SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)

8/16/2016 - Suicide Squad (2016) – 3+/4-/10

Rushed. Light. Jumpy and uneven. There was the idea for a possibly brilliant film here, but it looks like it got bogged down in politics, editing, and lack of focus (put it on the characters/story, not their intro music).

I didn’t have a ton of hope for this film, from the overwrought trailer and lack of quality coming from DC/WB. Then there was the swarm of horrid reviews. Upon seeing it, there is no way it can be placed in the company of good films. It is an unqualified mess. That said, it doesn’t not deserve the severity of the pitchforks and vile putrescence vomited upon it. There is a bloody stump of likability to this flawed and vacant fashion model of a flick, but she is lifeless and limp.

Though it is funnish, it is so very dumb. The point of much of the action & plot seemed unclear throughout the duration. The darkness and cacophony of the action makes it hard to make out in particular scenes, while the stagnation of character development and coherent storytelling leave one guessing to motives or the thrust of the causal events. It’s all too quick and underdeveloped. Every. Single. Element.

The problems don’t stop with structure. The music was a battering ram, not only feeling overwhelming but put upon. The editing was horrendous, lingering on the unnecessary while chopping the indispensable.

Let’s talk about characters/actors. People are coming to watch Harley Quinn. That is apparent. Though Robbie works hard with the shambles she is given, motivations and relationships seem nebulous at best and devastatingly problematic at worst. They want to have their cake and eat it too, but everyone is left without the ingredients and hungry. Smith does well with his character, but it is just so one note. Leto’s juggalo meets Alien from Spring Breakers at the circus is a chaotic flip-flop, from intriguing masochist eccentric crime lord to manipulative anarchic logic foil/shitty boyfriend. There is little point for him to be in this film (yeah, yeah. I get the “love story” bs they try and cram in here, but that dog isn’t hunting) and it feels like there is so much of this film starring the Joker that did not see the light of day. Might have been better or worse. Davis’ Waller was solid, though maybe a bit over-the-top in her “badness”. Everyone else is a serviceable pawn. I did like their version of Enchantress, until she becomes lost in what we will call “plot” and dons her “midriff goddess” get-up with her brother.

I did like costuming and design, though there was too much hotpants and it was overstylized.

An impressive comparison that I heard was “Smoking Aces”. A similarly flashy and vacuous quick-edited action misstep. Suicide Squad is a neon-lights-flashing, sugar-coated sheet of bubble wrap. Imbecilic and straight forward, but fun at first. The joy fades quickly and you toss it away, but it was enjoyable to a point. Maybe it was a mix of the low expectations and it better embraces it schlocky stupidity. At least, it is better than BvS or Fantastic Four. That alone raises it above the unrelenting hate hoisted upon it.