OH MY GOD. I can't believe that Independence Day: Resurgence got 34% rating when Suicide Squad got only 27% in Rotten Tomatoes! Oh well, here goes my review and how I'll argue, that for sure Suicide Squad is a better movie than Independence Day!
DC movies have had it tough this year with bad reviews again and again. Although, really, BvS, the director's cut IS ENJOYABLE, I'd say (I made my sister watched it, and she also agree that it's very long but comprehensive which makes it more understandable than SS's plot. She was shocked when I told her about the scenes cut out from the theater released BvS).
After reading some of the reviews, I really almost didn't want to watch Suicide Squad, fearing that it's THAT BAD. Especially, I'd rather not to be disappointed maybe by not watching it or watching it much much later. But, some friends also said, that although I might not like it that much, I should really really give it a try, especially when this is quite my genre. At least it won't be as bad as the recently re-made Fantastic Four. So, I watched it with my sister last weekend.
This will be a full spoiler review!
First of all, we'll get to the bad parts first:
1. Despite all the hype, the Joker isn't really that much shown in the movie. He's basically used to move the plot forward. I guess they're really using all these weird news/publicity stunt just to get people to go to the cinema, so if you're going for that reason, to see Joker, I think you'll be disappointed.
What I found interesting during the trailers, is that you can pretty much guess how many type of scenes will be in the movies, and you're right. There's the introduction of the characters, problem, and the Suicide Squad, although kinda hating it, was forced to deal with the problem in the city (Gotham). That's pretty much all of it.
I couldn't really make it out from the trailers, but I had the impression that there'll be two types of problem, first is this thing we don't know from the trailer, and second, Joker giving out problems as well. Does Joker cause the first trouble? I wasn't sure. But in the end, Joker had very short scenes which was used to explain Harley Quinn's character. I really felt cheated with the promotion, but they do it all the time to male character and the female characters usually only played as a plot device, so, I guess in the end it's just fine? Or maybe just use him as flashbacks only, why the necessity of putting Joker in the plot during the big fight?
I don't know how Joker's relationship with Harley in the comics is, or his real depiction other than glimpses of the flamboyan/crazy-laughing-penguin played by Jack Nicholson and of course Heath Ledger's Joker. But I guess he's more fitting to Jack Nicholson's character? After all the hype, I'd agree with my cousin on this one. In this movie, Joker was like a big mob leader/gangster who cares A LOT about his looks and his money (and I suspect, rather emo), that I can't really feel like he's a villain I would feel awe at. After 8 years, Heath Ledger's Joker resonates deeply, and despite me trying to appreciate this one, it still makes me feel that the character is so cheap compare to Ledger's Joker.
So I agree with my sister when she said his character can just be taken out of the movie, and we won't have any problems with it.
2. This movie tells you the details of the main problem of the movie 1/4 along the way. I don't know about you, but I feel that it's way way waay to soon. I was hoping for a deeper more complex revelations towards the ending, but nothing much was there.
Funny thing is, since we all know what happened 1/4th of the movie, having all the other characters not knowing what is happening until 3/4 of the movie feels kind of silly. The suspense is lost.
3. There are some patchiness in the story telling. I also didn't get why when the Squad went into this building, why did they end up helping Amanda Waller? Is this her rescue mission? I thought they were trying to get the villain? And that she killed her team so they don't spoil anything? Does it mean Amanda simply didn't want the government to know that SHE caused all the mayhem? AND THE TOP SECRET SCENE LMFAO
4. If Joker is gonna be used at all in this movie, I wish that there'll be more of his mind manipulating ways on Harley Quinn, because I still need more to understand how Harley can give away her career and life to follow a man who abuses her physically and mentally.
5. The villain, aka the Enchantress, during the final scenes was so-so. I don't know if I'm saying this because I wasn't much impressed, and a tat disappointed for lack of other possibilities on how the story and the villain can unfold, but it isn't the type of a good villain which makes this type of movie interesting enough. But that's only my opinion. Plus, it wasn't really clear what type of machine is she trying to build to end human life? They're just collecting metals and make some swirlings in the sky but I don't feel the threatening presence of this machinery?
