DC'S saving grace

Rating: 6/10 (6 August 2016)

Suicide Squad wasn't a film that was particularly on my radar, I intended on seeing the film solely to see Jared Leto's portrayal of the Joker and Harley Quinn's cinematic debut. From a critical perspective, David Ayer's entry into the DCEU isn't very well made. The fact that he supposedly wrote the script in only six weeks may explain why there are glaring plot holes, weak characterization and a dull finale. What does work however is the chemistry between the cast and the enjoyment factor of the film, and that's where Suicide Squad shines and the general audience will likely get a kick out of the film as they did with Guardians of the Galaxy given that the two have the same vibe. The standout performances are Viola Davis' as Amanda Waller who just fits the character perfectly and is essentially ripped from her comic book incarnation. Will Smith as Deadshot is basically Will Smith which isn't necessarily a bad thing, besides Harley he had the most development out of the Squad and is more of a anti- hero than full on villain. Lastly Margot Robbie gives a decent performance, while it takes a while to get used to her interpretation of the character, it grows on you during the film and she has a couple of good lines and she has great chemistry with Jared Leto's Joker for the short time we see the two together. The villain (Enchantress) is sadly very underwhelming and fills out of place, her and her brother (who isn't even given a name) hardly do anything of relevance in the film. Her minions are basically zombies and seeing the Squad fight and shoot through them isn't very interesting and the final fight feels very anti climatic and oddly enough is sorta a rip off of the original Ghostbusters finale. Overall Suicide Squad is an enjoyable film with a few great performances and lines. After the mixed reception MoS and BvS garnered for their tone and treatment of beloved characters, this is a breath of fresh air for those who want something different from the DCEU and as long as you aren't expecting an Oscar worthy script or the most original plot you should be fairly pleased.