Review: The Suicide Squad is the best movie of the summer

As I said when reviewing "Black Widow" earlier this summer, I think that superhero films are meant to be a fun and chaotic ride. A great superhero film doesn’t always need to have deep character development or political undertones, sometimes the audience just needs to have fun. In all honesty, this was the most fun I have had watching a superhero film since "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019.

“The Suicide Squad" was an incredible achievement for the DC Universe. From the outstanding cast performance to the story and writing, everything about this film was well done. With how great this film was, it puts the original "Suicide Squad" in "Catwoman" territory as maybe one of the worst superhero films ever made. This movie is on par with "Wonder Woman" in terms of strictly DC projects. So, let's dive in!

Synopsis

The government reaches out to the most lethal super-villains, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Harley Quinn, and King Shark, and asks them to go on a dangerous mission. They are sent to a remote island to destroy a top-secret weapon being made by the enemy. The super-villains must learn to work together to make it home and maybe save the world while they’re there. 

What I Love

I cannot say it enough, the cast was outstanding. This is something director James Gunn has a knack for: building a cohesive group that works together seamlessly, like in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies. Grouping high-level actors like Idris Elba, John Cena, Margot Robbie, and Sly Stallone is no easy task, but they meshed so well that you could feel the chemistry throughout the entire movie. That is the key element that I think is missing from the original "Suicide Squad,“ as the chemistry was lacking and overall, just messy. John Cena and Idris Elba were comedy gold, and Margot Robbie just blew me away with another fantastic performance as Harley Quinn. 

The film was also beautifully shot. I really think this movie should gain a few Oscar nominations for effects and cinematography. There is such a clear night and day difference between the original "Suicide Squad" and this movie. This film was vibrant and full of colorful shots and from a technical standpoint, flat-out beautiful. 

I didn’t mind the linear story. They team together and destroy the threat, as they do in most other superhero films. I don’t think it's a problem to have a basic story arc if it is entertaining. This was a genuinely funny film, also! I don’t think I could honestly find a scene where the comedy was off. I laughed throughout the film, and I think you will, too. Comedy is very difficult to write and is truly subjective. Overall, it was very funny.

Man, was this movie bloody. It reminds me a lot of the brutality in "Logan" and "Deadpool," just to give some comparison. Some could view this as over the top, but I think the brutality fits the film. These people are super-villains, it only makes sense for the film to be super violent. They aren’t going to politely rip your arm off; they will do it in the most brutal way possible, and I loved it. 

What I Didn’t Love

There’s an overall issue with DC that holds it back from the level of Marvel. None of these films relate to each other. Right now, we have all these DC films that are good but have no connection. Maybe it is done to try and right the wrongs of the mess that was Zack Snyder. DC must find some leadership to finally create the universe that Synder couldn’t do if they want to contend with Marvel again. We need to see some cohesive universe building, and by now, there should be a connection. I hope it comes at some point. 

Verdict

Overall, "The Suicide Squad" is right on par with "Wonder Woman" as the best DC film right now. The hope for DC is starting to grow for me. 4.5/5 stars. 

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