Suicide Squad

The titular Suicide Squad is composed of a cool bunch of badass individuals that are intriguing due to their style and grimaces, but the “story” doesn’t give them the opportunity to develop or bring something into it. Especially when you see the efforts of the great Jared Leto, whose Joker is just an iconic sidekick, you’ll be disappointed. Funny catchphrases, which were supposed to be the main flavoring of the film, are also pretty rare here. A delicious-looking Margot Robbie and soundtrack hits remain the highlights of Suicide Squad. On first viewing, they are literally caption. On second viewing, when the viewer looks deeper under the pretty cover, they turn out to be the only elements that keep the movie afloat. (09.08.2016)

I can’t say that a witch out of a 1980s fantasy B-movie is what I've been missing from current comic-book flicks. In fact, she is a completely interchangeable DC villain who wants to destroy the world simply because she can. Not even the (unintended) creation of the evil Enchantress by those who are supposed to protect the world is innovative by today’s standards (which immediately gives away the point of the film, which is that working with villains can backfire on you). Most of the film’s other elements are also interchangeable, as Ayer mixes them together willy-nilly, albeit with a certain sense of rhythm. The first hour comes across as a condensed recapitulation of a ten-part series – all exposition, no development. In terms of time and space, the second hour is a slightly more cohesive super-villain variation on war movies in the mould of The Dirty Dozen and westerns like The Wild Bunch (including fatalistic dialogue before the final conflict, but without any significant development of the relationships between the characters or their ability to work together). Though the prologue indicates that Deadshot and Harley will be the protagonists of the narrative, their private dramas (their relationship to the daughter/Joker) do not drive the narrative, but rather slow it down, as they have minimal impact on the direction of the plot. The Joker, who looks like a goth who’s off his meds and inspires more sympathy than unease, always just shows up, does a little damage and disappears, like the returning bosses in some computer games, which seemed to be a source of inspiration for Ayer when he was slapping the plot together on the fly (or at least it seems so). Nothing would change if the Joker wasn’t here. The whole film is still needless and half-assed and unpolished, and while it manages to get and hold your attention with its witty characters, driving soundtrack and slightly psychedelic visual stylisation, the end result is merely two hours of loud, colourful distractions without any serious points of interest. 55% (04.08.2016)

The DC Universe hasn't even had time to be born and it's already dead. The dramaturgically-incompatible group at Warner Brothers craves a more discerning audience, but with their results, they're looking at a target audience of 13-17, who (given the earnings) probably won't care that the plot makes no sense at all, that the team doesn't work as a team even once, and that the ass-kicking isn't a highlight for which to praise a character. I want to go to the alternate universe where Ayer made it in his own way, and it’s one hour longer and does away with the moronic humor. In many of its details (the clear action, a decent portion of darkness and suspense) it looks like a prelude to a major comic book film, but someone in the editing room screwed it up in an absolutely monstrous way. The most interesting character in the finale is Killer Croc. I want him to have a solo movie. (07.11.2016)

I probably don’t even have to mention that I was really looking forward to Suicide Squad. After the ghost town that the cinema has been these last few months, this movie was exactly the one standing out from the rest of the new releases. And the trailer’s made it look kickass. I’ll admit that my expectations were similar to Watchmen – a politically incorrect comic movie that swims against the tide. But it would have to be a completely different movie for that to be true. Let’s start with the upside which were definitely the actors. Suicide Squad is – as expected – an interesting gang and they’re hard not to love. Jared Leto is absolutely amazing as Joker, perhaps the scariest Joker in all of movie history. But the issue is that he’s barely in the movie at all. Now to get into the downsides, the movie doesn’t come up with a story that’s innovative in any way and it tells it very awkwardly. The first third is an episodic introduction of the individual characters. The second third is an introduction of an alien entity the Squad will be up against. And the last third is one big team fight. You won’t be able to find any deeper meaning there. However, the action shots are pretty solid. The director David Ayer has not filmed such scenes for the first time. But after watching this, I felt as if I’ve just finished watching another completely ordinary comic movie that are thick on the ground lately. Or maybe my expectations were too high. So that’s why I’m giving it three stars. Oh and the soundtrack may be nice, but it sounds so forced that it doesn’t even end up fitting in. (16.08.2016)

