Entertainingly eccentric.

Rating: 7/10 (6 August 2016)

The hype surrounding this deranged blockbuster couldn't have been any higher. The casting was bold, director David Ayer promised to bring his off-kilter style to proceedings and the trailers were downright awesome. That it doesn't quite reach the exceedingly lofty heights many were expecting shouldn't come as a shock, however there's enough fun and flair to ensure this demented romp all but wipes away the disappointment that was Batman v Superman. The tremendously enjoyable first act serves as a crazy meet-and-greet – with cool character title cards and all – establishing an excitingly wild tone, although this gradually dampens into something more generic by the bland and uninspired final act. The biggest problem with the last 30 minutes is undoubtedly how rote it feels, the dull CGI villains offering zero thrills and the climactic save-the-world sequence a muddled and dull affair with no ingenuity whatsoever. But what comes before the finale is oh-so-good. It's a rollicking ride of gunfights, swordplay and witty barbs as the titular ragtag group of anti-heroes reluctantly band together to defuse a mystical terrorist attack, or else be killed by the explosive chip implanted in their necks by ruthless government agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis hamming it up). An early battle against mindless henchmen culminating in Deadshot (Will Smith) stepping up to single-handedly wipe the horde out is an action-based highlight, closely followed by a daring rooftop escape by Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Speaking of Robbie, she's arguably the standout amongst an overall solid cast, although Smith is as cocky and cool as ever, Jai Courtney is surprisingly excellent as Aussie bank-robber Boomerang and Jay Fernandez is suitably dangerous as walking flamethrower Diablo. The big question though: how does Jared Leto's Joker stack up against past incarnations? His laughing maniac is old-school gangster meets volatile nut-job, an utterly watchable psycho who commands the screen with every sneered line or outrageous cackle. Leto and Robbie share an amazing chemistry on screen, their energetic and erratic relationship – a comic-book version of Bonnie and Clyde if you will – is a ticking time bomb of death and destruction, which is why their limited time together is a crime. Not the mind-blowing film it could've been, but with one of the best soundtracks this side of a Tarantino flick and a wickedly cavalier attitude to accompany a wickedly cavalier group of (bad) good guys, Suicide Squad is an entertainingly eccentric entry into the DC Cinematic Universe.