I will concede that Suicide Squad is far from the greatest film ever made. It does have its share of problems, as some of the other reviews here can attest. That said, it does not even REMOTELY deserve the absolute thrashing it got from critics, and its reputation as "the Worst Superhero Movie Ever" is just a result of the general view that Reviews Are the Gospel, especially if they Accentuate the Negative.
Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. The pacing is fucked beyond belief; certain scenes either take a bit too long or move too quickly, and the fact that there's Loads and Loads of Characters means that some get less focus than others, even if they could have benefitted from it. The plot overall is nothing spectacular, but it's passable. The villains don't really leave any sort of impression on me. They're just.. there. Enchantress and Incubus aren't really fleshed out as characters, and only serve to move the plot along. As for Leto's Joker, I have no opinion on him at all. The tattoos I could've done without, but he overall didn't appear enough to leave much of a lasting impression, good or bad.
All that said, it was still a fun watch. The film has impressive camera work, a vibrant color palette, pleasing special effects, an amazing soundtrack, lots of humor and heart for those who found BVS' grittiness too overwhelming, and the characters who do get focus are very sympathetic and interesting to watch. Margot Robbie is the PERFECT live-action Harley Quinn, bringing all the irreverent charm and surprisingly serviceable pathos the character requires (though I'd prefer it if her outfit were more comic-accurate and less revealing); Diablo is a tragic character defined by a compelling quest for personal redemption; Deadshot combines the stoic professionalism and sardonic wit the character is usually known for with Will Smith's undeniable charisma; Captain Boomerang was a great comic relief character (anyone who says Jai Courtney can't act has never seen Spartacus before), and the rest of the cast are well-acted and serve their narrative purposes well.
As I said, There's not much in the way of story, but I've always been more on the "character" side of Sliding Scale of Plot Versus Characters anyway; even if the story isn't great, I can still find enjoyment in the film if it has good characters. With that in mind, I give Suicide Squad a pass. I can understand and respect that not everyone will still feel the same way.
Feel free to tell me what you think, but if you do disagree, please, at least keep it civil. Insulting people for liking a movie you hate won't do your side any favors.
Stylish and Fun, but Far from Perfect
I will concede that Suicide Squad is far from the greatest film ever made. It does have its share of problems, as some of the other reviews here can attest. That said, it does not even REMOTELY deserve the absolute thrashing it got from critics, and its reputation as "the Worst Superhero Movie Ever" is just a result of the general view that Reviews Are the Gospel, especially if they Accentuate the Negative.
Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. The pacing is fucked beyond belief; certain scenes either take a bit too long or move too quickly, and the fact that there's Loads and Loads of Characters means that some get less focus than others, even if they could have benefitted from it. The plot overall is nothing spectacular, but it's passable. The villains don't really leave any sort of impression on me. They're just.. there. Enchantress and Incubus aren't really fleshed out as characters, and only serve to move the plot along. As for Leto's Joker, I have no opinion on him at all. The tattoos I could've done without, but he overall didn't appear enough to leave much of a lasting impression, good or bad.
All that said, it was still a fun watch. The film has impressive camera work, a vibrant color palette, pleasing special effects, an amazing soundtrack, lots of humor and heart for those who found BVS' grittiness too overwhelming, and the characters who do get focus are very sympathetic and interesting to watch. Margot Robbie is the PERFECT live-action Harley Quinn, bringing all the irreverent charm and surprisingly serviceable pathos the character requires (though I'd prefer it if her outfit were more comic-accurate and less revealing); Diablo is a tragic character defined by a compelling quest for personal redemption; Deadshot combines the stoic professionalism and sardonic wit the character is usually known for with Will Smith's undeniable charisma; Captain Boomerang was a great comic relief character (anyone who says Jai Courtney can't act has never seen Spartacus before), and the rest of the cast are well-acted and serve their narrative purposes well.
As I said, There's not much in the way of story, but I've always been more on the "character" side of Sliding Scale of Plot Versus Characters anyway; even if the story isn't great, I can still find enjoyment in the film if it has good characters. With that in mind, I give Suicide Squad a pass. I can understand and respect that not everyone will still feel the same way.
Feel free to tell me what you think, but if you do disagree, please, at least keep it civil. Insulting people for liking a movie you hate won't do your side any favors.