I was expecting something brisk and cheeky, and I got a hilarious mash-up of elements that work in Marvel movies, but not in DC. Their new multiverse is confusing and disjointed pulp that gives the impression of something born in the heads of suits at table and not in the head of a person who really has an overview and a clear vision of what the whole should look like. Someone like Kevin Feige is missing here (DC Sandbox guardian Snyder is not even able to look after his films, let alone the whole universe). Ayer is desperately groping in terms of directing and the screenplay (the only twist in the zero plot is the scene the viewer saw shot after shot an hour before, wtf?), the types of sociopaths are rather good at first and often unused (Leto's over the top Joker as a romantic filler?). The soundtrack is so puffy and eclectic that it fades out into nothing. Scenes with Deadshot mainly kick ass, which Will Smith made into a pure pleasure (because ***) and a few scenes with sexy Margot Robbie. Otherwise, this wannabe radical slap to the competition is just a sweaty affirmation of the superhero status quo which, unfortunately, is not even half as amusing as in the case of the Guardians of the Galaxy. The attempts to create a dark picture of the world, which is ruled by the brutal bitch Amanda Waller instead of Nick Fury... sorry, it feels so convulsive that it can't be taken very seriously. DC is groping (and it’s still not fun). (03.08.2016)

It would like to be a comic book version of the Dirty Dozen, but it's more like the Devil's Brigade. I mean the unconcealed copy-cat of a more famous and better original, which is worse in everything (from motivations to action), worse but not so bad that it would force you to grab the remote and change the channel, even if you already know that you won't remember anything from this movie as soon as the final credential start. You will remember it only when you come across it in the TV program again. And that's exactly what the Suicide Squad is, characterization is one-dimensional at best (great cast did amazing job in saving the movie), there is no story line (and if there is one, it's full of lapses and illogicality), motivation and goals are barely implied, action is as intense as interchangeable and the style is so hectic as aerobatic flying. But it's not bad (especially thanks to the first half, pace and acting). Only incomplete in terms of that dirty antihero concept and, moreover, significantly shortened in a way that strikes even the layman. However, what is the worse part about it (apart from the poor final scene), is the existence of the animated movie Assault on Arkham, which did the same but much better with grace. (05.08.2016)

The universe is being built again, and this time where it is completely unnecessary. The intended original team is undermined from the first minutes because someone from the Justice League is inserted into all the major origin stories that no one wants to see at that moment. It distracts from the new characters, and the uniqueness that was so proclaimed in the trailers is suddenly gone. Even the song soundtrack doesn't really pull me in because with every other old-school hit, I can't shake off the impression that the Guardians of the Galaxy, who are so closely related in terms of genre, are being shamelessly plagiarized. At least Steven Price's orchestral accompaniment supports the action to dizzying levels and makes us forget that it's dark, raining, or dark and rainy in every shootout. Unfortunately, the most significant battle saved for the finale feels forced, with villain motivations that are laughable and, surprisingly, poorly executed in terms of special effects. It's with this battle it becomes most apparent how the second half of Suicide Squad has become weak, both in terms of its lines and its actions, which makes no sense given the supposedly psychopathic roots of the characters. However, the film does have one big positive surprise, and that is Harley Quinn, who is exactly as good as I thought she could never be in Margot Robbie's portrayal. She steals every scene, delivers the most self-assured dialogue, and, along with the charismatic Deadshot, they are the only ones who deserve to return in future adaptations. The biggest casting disappointment remains Jared Leto. Not that he didn't try, but while someone like Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight was able to frighten just by appearing on the screen, Leto has to rely on empty performances, makeup, or various props – and because of that, he is just a noisy attraction, leaving an aftertaste of wasted opportunity. Just like in the entire Suicide Squad, which sometimes offers up something good, but without exception, it is always followed by ay least two things that are bad. (04.08.2016)

I'm going to repeat myself, but just like in The Legend of Tarzan, Margot was the best thing about the whole movie. It's not that I didn't enjoy the others, but next to her everyone is just dead weight. The beginning is awesome, all very stylish and crazy, as the times demand. From the awesome music to the funny and cruel lines to the costumes, everything suggested this was going to be a total blast. It's a shame that the whole film is based purely on this. The plot unfortunately doesn't offer anything new, the characters don't go deep enough, and the final denouement is a bit off. A weaker 4 stars. (10.09.2016)

They put together a plethora of people dumb enough to be characters in their own stories, which means that not a single character was fleshed out enough for you to know more about them beyond what they like (their kid, the other nutcase, the unicorn, etc.). In truth, I wasn't entertained by the film, it just became a backdrop to keep the room from being quiet – it fulfilled this function perfectly, as it was well voiced. But that's the only great thing about this movie; otherwise it's pretty average, below average. Many heroes and anti-heroes were created, but it just doesn't reach any dizzying heights. It had a great advertisement that lit up the work and drove it to the heights of heaven, but the truth is otherwise... (15.11.2016)

