than just being discount Deadshot (literally the same backstory), Margot's Harley is the same irrespective of the film she's in, Cena is just playing Cena with so Homelander from The Boys, The Shark is a waste of everyone's time and the polka-dot guy, who could have been a really well fleshed out character with an interesting backstory, gets about 1 minute to tell his story and gets sidelined for most of the film.
Everything felt lazy and laboured when I watched it, the jokes rarely landed with my cinema (only 20-ish folks at an 8pm Fri night showing - ouch!) staying quiet for the vast majority, the CGI was mostly OK at best, the story was generally "back of a fag packet" lazy with the few "twists" visible from space, the direction generally was chaotic with a "Guy Richie-esque" back and forth time line proving to be something Gunn can't do very well.
On the plus side however there were a few good moments wrapped into the film too - Harleys escape whilst flowers erupt around her was visually fantastic, the start scene was a nice little subversion, even if it wasted Michael Rooker and Nathan Fillion etc, and the almost Predator-like "clearing the jungle camp of rebels" which became a "who can have the best kill" between Elba and Cena was fun with a good pay-off.
However those few moments just, for me at least, weren't enough to bring it any higher than a 4/10.
Yeah, 4 or 5 out of ten from me too. It felt very light plot wise and relied far too much on extreme violence for the 'humour'. As a fan of the evil dead franchise, especially the TV series, gross out violence can be funny but in a way this wasn't extreme enough to be funny so felt a bit off to me.
It's a shame as I was looking forward to this one. Gunn can make films with character, just watch slither and super, and can obviously do comic characters but this just felt too loose. The much mooted creative freedom he was given may have had a lot to do with it.
It's a shame as I was looking forward to this one. Gunn can make films with character, just watch slither and super, and can obviously do comic characters but this just felt too loose. The much mooted creative freedom he was given may have had a lot to do with it.
I got 2 thirds of the way through it and considered leaving it to go to bed, and then watching the last hour the folowing day. What I'm saying is that for me it was OK, but I kinda didn't get pulled into it or the characters enough to really be that bothered about watching it all in one sitting. If Blackwidow was 5/10, this would be 6/10.
I did watch through to the end, but sitting here now, I can't actually remember much of it.
I did watch through to the end, but sitting here now, I can't actually remember much of it.
Saw it yesterday. Thought it poor, far too much gore and far too much swearing. Since Infinity Wars there hasn’t been a decent superhero offering from either Marvel or DC - it’s about time both upped their games or audiences will go elsewhere. The only good bit was the Australian bloke getting killed off at the start.
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