6. Owh the last scene where they slow-mo Harley throwing the knife to Deadshot, and Killer Croc throwing the bomb, that was really a way to be extra dramatic for nothing.
7. Poor underdeveloped Katana's character. She seems like a typical Americanized Asian character, funny name with irrelevant importance in the movie, almost only use to serve exoticness in the movie, because hey, i'm Japanese who speaks Japanese randomly when I know no one understands me, and I cry over my husband's soul under random moments of pressure during a big fight? Ugh, she deserved so much better. Or just don't force to have her here if her character is so unimportant.
8. El Diablo's character has such bad lines, hasn't he? I kind of imagine Will Smith's super awesome character with heartfelt lines would be laughing trying to act back to El Daiblo's cheesy lines. I can't believe myself. What a waste.
9. I don't know about Slipknot, but since he's from the comic book, I would have thought that he'd at least have some fighting scenes. I also feel bad because he was the only (?) character played by a native american, yet he played such short of a role. Again, it's such a waste!
AAND now to the good parts of the movie:
1. AMANDA WALLER played by QUEEN VIOLA DAVIS. Gosh, she can fill the screen with so much presence, I LOVE IT. I know I love her already from her previous movies and tv series, and SHE'S AN AMAZING ACTRESS. But she filled Amanda Waller's shoes so well, and so cruel and mean and cold hearted, you can't help to like her. They gave her some silly scenes though (like my sister pointed out, after being held by the Enchantress, she still came out un-hurt and her cellphone was still okay when she threatened the Squad not to run away), but she still pulled it off till the very end.
2. The introduction scene was enjoyable! I love knowing all the characters one by one like that, a bit cheesy, but still. I don't know what kind of researcher go alone into a cave by herself to spot a 6000 year old spirit just to get possessed, but it was sort of a badass intro.
3. I don't know much about Harley Quinn, but I love how Margot Robbie depicts her to be really strong and full of joy at one point, and tried her best to hide her vulnerability. And how she always speaks truthfully and straight to the point, like when El Diablo talked about his background story. I'm just sad that this terrific character is being manipulated by Joker. I almost thought that this is actually what she really wants (not being Joker's lover, but being a villain which kinda let her spirit breaks free?).
4. Will Smith's character's is the one that pulls the gravity towards the movie. I guess they wrote his character best, and he is so good with acting that you empathize towards his character easily. I almost feel like the movie can just use him and Harley plus Viola Davis's to make the movie works perfectly. Maybe add the Rick Flag's character (his acting was also rather nice). His concern over his family is so Will Smith-ish, but you still like it a lot. His developing friendship with Harley felt genuine and heart warming at times. Maybe rather than trying out making other solo heroes movies, they can pick Deadshot and make one for him? We know for SURE Will Smith can pull it off! (like many times he did)
5. There's not much humor in this movie, but many scenes are so silly that my sister and I kept laughing at it. Wait, am I being sarcastic?
6. It's still unfair to put this movie below Independence Day: Resurgence's rating. That movie had NO relevant characters, even sillier plot lines, unneccessary as if heroic end of the day speech, basically you don't feel any emotion towards any of the characters. It's such a waste of money. Suicide Squad has better offerings. It's not the best of superhero or to be more exact supervillain movie, but in addition of serving us with pretty nice cinematograpy (I actually kind of like this retro feel), it has plenty of characters which keeps you seated and enjoy it simply as an easy entertainment (Independence Day Resurgence was SO STUPID you get annoyed; here, you still feel entertained). Now that we got through with this painful first phase (introducing characters and their background story), I hope, if they ever make another Suicide Squad movie, they can delve directly with better story telling and focus (something which also feels lagging in BvS) to make it a much better movie. I mean look at Pacific Rim. Or Mad Max. Or Captain America: Civil War. Or Captain America: the Winter Soldier. They are good because they have a clear focus on what big problem they want to solve in the movie. Having too much plans for a movie can really sometimes annoy the hell out of us.
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