The Suicide Squad review – one of the best pure popcorn blockbusters in the cinema this year.
Look, the first outing for the Squad wasn’t good. By any stretch. After one of the most panned superhero films of the modern era can fan-favourite director James Gunn turn DC’s trash into treasure?
A scant 5 years after the horrendous original DC are back at the Suicide Squad well. Thankfully the original isn’t required viewing by any stretch. Do you know who Harley Quinn is? Who doesn’t these days? Do you know the vaguest gist of what the Suicide Squad is? Worst case you’ll get a (bloody) crash course in the first ten minutes.
The story goes off in a few unexpected ways the trailers don’t actually spoil for once, so let’s go with the official synopsis;
“Welcome to hell—a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out—even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone’s favourite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave…and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them—all of them.”
The Suicide Squad is James Gunn through and through. After two runs at the helm of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Gunn gets to tackle a similar group of misfits and criminals as they save the world. This time, however, the shackles are off. Not held back by any kind of orchestrated shared universe or family-friendly Disney confines Gunn dials everything up to 11. This Suicide Squad is gory, violent, crude, hilarious and downright weird but still retains the warmth and unexpected emotional hook Gunn has been known for. You’ll get emotionally attached and genuinely concerned for the life of a giant, intellectually challenged humanoid shark and a dirty little rat sidekick and you’ll love it. It’s a definite marriage of Gunn’s modern work with his schlocky adolescent D-movie Troma roots.
The cast is massive and eclectic. Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnerman, Jai Courtney and Viola Davis are all back for another round and joined by Idris Elba, John Cena, David Dastmalchian, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Rooker, Pete Davidson, Taika Waititi, Sean Gunn, Peter Capaldi, Nathan Fillion and a slew of others. It’s a huge cast that provides so much glorious, glorious cannon fodder. Don’t get too attached.
Robbie continues to grow into being a great Harley and finally gets to be in a good film to show her stuff. The banter and physical one-upmanship between Elba and Cena is a lot of fun, the weird and wonderful polkadot slinging and mommy issue laden David Dastmalchian is an utter highlight and newcomer Daniela Melchior will go straight for your heartstrings.
The Suicide Squad Review
Suicide Squad is big, loud, brash, colourful, juvenile, violent and ridiculous top to bottom and just happens to be one of the best pure popcorn blockbusters in the cinema this year.
Rating: 4/5
Watch: The Suicide Squad Trailer
In cinemas now.
How to stream Suicide Squad (2016)
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