THE SUICIDE SQUAD (Long, Non-Spoilery Version)

The following is my LONG REVIEW (read my SHORT REVIEW HERE), which I have truly attempted to NOT include any specific Spoilers for the film. If you DO wANT the film to be spoilt for you, search for videos galore on YouTube ranging from edited scenes of How The Characters Die, to the post-credits sequences being explained. Alas you'll find none of this here in my review, sorry. That said, moving forward...!



FILM PRESS: From writer/director James Gunn comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “The Suicide Squad,” featuring a collection of the most degenerate delinquents in the DC lineup.

Welcome to hell—a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out—even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave…and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them—all of them.



The sheer avalanche of GOOD by far outweighs any amount of BAD the film THE SUICIDE SQUAD might have had. I'm not going to pretend and squeeze out some negatives to "prove" my point, but the reality is this would've been a straight-up "9/10", rather than the "8/10" when I first doled out in a Tweet.

FUNNY? More Funny than dud jokes, that did not rely on slapstick humor, even though some did.

ACTION-PACKED? Moreso than you might have realised.

BLOODY? Hell yeah! As desensitised as I am of popular media these days - with current projects pushing the boundaries of "R" and non-family-rated content, the blood splatter, body-ripping and cannibalism displayed was as refreshing as it felt gratuitous, and I loved it!

HEART? Bro, the amount of "heart" put into these characters - from the faux emotional back history of the primaries, to the knowing nods between Harley, Boomer and Rick (from 2016's "Suicide Squad") was very well done and subtly effective, without making a huge thing about it, and it was fking satisfying to witness.

People were connected, and people connected, and if the bar scene was meant to connect and homage "The Suicide Squad" to David Ayer's "Suicide Squad" (nobody has claimed it does, I'm just frothing at my brains here), then that'll put an even knowing nod in my heart ... and yes, I did notice who the "special guest appearance" was - immediately actually lol

ENTERTAINING? More entertaining that you realize - whether you are a "comicbook-fan" or otherwise fan of popular culture. The name "Superman" is evoked to connect these character(s) to the DCEU, but the fate they have is nothing compared to the what we have seen with "top-tier" superheroes. They are "humans" with "super-powers" (ok, maybe not KING SHARK, and maybe not Quinn), and not "super powered humans" (ok, maybe not the Kryptonian-Superman, but...) or royaltiy (cue Aquaman and Wonder Woman), but...

The love, care, time and effort spent into crafting the characters to this story are on par with the magic James Gunn had done for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (ok fine, in the first movie), so if you did not like GoTG, I highly doubt if this'll be your wheelhouse ... understandably also one is based in outer space and the other in a corner of the world we somewhat life in...



I am trying my damned level best not to spoil anything here, because what we've been seeing in trailers, teasers, spots and clips have spoilt enough of my viewing experience. Not that they were plot heavy situations (well, even if they were I won't tell you yet :p), but for the sheer joy plucked out of moment when you recognise the scenes, and you piece the puzzle together as you watch the scenes - which understandably is optimal somewhat in already pre-knowing(ish)-you into the moment, without the need for you to absorb and understand said-scene there-and-then, and thereby be able to go along with the breakneck pacing of said scene(s) - for which Gunn is good at here, very much in the line of Guardians of the Galaxy, when MULTIPLE characters and their actions take precedence, AND have the film feel comfortable without it feeling like it is sardine-packed with a "need" to showcase the characters with shoe-horning in side-stories ... Also understanding that there were moments where which did that, but was beautifully treated with a story-telling flair that is and are utilised in what I remembered art films and indie-films do, that larger budgeted films tend to throw money and spectacle at to dazzle you instead. Certainly worked for me tho :)

Herein lies what I felt was the "secret sauce" to this film project, which director James Gunn sprinkled judiciously unto the film he too wrote for: A personal independent film, sprinkled with budget for the shock-n-awe scenes, at the same time retaining the heart which indie films pulse from, IMHO.



The way the term "legendary characters" was sneaked into the interview above tho ... LOL

The resulting hybrid project with sometimes non-linear timeline jumps, darkdark humour about life and death, clever chapter introductions, and knowing nods to both celluloid and comicbook histories (which to me personally is a very important aspect of "comicbook adaption into film"), and very importantly what anchors this film: The Characters, and how it is crafted for US- or at least ME, the viewer - to care for these folks, whom I've only know for the duration of this film.



People talk about the "Z-Lister comicbook characters" used, which is perfectly fine for press and content, but my hat tip to Gunn for writing them into characters we actually cared for, with whether how long they survived and what will happen to them after the credits roll.



WOULD I PAY TO WATCH THIS?
Hell yeah! Highly recommended.
I watched this on a small screen and truly wished I could watch this on the big screen and be enveloped and overwhelmed. Watching it on a small screen pierces directly to your heart, but the spectacle is lost, IMHO... And like GoTG, this film looks to be watchable for at least a couple more times ... at least!

There is the rest of the film's press, for your reading pleasures, cheers :)



PRESS CONTINUED:The film stars Margot Robbie (“Birds of Prey,” “Bombshell”), Idris Elba (“Avengers: Infinity War”), John Cena (upcoming HBO Max series “Peacemaker,” “Bumblebee”), Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”), Jai Courtney (the “Divergent” franchise), Peter Capaldi (“World War Z,” BBC’s “Doctor Who” ), David Dastmalchian (upcoming “Dune,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp”), Daniela Melchior (“Parque Mayer”), Michael Rooker (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films), Alice Braga (“Elysium”), Pete Davidson (“The King of Staten Island,” TV’s “Saturday Night Live”), Joaquín Cosio (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” TV’s “Narcos: Mexico”), Juan Diego Botto (“The Europeans”), Storm Reid (“The Invisible Man,” “A Wrinkle in Time”, “Euphoria”), Nathan Fillion (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” TV’s “The Rookie”), Steve Agee (“Brightburn,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”), Sean Gunn (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, the “Avengers” films), Mayling Ng (“Wonder Woman”), Flula Borg (“Ralph Breaks the Internet”), Jennifer Holland (“Brightburn,” upcoming HBO Max series “Peacemaker”) and Tinashe Kajese (TV’s “Valor,” “The Inspectors”), with Sylvester Stallone (the “Rocky,” “Rambo” and “Expendables” franchises), and Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Suicide Squad”).

Gunn (the “Guardian of the Galaxy” films) directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC. The film is produced by Charles Roven and Peter Safran, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo, Nikolas Korda and Richard Suckle executive producing.

Gunn’s creative team includes director of photography Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”), production designer Beth Mickle (“Captain Marvel”), editors Fred Raskin (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood”) and Christian Wagner (the “Fast & Furious” films) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Judianna Makovsky (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”). The music is by John Murphy (“Kick-Ass”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents An Atlas Entertainment/Peter Safran Production, A James Gunn Film, “The Suicide Squad.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is set for release nationwide in theaters and IMAX on August 6, 2021 and will be available on HBO Max’s Ad-Free plan for 31 days from theatrical release.

And if you don't love this cannibal-killer by the end of the film, then fair bet this film is not for you, cheers :)