Creative Re-imagining

Rating: 8/10 (7 August 2016)

Every time a new comic book inspired movie is announced the same things happen.
1. Announcement: Die hard fans rejoice and start blogging about what BETTER be included. 2. Actors are revealed: Die hard fans begin with the hypercritical BS 3. Costumes are revealed: If the designer strays from the iconic costumes at all or dates to completely re-imagine the character, people lose their minds! 4. Trailer Released: Vloggers and Bloggers dissect every freaking second of the trailer and break down their theories of what will be included in the movie. Since Vloggers and Bloggers are typically die hard fans themselves, this could get other fans' hopes up about certain story lines being included in the final product. 5. Movie is released: People flock to the theater even if they've been disappointed by the casting, costuming, and trailer. It's not surprise that those same people post all over social media "Sooo disappointed!" or "Don't waste your money!"
The die hard fans turned super critics always use their fan status to backup why they're right about the movie being awful. They say things like "I really wanted to like it!" and "I grew up with these characters!" and of course "I've read ALL of the comics!"
To these people I say, get over it. Characters and story lines are reinvented all the time! That's what keeps them relevant and attracts new fans. Stop setting yourself up for disappointment by creating a checklist of what you WANT to see out of a movie.
Now, on with my actual review! I really enjoyed it! I didn't have any expectations going into the theater, but I left smiling, and isn't that what a good summer blockbuster is all about?! What I wasn't crazy about: I loved that all of the trailers made it seem as though Enchantress was going to be part of the squad, so when she ended up being the villain it automatically changed what I was planning on seeing. However, Enchantress was probably my least favorite character in the movie. Cara Delevingne's portrayal of the character was a bit odd. Her movements seemed more zombie-like than anything else and the different voice used didn't always match up with the actresses mouth. I also thought the CGI made Enchantress's brother a tad cheesy.
What I Loved: I actually LOVED the fact that The Joker was NOT a driving presence in the entire film, as this was Suicide Squad and not a Joker movie. I am a fan of this version of the Joker and hope to see the version in future films, but I'm glad the iconic character didn't steal all of the screen time. Continuing on the topic, I was relieved that the couple of Harley and Joker was presented as more of co-dependent relationship, rather than her being hopelessly in love with a man who only uses her. This version of the pair still has all of the dysfunction you'd expect, but there's an added element of blind devotion from both parties. I mean, The Joker from the original animated series would've never gone through so much effort to get Harley back. Jared Leto and Margot Robbie really nailed the twisted bond between the characters and added an unexpectedly human and sincere element to the relationship I loved that Killer Croc got his moment to shine by swimming into the sewers. I was worried that he'd just be the token 'big ugly' member of the squad. I was also happy to see El Diablo be the one who really saves the day by sacrificing himself. I loved the transition from a disjointed group of villains and a reluctant Rick Flag to an actual team that cares about each other's welfare. Honestly though, one of my favorite elements of the movie was the soundtrack. The music of each scene sets the tone perfectly!
In short: if you just want a live action version of the comic, stay home. If you can go to the theater was in open mind though, it's completely worth seeing!