A great cast of characters who are unfortunately stuck in a disappointingly mediocre film.

Rating: 2/10 (6 August 2016)

Although finding 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' a decent film despite some major flaws, I thought DC could have done a better effort kick starting their Extended Universe. So naturally, I thought 'Suicide Squad' would be the one to properly get the ball rolling in terms of solid quality. With its ensemble cast, and the amazing trailers that have been dropped, I was naturally excited to see this film, and it is my second most anticipated film of the year. Now, after over a year of waiting, I finally got to see it. However, once again, DC has delivered another just average film that misses the mark, and I have to say it is probably the most disappointing film I've seen this year. It's by no means bad, far from the negative bashing it's been receiving by critics, but it just has so many issues that they ultimately tarnish my overall enjoyment.
Okay, so what's good? Firstly, the cast. About 90% of them were absolutely terrific. DC seems to always manage to stick the landing with it's casting. Margot Robbie delivers the best performance in the film. Despite looking more like a pale skinned cheerleader than Harley Quinn, she is the epitome of Harley, as she conveys that mix between sexiness, comedy, and insanity of the character. She seems to be having the most fun with her role, and I had the most fun watching her as well. Will Smith rarely fails to deliver in a role and as Deadshot, this is yet another example. The man oozes with charisma like he always does, and I found him to be one of the more surprising characters, as he undoubtedly had the best story arc. Viola Davis as Amanda Waller is pretty solid in her role, who is probably the most threatening of all the characters. Other nods go out to El Diablo, who I found intriguing. I also thought he had one of the best roles in the climax. I really like Killer Croc as well, despite him not contributing much until the climax. It was difficult to understand what he was saying half the time though. Ben Affleck cameos as Batman, which is not really a spoiler, who I still think is the best on screen Batman. And Jai Courtney as Boomerang didn't suck. Yay. And finally Jared Leto as the Joker. He was the one I was most looking forward too, obviously because he is the Joker, and he is my favourite comic character. I thought Leto did a pretty good job. Each scene he was in, he was very interesting enjoyable to watch, and despite his limited screen time (which is about 10-12 minutes), I wanted to see more of him. However, his role in the film was pretty pointless. He didn't contribute anything to the plot whatsoever. Due to only being in a hand full of scenes, it's hard to compare him to other on screen Jokers, as we don't get to see what motivates him and makes him tick. Also, I don't remember him telling any jokes. His name is the Joker, right? Even Heath Ledger told jokes. Hopefully, we will get to see more of Leto's Joker in future installments, especially the Solo Batman Movie, as I liked this portrayal of the character. Another positive factor is the humour, which is great to see after the practically humourless 'Man of Steel' and 'Bvs'. However, for those who don't like how those movies were dark, this does not change here, as it has a pretty gloomy atmosphere and sinister elements.
Speaking of the plot, now onto the negatives. The story-line is pretty weak. It does not try anything new in terms of storytelling, and once again, a comic-movie revolves around a big blue portal in the sky. I got sick of this with 'Fan4stic' The villain is also pretty dull, whose performance was just awful, and I didn't understand their motivations or plan. If you have seen the film by now, you'll understand. However, the worst offender is the editing. It is some of the worst editing I have ever seen in a film. Especially, in the first half- hour, where a pop song is played every minute. And the pacing is all over the place. The character's introductions are so rushed, and there isn't really a moment that slows down and let the audience get to know them better until the second act. It is even more disappointing when the majority of these scenes are good, but when they are put together, they lack any transition or coherency. I would have to say, if it wasn't for the cast, the humour and some scenes, I believe I would have disliked this film.
Overall, 'Suicide Squad' has a great cast of characters who are unfortunately stuck in a disappointingly mediocre film. I am unsure whether this to be blamed on the studio or the director, David Ayer, as he has directed good films like 'Fury'. I did enjoy it for the most part, but it's discouraging that at this point, the DCEU has yet to deliver a relatively great installment to their franchise. I actually don't want to see a sequel to this, and would rather have these characters appear in other films, especially Deadshot, Harley, Joker and Amanda Waller. I still recommend people to go see it, but to see it with low expectations, so they are not disappointed like I was.