REVIEW #73 The Suicide Squad (2021)

The Suicide Squad is directed by James Gunn and introduces a bunch of new characters into the team of misfits. Tasked with discovering and destroying operation star fish, they must infiltrate Corto Maltese and work their way through the thick jungle with only Col. Rick Flag to keep them in check.

CAST & THE ACTING 

A number of actors returned from the first film such as Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller and Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang. I was a little disappointed that Will Smith didn’t return as Deadshot due to scheduling issues but James Gunn brought in Idris Elba’s Bloodsport as a worthy replacement leader. Some other new faces include John Cena, Peter Capaldi, Pete Davidson, Michael Rooker and many more. It was clear right from the start that this would be an all action comedy and the entire cast done brilliantly to deliver that comedy effectively. The action choreography was pulled off really well by the actors and we had a good glimpse at every characters abilities, which made the film very entertaining. There was a nice range of acting throughout the film, it had its more emotional deeper moments but also the goofy comedy that really made the audience laugh. I felt like in this film the audience connected to the characters a lot more then the first instalment and I believe that was down to the additional character exploration and the freedom the actors had to bring their characters to life.

PLOT & THE STORYLINE 

I think to sum up the storyline it would be silly but entertaining, to emphasise that point I believe Gunn said Polkadot Man was included in the team after he googled DC’s dumbest character! The main threat Starro the Conqueror is a rather ridiculous villain but it did work well and set up a good mission for the Suicide Squad. There were a number of antagonists in the film like the generals of Corto Maltese and Thinker which kept it interesting and presented plenty of obstacles for the team. My favourite element of this film was the unexpected carnage, the opening few minutes is fantastic and completely took me by surprise and that really set the tone for the film. No one was safe, not one character and by establishing that early on it meant the audience were always on the edge of their seat. I appreciated the character exploration more in this film because it really impacted the characters throughout the film. For example bloodsports troubled relationship with his daughter meant that he was really protective of Ratcatcher 2, almost like it was some sort of redemption mission for him. Polkadot man was inflicted by the hate he has for his mother which acted as motivation for him. King Shark even had a deeper element to him, where he felt like an outcast with no friends which really influenced his actions. So although the plot was ambitious to say the least, the character depth was still there stirring up emotions with the audience.

CINEMATOGRAPHY & SPECIAL EFFECTS 

James Gunn is known for creating beautiful visuals in his films, he set the tone with the Guardians of the Galaxy and although this film didn’t have the perks of being able to work in space the visuals were still outstanding. One scene that stands out in particular is the Harley Quinn solo action sequence, the floral effects throughout the scene sort of replaced the blood which created a nice representation of her state of mind and how she is just on another planet. The special effects were great and they had to be to show the destruction of Starro the Conqueror who was quite literally just walking through huge buildings, destroying anything in his path. I also liked how Gunn named the chapters in the film and used the environment to show the text like “Operation Harley” written in the smoke after a crash. It creates clear segments and shows how the team are progressing in their mission. There was also so much gore in the film, you got to see the deaths up close and for that, the effects needed to be good to ensure it was realistic. That gore also played a part in just shocking the audiences, meaning the deaths of characters packed more of a punch. The cinematography and special effects were one of my favourite elements of the entire film!

OVERALL (8/10)

I really enjoyed the film, the opening few minutes shocked me and took me completely by surprise which really doesn’t happen too often! The entertainment factor is the most important part in this film and I think the audience was entertained in every single scene, there wasn’t one moment where you were bored or just waiting for the next action sequence to arrive. It was filled with comedy and key character exploration which helped me get invested into the characters, making them more likeable. Yes the plot was a bit silly and some of the characters were a bit silly but I believe that’s what James Gunn intended and actually it all worked quite well together. The cinematography and the effects were on of the best things in the film and helped contribute to that entertainment factor. My only criticism is how easily Starro the Conqueror was defeated in the end, originally depicted in the Justice League comics I was expecting big things from this ridiculous Villain but how it is defeated in the end was a bit of an anti climax. Overall a good film, which is really enjoyable and filled with comedy that had us all in the cinema laughing. I definitely recommend going to see it on the big screen to appreciate how well the film is made!

Thanks for reading.

Callan