Just another summer popcorn flick

Rating: 7/10 (7 August 2016)

I was really looking forward to this movie, just like other reviewers on this forum. All in all, this was a very entertaining summer flick. I usually have a rule to stay away from movies with too many superhero/villain characters. I was a little intrigued by the Suicide Squad source material and with all of the Marvel/DC overload of superhero movies it breathes new life into the genre. This movie was neither good nor bad in my opinion. Just down right, gritty fun. The only complaint is the editing is a bit shoddy and a few characters are introduced without a background story, which gives away future events to come. Each character is likable in their own right. Harley Quinn and Deadshot are the most standout characters of the squad, brought to life by Margot Robbie and Will Smith. I usually dislike Will Smith performances, but he does a pretty good job with this character. Margot Robbie is a little over the top at times and as the movie progresses she develops a Brooklyn accent, which is kind of annoying. As for Jared Leto's take on the Joker, I am kind of on the fence about what to think about it. What can you do with the character that hasn't already been done? Gangster him out? This is what we get in this iteration of the character. Some scenes seem almost embarrassing to even think that Leto is an Oscar winner. But, some part of me wanted to see more of him on screen and I really can't explain why. The chemistry between Harley Quinn and the Joker are very genuine, which could quite possibly spawn a spin-off film. As for other Squad members, everyone did a great job with the characters. Two of my favorites of the Squad, other than Harley Quinn, were Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) and the Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). As for the story line, it seemed a little rushed and thrown together. I was a little disappointed about that aspect of this movie. But, I went into this movie with an open mind and I wasn't expecting an Oscar contender. Summer movies are meant to entertain, not intellectually stimulate. Those movies come out in the Fall.