There had been a lot of hype leading up to the release of Suicide Squad – but does it live up to exceptions?

SPOILERS. (Also a slight spoiler from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Juctice)

No, it does not. It’s just not as good as you expect, but not as bad as you think it is.

Actually, there are many positives.

The problem lies very heavily in the plot, as it’s kind of ridiculous, as IMDB writes.

A secret government agency recruits a group of imprisoned super-villains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency, which inevitably leads to chaos.

Silly, right?

Firstly, why do they need to recruit these villains? With Superman deceased, where no other superheros available?! Was Batman in the Bahamas sipping on mojitos? What about Tony Stark or any of the Avengers? What about the X-men? What’s Prof X up to lately? Surely, the ideal candidates to go up against such a strong supernatural force would be a more impressive group of misfits.

Now, I know what you’re going to say. They are formed as a group so that they WILL fail! Now this may be something I missed, but why and when was the group formed? Where they formed before everything began with the Enchantress? It wasn’t quite clear to me – or where they formed to fight the Enchantress and the story is mostly told in flash backs?

Because, if the Enchantress had yet to go rogue – why were they put together in the first place? Who were they meant to be fighting? If anyone can help answer my questions – that would be really appreciated. Surely, even they could bring in the superheros to fight the big bad once the shit hit the fan, because if they would have failed would they then bring in the big guns? There’s just so many questions and plot holes that’ll never be answered!

Any who, moving on.

Where I also felt Suicide Squad feel short was in the special effects themselves – especially at the end. At the beginning, I thought they weren’t too bad – but, I felt like they ran out of the budget to really carry it through to the end. For example, the effects on the Enchantress when she’s that dark, almost cloud-like figure to when she’s all powerful at the end – it’s like chalk and cheese. Dark cloud = awesome! Powerful, green thing = not so much.

There is such good chemistry with the cast that you can almost forgive the effects. Everyone seems to really enjoy playing their characters, and that shows on screen.

It was such a pleasure to see Will Smith back on the big screen! I’ve missed his face, his wit, his charm, his charisma – but … I don’t think he suited the part. Don’t get me wrong, he’s just so bad ass and he did a great job – but I just can’t buy Will Smith as the hit man, Deadshot. He just seems too nice. It’s almost like he’s playing himself – which is kind of the problem. Now, I know he was meant to have that soft side of his character because of his daughter and all that, but I just can’t buy into Will Smith killing people for money.

Yes, now, if I choosing a quote for this article, that is what it would be!
I just can’t buy into Will Smith killing people for money!

I’ve got to praise Jared Leto on his performance of the Joker. A lot of people have been comparing his performance to the beloved performance of Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight – but you shouldn’t. What Heath brought to the Joker was amazing and that can never be outdone. But Jared isn’t playing the same Joker. Whereas Heath was a lot more deranged, I think Jared played a creepier character. There were some close ups where I had to look away because I was sure that I would have some freaky nightmares afterwards!

The problem with the Joker is that he doesn’t really have a place in the movie. In the flashbacks, yes, of course – he is needed in those. But in the context of the main story itself, he doesn’t really need to be there. His character is undeveloped and all that is really established is that he will risk his life to save his love. However, screw the haters – I think he did a great job!

Also, praise goes to Margot Robbie on her performance as Harley Quinn. Why didn’t anybody ever tell me how incredibly badass she is?! I’ve seen so much love for her as an attendee of conventions for years now – but I finally get it. She. Is. Just. So. Damn. Cool.

I also felt incredibly sorry for her. All that she was was a girl in love, and yet she was twisted and manipulated to what she became. When she loses her ‘puddin’, I felt so her. She comes back to the group because all she wants is to be loved. It’s beautiful.

I think a strong part of the movie is her relationship with Deadshot. They’re cute, funny and completely adorable together. I also got the sense that Deadshot almost wanted to protect her, like almost paternally, like a daughter almost. Villains do her feelings too.

In comparison, the relationship between Rick Flagg and June Moore seems forced and lack luster. It seems based on nothing except that she has a pretty face. I think if it were real life, Rick would have run for the hills as soon as June showed her crazy-side! Although, anyone else amused by the Hollywood-clique of turning a pretty girl into an “plain Jane” by putting a pair of glasses on her. Oh the funny!

All up, the movie is okay. The fight choreography and overall style of the movie is really good. I loved the bright, punchy graphics on the screen. You knew you were in for a fun, light-hearted, though incredibly dark movie, and it is. There are some adult themes, but enough humour in it as well – but it’s essentially a Deadshot/Harley Quinn movie.

Apart from the poor CGI at the end of the movie, and the need for a lot more character development, (Although, let’s face it – that’s very difficult when you’re dealing with a large cast of people. I mean, The Hobbit trilogy was three times as long and still couldn’t get it right), go in with lower expectations and you’ll probably enjoy it more.

Can Hollywood stop trying to make Jai Courtney a thing? Like, seriously. Haven’t we had enough already? I’m Australian and I could barely understand a word he was saying throughout the movie. Although, hell, I like a good unicorn too!

Also, top marks for music! The soundtrack is killer!

I should also say, that I usually hate any kind of superhero-based movie, but I enjoyed this a lot more than others I’ve seen. But then again, I have no real references to the comics or the characters, so those who do, I’m unsure how you will take it. But, as I always say, you should never go into something comparing it to something else because most of the time, it just can’t come close to what you’re hoping it to be.

What’d you think of the movie? I’d love to hear.