I wanted to like it, but...

Rating: Null/10 (7 August 2016)

I don't often write film reviews, but after seeing a film I had waited SO long to see and leaving with only the frustrated question of what the writers were actually thinking, I feel compelled to vent some frustrations about the entire plot progression and the character focus.
A film 123 minutes long is plenty of time to do justice to every member of a group that you're following in their quest to save the world. So I'm wondering why about a third of that time was dedicated solely to two characters while the rest barely got five minutes (collectively) for their background? If the filmmakers were that obsessed with certain characters they should get their own movies. It seemed almost insulting to go into full detail about these two then briefly mention the rest, especially when one *SPOILER ALERT* almost single-handedly saves them in the end. The audience is still scrambling to remember the characters names, nonetheless throwing in some half-hearted flashbacks to force some empathy for a character's backstory while ignoring the others completely.
I don't usually leave a movie theater wondering what was going through the writer's minds when the plot was set out, but I definitely did here. I have to ask, did they even use a storyboard? How else would this film result in choppy storytelling and brief explanations of characters we are supposed to connect with throughout the film?
*Spoiler* There is even a laughable moment early in the film where a character is mentioned in passing last second (right before the primary mission) only to be blown up within another moment as an example to the rest of the crew. Really, no other context or gradual pacing but "Oh, here he is. There he goes". I sincerely expected better with how long we have waited for a film with so much context (only YEARS of comic books and cartoons) to go off.
That being said, Suicide Squad wasn't BAD. I was more miffed at the fact the great characters did not receive the time they so richly deserve. Jai Courtney as "Boomerang" was spot on and provided both humour and the realistic portrayal of a selfish criminal, Jay Hernandez was refreshing as "Diablo" and gave a new depth into what first appears to be a one-dimensional character. It is frustrating that Robbie and Smith, while great in their own characters, are hailed as the stars when they are given far more of a chance to perform as such. Katana is a character that has freakin' souls in a freakin' sword and yet she is (at best) briefly mentioned so we can stare at Cara Delevin-whatever gyrating awkwardly for a half hour. (Don't get me STARTED on her).
All in all, Suicide Squad has the premise and characters (sans Cara DevDon'tCare) for a great film. However, the execution leaves you with a lot of frustration, only saved by the fantastic soundtrack that, by the looks of things, probably stole a large chunk of the movie's budget. I can only assume the writers were forced to save the money they would have spent on a storyboard and simply guess what ratio of time should be dedicated to each squad member (without a calculator).