Magic at last. DC has managed to pull ahead of Marvel with this movie. Suicidal editing sacrificed integrity for tempo. I see the diabolical hand of the producer in this. A forced, soundtrack of songs (I admit that they’re great songs, hats off) often clumsily accompanies the introduction of characters to give them greater “dynamism", but it drowns out what might have made those flashbacks interesting. Make the opening longer not shorter and give it a purpose in addition to the obligatory introductions. Ayer handled the interplay of the self-centered assholes extremely well, even though Will is still a good guy (so they’re killing people, so what?), all team scenes work flawlessly. Unsurprisingly, it’s Harley who steals the whole movie. Margot Robbie is perfect and her storyline with the Joker is romance of the highest caliber (even if it goes a little against the aim of the comic concerning domestic violence). This movie would have been great with an R-rating, particularly in the Joker torture scene. Suicide Squad suffers from New 52 syndrome (from klutzy Geoff Johns, who also oversees the movies), when DC lost its balls while trying to please the younger public. Ayer is fighting against this, and the characters presented are all super. Jai Courtney in a live role! The Enchantress/Flag storyline spoils the ending a little, whereas the creators shouldn’t have been afraid to bring it to an end, but I say that the magic separates Suicide Squad from the rest. Overall, quite content, but they could have done better. They had the team for that. I hope there will be a director’s cut that will return the missing scenes from the trailers and give it a stamp of originality. Trying to be like Guardians of the Galaxy just doesn’t suit this movie. (03.08.2016)

The original Suicide Squad didn't have it easy, having to cope with the introduction of an anti-hero team, and the origins of many, many characters, while also tapping into the concurrently released Superman and Batman films. This didn't quite make the pacing of the film succeed as a whole, but otherwise, it's pretty much a blast even on multiple viewings. However, the experience does assume knowledge of the comic book series from The New 52 (and now Rebirth), and there is no shortage of those books. In any case, it was a notch for Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, who had the opportunity to continue her interpretation of this freshest DC character in the next two films. #ReleaseTheAyerCut (02.10.2016)

Destroying the world with a giant something above a city that works with gravity and makes a big mess. It's the same thing over and over again, just in different tones and colours. The villains become good guys within 30 minutes and the only thing that leaves a mark is the ultra cute psycho Margot Robbie, who drops one-liners and steals most of the scenes for herself. A pointless comic adaptation that was supposed to balance out Marvel's dominance and to give DC what the competition can do very well: playfulness, interplay of characters, excess. But this is not the way to do it, Batman vs Superman set a good course, they need to work on it and brush it up. (08.08.2016)

Fun first and foremost. I really started looking forward to Suicide Squad when the trailer came out, backed by Queen's “Bohemian Rhapsody" - it was funny, playful and at the same time a bit grittier than the other comic book trailers. Fortunately, that's exactly what the film is. Of course, anyone who foolishly expected the main "heroes" to be Deadpool-style thugs must inevitably be disappointed. But that Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Boomerang and others are softies, definitely not. I liked how naturally the script was able to introduce and connect them all, I liked how they did what they wanted to do and didn't want to do, or didn't do what they wanted to do. And the plot suited it all nicely - nothing too complicated, more of a straightforward "go there, do this and do that" affair with a few surprises along the way. The cast is flawless, the action scenes clear and imaginative, the humor knows no bounds... And every second with the Joker or Batman is priceless. (04.08.2016)

The originality and imaginativeness of the opening act of Suicide Squad cannot be denied, as well as the whole story's tremendous narrative drive, spiced up with very cool stylisation and the coolest old-school soundtrack (Animals, Rolling Stones, Queen, Ozzy, Creedence.... a big bash). Unfortunately, the film runs into something similar to what bothered me about Avengers: an awful lot of characters that are for the most part poorly fleshed out, a completely unambiguous and unsurprising progression despite its intended defiance of the laws of genre, and humour that only works at first and gradually descends into cliché and spectacular superficiality, just like the narrative. And I can't forget the boring, characterless "villain", whose primary task is not to distract too much from the bickering of the title antiheroes. The action is not bad, but the biggest highlight is the amazing, ultra-brutally attractive and irresistibly extravagant Margot Robbie, whom I hereby definitively declare the Hollywood sex symbol of our time. Smith is okay, Leto as Joker is cool, but horribly underused and (so far) basically pointless. (12.08.2016)

