Suicide Squad review-not the end of DC in film, but not Super either

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There are many ways to approach a Suicide Squad review. Is this late summer popcorn fare, the redemption of DC Comics in film or a combination of them and other angles? Suicide Squad is a group of villains from the DC Comics lineup who are doing good deeds under duress in exchange for getting time removed from their jail sentences. In a nutshell, Suicide Squad is not the horrid mess that some make it out to be, nor is it the savior that DC was looking for.

Suicide Squad lives in the shadow of Batman V. Superman, literally and figuratively. It takes place in a world that is still mourning the death of Superman and trying to figure out how to safeguard itself from future potential meta human baddies.  The film has shades of Arrow, season 2 and also serves as a set up for Justice League with Enchantress, a witch who can project herself anywhere.

The film does a great job of setting up the squad, introducing them with enough back story to know how they got their talents or powers. For the first 25 minutes or so we meet Amanda Waller, who is helming the group, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Diablo and a couple others. We don’t get too caught up in their history and I hope that the main movies for Wonder Woman, Flash and such keep the history to a minimum. You were swept up in a tragic scientific experiment, daughter of gods-whatever. Skip the Doofenshmirtz tragic back story and get on with the current story and action.

Enchantress, being the witch that she is, summons her brother who has plans of his own world domination. Sure enough at the drop of a hat things go from normal to apocalyptic. The Suicide Squad assembles, makes some wise cracks and starts to save the day. But then they’re distracted by questionable morals and some more tragic back stories before realizing that they can establish a new legacy by saving the world.

I’m glossing over some of the details because Suicide Squad is an entertaining summer movie and many people will want to see it and not have the surprises spoiled.  However, as a film, its pacing is uneven and has the action either on or off. When Will Smith or Margot Robbie aren’t on the screen the movie slows down to a crawl. It rebounds and sprints again, but I suspect that the much rumored reshoots that happened after Batman V Superman was met with a collective thud triggered this.

Some parts of Suicide Squad are so much fun, while others aren’t much fun at all. The film would’ve benefitted from more Joker, who is on screen for much less time than the trailer would suggest. It also crawls whenever Cara Delevenge is on screen and not in full on Enchantress garb. As the witch she’s creepy and barely there.  However, her presence and personality when she’s the human doctor or goddess is unintentionally funny or simply feels like stunt casting to get a model who can act in the picture.

Is the film misogynistic? Some have pointed out that Harley Quinn’s outfit and the overall treatment of women is demeaning to women. Did they not see the parts with Katana or Amanda Waller ruling their scenes using their particular skills? Suicide Squad is not misogynistic. Having said that if you’re looking for a film where women totally rule things you should simply wait for Wonder Woman.

The film builds to a large ending that resembles the big bad building the equivalent of a technodrome from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  In the end Suicide Squad is a fun, uneven film with a couple really good set pieces. It’s not enough to herald the end of DC Comics in film, but it doesn’t leave audiences expecting great things from future Zack Snyder involved joints either.  Optimistically speaking this is the best modern take from the DC Universe. However, the realist would counter by saying that the bar was set low and they just managed to get over it.

Suicide Squad is a very strong rated PG-13, much closer to an R than PG.  The language in it is harsh, sometimes funny and not appropriate for audiences under 13. What was surprising is that they use some of the bad words that I used as a kid, but are out of popular slang use now. Think of another name for a kitty cat, use that word as a term that can motivate or tear someone down and you’re there. There is that word, plus lots of other four letter words that gives parents the creeps when a kid under 14 says them.