Suicide Squad (2016) Review

"Oh I'm not gonna kill you. I'm just gonna hurt you.
Really, really, bad."

By now, you may have heard of this little indie film called Suicide Squad, starring some of the comic book world’s most notable villains… OK, obviously we’re kidding, and the chances of you having not heard of this cinematic entity by now are very slim, so we’ll make this introduction quick and get to the juicy stuff.

The basic premise of this squad-tastic outing is that a secret government agency, headed up by Amanda ‘The Wall’ Waller (Viola Davis), coerces imprisoned supervillains and metahumans into doing its dirty work, in the form of hazardous black ops missions tackling some of the worst opponents in exchange for smaller sentences. Recruited for said operations, and micro-managed by Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), is a whole gaggle of weirdos: an assassin named Deadshot (Will Smith), psychiatrist-turned-crazed-supervillain Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), LA gang member/flaming metahuman El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), expert martial artist Katana (Karen Fukuhara), deadly thief Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), reptilian Killer Croc (Adewale Akkinnuoye-Agbaje), possessed archaeologist June Moon/Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) and mercenary Slipknot (Adam Beach). Occasionally turning up to throw a spanner into Waller’s plans is Harley’s boyfriend, the psychologically manipulative Joker, played by Jared Leto. 

Somersaulting onto screen is the unpredictable and highly anticipated Harley Quinn, the deranged girlfriend/abuse victim of the Joker. It has to be said that Robbie expertly nails this character, effortlessly creepy-smiling her way into a number of ridiculous scenarios with her trusty bat in tow. Quirky, sassy, abrasive, kooky and inherently athletic, Harley is a real scene-stealer and Robbie deserves the credit for taking on such an iconic creation and making it her own whilst staying true to the essence of the character – think Animated Series Harley with the potential to evolve into New 52 Harley.

Of course, where there’s Harley there’s likely to be the Joker, and Jared Leto bursts into view like a garish paint gangster sporting bright neon green hair, twisted tattoos and a plethora of pimp outfits. It’s visually striking, needless to say, and Leto assumes the role of the Joker with eerie ease, being outwardly terrifying and intimidating as he snarls at and slaps around his adversaries. Granted, he’s not in much of the film, but perhaps this is a good thing, as it would be quite overwhelming to introduce him and have him be a substantial villain whilst also giving the other cast members their screen time. Let’s say he’s around enough to tantalise your jokey taste-buds, but not too much so that you’re choking on it. You can rest assured that this particular incarnation of the Joker has effective chemistry with Harley, and Leto and Robbie shine as the chaotic clown king and queen, with the potential for them to star in a sequel together more prominently.

Unsurprisingly, the performances all-round are exceptionally spot-on, with Jay Hernandez and Will Smith being especially notable. Hernandez, who portrays pyrotechnic El Diablo (think of a murderous Seamus Finnigan), beautifully illustrates his character’s brutal backstory as it unfolds tragically on screen, whilst also proving to be the moral anchor that guides the film to its conclusion. Meanwhile, Smith’s Deadshot is an assassin who enjoys danger and his skills, but this conflicts with his love for his daughter. In the end, Smith manages to balance character comedy flair as the sarcastic gun-slinger with emotive familial energy relating to his child. 

Other players in this suicide squad include Katana, who newcomer Fukuhara portrays with a steely determination, flexing her sword-slicing skills this is one woman you don't want to mess with - but it would have been interesting and more fulfilling to have her feature more in the story, especially regarding her backstory. Killer Croc is a cannibal with rage issues courtesy of Akkinnuoye-Agbaje, who has moments of humour and viciousness, whilst Courtney’s Captain Boomerang is like a hobo squirrel with a penchant for fluffy pink unicorns who always seems to have his booze detectors on, and actually provides some of the more ridiculous but hilarious moments of the film.

Delevingne’s Enchantress also occasionally pops up in her quest for something convoluted, and although she’s received some negative attention for her performance, its actually rather fittingly creepy and her rhythmic dance movements are in-keeping with a mud-covered, Grudge-esque ancient witch. Somehow Rick Flag manages to make an unlikely team out of these misfits, so props to Joel Kinnaman. You might think that amongst these bunch of baddies there’s no one who could possibly keep them in line. But the ‘baddest bitch’ is well and truly the menacing Amanda Waller played sublimely by Viola Davis. She’s intimidating, fierce, gives absolutely no fucks and is perhaps the most manipulative of all as the ominous puppet master.

Having said all of these positives about the characters, there are a few negatives that bring the film down, such as the seemingly haphazard editing in some sections, that make the film seem rushed (possibly due to the deleted scene debacle and studio interference), such as the Joker/Batman chase scene and some in the middle part (held back for spoilers). Whilst this isn’t life-threatening for the film, it does diminish the overall quality of the picture as this could have been fixed for a more effective and triumphant return for DC. For instance, some more character development for the Enchantress and her motivations as well as Katana’s background would have helped fuel the purpose of the missions and added to the effectivity. Additionally, characters such as Batman, the Joker (although not so much a personal gripe) and Katana could have featured more, and Slipknot’s whole escapade doesn’t have the impact the studio might have been hoping for (it's seriously bad).

Fortunately, however, the movie succeeds in other avenues, such as acoustically, as it features an impressive soundtrack that is as twisted and vibrant as you’d expect (Kehlani’s ‘Gangsta’ being a standout), a firm departure from the dark and dreary Dawn of Justice. Visually, Suicide Squad is a colourful explosion as mad as its characters, featuring fun titles akin to Scott Pilgrim, with less of a focus on being a ‘superhero movie’ and more on being a comic book adaptation. Whilst the plot is nothing revolutionary or ground-breaking, it works well in context with the large personalities on screen, and is thoroughly entertaining ride.

Ultimately, Suicide Squad is stylistically vivid, and boasts an array of quirky characters and commendable performances to make up for its missteps; you’d be an absolute joker to miss it.