The Suicide Squad (2021)

While I would never say that Suicide Squad (2016) was a great movie, I didn’t seem to hate it quite as much as the rest of the world. And now it seems I really don’t love the slightly-sequel-y reboot anywhere near as much as everyone else. Seriously, people are raving about this like it’s the best comic book movie of all time, and really all I can say to that is ‘meh’.

So, where are we? As in the first movie, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has a dangerous mission that needs a team with a certain skillset: mainly, not giving her a moment’s care if they die horribly. Obvious choices are thus imprisoned villains, including the likes of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), and Peacemaker (John Cena). I mean, I could just go on listing names here, as there is an impressive cast plus many fun cameos.

So… yup, our anti-heroes are sent off into danger, and stuff goes wrong and interpersonal issues rule the day, and so forth and so on. Superpowers, redemption arcs, yadda yadda, yawn.

Oh, yeah, there we go: I really didn’t think I should have been rather bored by all this.

In fairness, there are a large number of very fun bits and scenes that are great highlights. But, that’s kind of it: they are scenes. Little islands of good bits adrift in what felt to me – sorry, James Gunn! – like a director thinking he’s the saviour of the franchise and letting his ego rip. I was thoroughly unimpressed.

Still, shout out to Harley Quinn, who was excellent – but so background-y that it felt almost weird. Best character was easily King Shark, who mixed homicidal tendencies with just utter adorability, displaying the intelligence of a 2 month old puppy and yet somehow being the heart of the piece. That he’s voiced by Sylvester Stallone just adds to the sheer joy of it all.

Alas, that was about it for me. I was mostly bored by the ‘main’ antiheroes, which is a terrible thing to say about the wonderful Idris Elba, but so. much. dull. And while others seem to have found the whole ‘crazy comic book’ vibe fun, I was utterly uninvested by the finale, and I’m sorry, but the whole bubble-gum palette doesn’t hugely sell your evil alien baddy, somehow.

I say again, just so much meh for me.

Released: 30th July 2021
Viewed: 13th August 2021
Running time: 132 minutes
Rated: 15

My rating: 5/10