The Suicide Squad
Directed by:
James GunnScreenplay:
James GunnCinematography:
Henry BrahamComposer:
John MurphyCast:
Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, Viola Davis, Peter Capaldi, Jai Courtney, Michael Rooker (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
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 favorite 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. (Warner Bros. UK)
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Reviews (13)
This feature-length version of the Starro Attacks sketch from Robot Chicken is garnering rave reviews thanks to the fact that a big-budget comic-book movie has finally dispensed with both seriousness and sophistication and instead gone the route of juvenile trash (which was an essential characteristic of comic books for many decades before they were taken over by nerds who had the need to justify their childish obsessions by faking profundity). But on the other hand, compared to the unapologetic futility of the best and funniest comic-book movies like Batman: The Movie (1966), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011), the new Suicide Squad feels too forced and made-to-order – like products from The Asylum that try too hard to be camp, but can never elicit pure enthusiasm like pure trash can.
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I also liked the film of the same name from 2016, so unlike others, I wasn't waiting for salvation, but I was just looking forward to more madness from the head of my favorite James Gunn. In Gunn's world (Gunn's worlds), the rule is that anything can happen, and Suicide Squad follows this as well. Everything that happens is mainly a source of entertainment, constant entertainment consisting of machine gun dialogues and their (self-) murderous points, in action scenes that go off the leash, and unpredictably evolving small stories that support the central inconspicuous plot. As soon as something smells of clichés, Gunn deals with it by snapping his fingers. And of course he's not alone, because he has well-chosen actors and actresses at his disposal, thanks to whom (and thanks to his screenplay) we quickly like the characters we meet for the first time, and who looked more like more ardent cosplayers from the trailers. I'd love to see it (and really enjoy myself) again.
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Guardians of the Galaxy had more heart, better jokes, and a story that went somewhere and fit into its universe, Suicide Squad is a bunch of weirdos who don't fit in anywhere. Yes, it can’t be taken seriously, and some of the jokes and winks are exceedingly subtle, but it won't suit everyone. If someone had told me it was Guy Ritchie's side-kick on drugs, I might have believed them, but it wouldn't have changed my rating at all.
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Nothing for the faint hearted. I didn't expect to see anything like this in these politically correct times. The world of comic book movies, which today languishes under the reign of Marvel's childish colouring books, needed someone like James Gunn, a Troma alum, an original in his own right, which is strongly evident in his work. His film is incredibly daring, with a lethal cadence of over-the-top humour, without being a chaotic mess. Gunn has a clear vision, he's fantastic at timing politically incorrect visual jokes, and many of his screenwriting ideas are surprising; he has a God-given talent. And at times, in the barrage of this snarling R-rated gorefest, I felt like I was watching an expensive midnight movie in some grindhouse cinema in the deep 70s. And last but not least, the most original kaiju monster of all time. Hats off to Warner Bros. for not being afraid to give Gunn a wide theatrical release.
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It's nice to have a pleasant surprise once in a while, because while I was secretly hoping for a lot, I wasn't really expecting much. James Gunn, however, pulled it off much better than I would have guessed. His Suicide Squad is more colourful and wilder, which was more or less expected, except that my fears that too much freedom wouldn't suit him and the film would end up being nothing but bizarre mess were not borne out. Gunn knows when he can afford subtle bizarreness or creepiness, and when to surprise the viewer with an unexpected death or a scene so badass that you're a little embarrassed to laugh at it. But at the same time, his film also works in dramatic situations, and it's far from just an exhibition of more or less weird characters doing more or less weird things. The new crew is really good and the acting is really great (those who can't act know it and, ironically, can take advantage of it), the gradual building of relationships between the murderous sociopaths works unexpectedly well and Gunn isn't afraid to be surprisingly adult at times, only to knock it down a few minutes later with some harsh joke. Above all, though, the whole thing is incredibly fun. This is a good one.
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