David Ayer’s promise to blow a wind of change into comic-based DC films didn’t materialise, and using the phrase ‘wasted potential’ in this case would be an understatement. After the commercial success of the R-rated Deadpool, one can reasonably wonder why Suicide Squad ended up with PG-13. Its artificial grafting onto Justice League was very annoying. An entire book could be written about the dumbness of the script, but my biggest complaint is the failed character design. Instead of the promised bad guys, we get the standard pack of kindhearted heroes; no one is a paragon of virtue, yet they’re definitely not antiheroes either. There’s this very awkward screenwriting attempt to hide that fact by reminding the viewer once in a while what they’re supposed to think, with the characters uttering lines like “We're bad guys, it's what we do.” Last but not least, some thoughts about the cast: Cara Delevingne is terrible at playing the Enchantress (in her defence, the whole conception behind the Enchantress character is a disaster – Cara just finished her off with her creations). The biggest casting fail, however, is Jared Leto in the Joker role – watching him is almost unbearable. Ayer had better go back to crime drama; this piece totally upset me! (15.12.2018)

As a viewer, I found Suicide Squad to be similar to Batman vs Superman in terms of plot, as it was a weaker story compared to the Marvel films and it lacked more humorous scenes (Harley Quinn's function in the film was quite clear, but it still wasn't enough for me). Each of the characters had something to say, but they didn't get enough space in most cases – they went the furthest with Harley, and Deadshot, and Diablo had some good background as well – but I have to admit that the initial introduction to them was portrayed quite well. As with Guardians of the Galaxy, they relied on an oldies soundtrack, which definitely benefited the film. The presence of characters such as the Joker and Enchantress made me happy on the one hand, but I was disappointed that they were either outnumbered or purely for effect. All in all, after adding up all the pros and cons, Suicide Squad is slightly better than Batman vs Superman, but it still falls short of more than one piece of the Marvel Universe, which is a shame because the potential that was evident from the first trailers was there. (13.08.2016)

I was originally going to give it two stars, but then I added one more for Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. Every time they appeared together or even separately in a scene, I started enjoying it. Otherwise, the film felt clichéd and dragged a bit regardless of the number of action scenes, or maybe because of them. The fact that the film and Will Smith were supposed to be so cool was just too obvious. One badass line after another and everyone was acting so tough and hardcore. Eventually, the only believable characters left were Harley Quinn and the Joker. Plus, I loved one of Harley’s superpowers which was to fire an unlimited number of shots from a six-shot revolver without reloading. That’s even more useful than invisibility sometimes. Not wishing anything bad on Will Smith, but I don't see him winning an Oscar this year either. (12.01.2017)

Exactly what I expected. It's an overburdened nonsense that tries to rely on characters, half of whom are in the movie just for the sake of being there, because fans might want it. One would prefer to remain silent about the fact that this team could never function without script gimmicks. What cannot be torn down is the great music. (07.08.2016)

On the surface it's actually quite likeable, but underneath all the wild hair shades, tattoos, and bizarre Harley Quinn costumes is a story that doesn't really click at all and whose "funny" moments are often not funny in the slightest. Nor can Ayer be particularly praised at the very least for the visuals because Suicide Squad is not even visually original and resembles again only a rather pretty digital coloring book. The entire concept is wrong from the start, because in a two-hour film you simply can't manage to introduce all the characters and still get them together for their "first group action" sequence. Or actually you can – but then it turns out exactly like this did. I feel pretty much the same way about this as I did about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where the potential of each character was also woefully underutilized. Right from the start, the Warners are going through the entire comic book universe with shortcuts and simplicity in a bad way. I'm more disappointed than angry, because the potential of the individual characters is huge in my opinion, and I have no choice but to hope for some brighter tomorrows. But I still can't quite discern whether the problem of the DC universe is that the studio doesn't know how to tap into that potential or simply doesn't want to. (13.01.2019)

You really don't have to be a film expert to see how Warner turned some excellent material into complete nonsense. Leaps of logic, shortcuts and a total hodgepodge of characters who are not as distinctive as their comic-book originals. Strangely enough, all the comic book studios seem to have a problem creating an actual villain, so we all wait in vain for someone who would at least come close to Ledger’s Joker. Speaking of Joker – Leto, a big no. His Joker fails to instill a sense of fear or respect, there’s no charisma, nothing. He is just an idiot whose scenes belong to the most boring ones in the movie. The soundtrack is brilliant, but it's not really that hard to stuff it with rock hits to make it cool. It turns out that, like in Batman v Superman in the spring, the absence of previous solo movies is crucial. But Warner will never learn, so just as Schumacher almost buried Batman and we had to wait 8 years for Nolan to revive him, it's quite possible that Snyder’s crew will kill a whole decade of DC movies – a real shame, the guys have good comic book material, if only they had some sort of an idea what the audience wants from them. (18.11.2016)