Review: ‘Suicide Squad’ charms and entertains

Margot Robbie steals the show

Cinegoers have been questioning the future of the DC Comics Cinematic Universe ever since the release of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. This “universe” began with Man of steel and its first phase will culminate in the Justice League movie, set to release next November. Although Man of Steel did reasonably well and received ok reviews, the reaction to Batman Vs. Superman was more polarized, with many leaning towards the negative. Fans began to ask, will there be a movie that will salvage DC comic based films and take them to the same level of success as Marvel’s comic book film universe?

All hopes by fans were pinned on the newly released Suicide Squad, another chapter in the DC universe, for two reasons. One was its amazingly put together cast, featuring such names as Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, and Viola Davis. Second, the concept is highly intriguing, involving a crew of criminals who come together to stop a threat intent on destroying the world. It is essentially the first time audiences will be rooting for villains in a superhero movie. When trailers released, fans became ever more excited as the film seemed to display exactly what they were looking for, in terms of tone, performance, content, and look. With all the hype, the key question that one raises is – is this DC’s savior? The answer is a firm yes!

In a nutshell, Suicide Squad tells the story of Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), and Killer Croc (Adewale), 5 criminals recruited by Agent Waller (Viola Davis), to stop supervillain Enchantress (Cara Delevigne) from commanding and wreaking havoc on Earth. The characters are left with a choice – do they risk their lives and participate in this “suicide” mission, or do they die in jail? To see what happens, watch Suicide Squad.

Performance wise, Will Smith is back in form to the Will Smith that we love. He is tough, suave, and confident as Deadshot, and undoubtedly performs his role well. Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale, Joel Kinnaman, and Cara Delevigne all do justice to their characters and there is not a false note in a single one of their performances.

However, the real highlight of the movie is its two star performers – Jared Leto and the (lovely) Margot Robbie. Jared Leto infuses new life into the character of the Joker and brings something fresh to the role, different from Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson. Whereas Nicholson’s Joker was deranged, Heath’s was calculating and passionate. Leto is pure creepy. He also has a sense of style not seen in previous Jokers. He is not necessarily insane, and is well aware of the fear he instills in others and his power. He is a more confident Joker than previously seen. Robbie’s Harley Quinn is actually insane, and that is what draws audiences to her. She is the most spontaneous, out of the box, and unhinged character in the movie, who also provides much of the humor and best dialogues in the film. Robbie, who is only a few films old, performs the role brilliantly, and silences any critics who think her to be only a “pretty face”. From Wolf Of Wall Street, to Focus, to Tarzan, to this, Robbie is already a superstar in her own right interested in doing a variety of roles. You can tell how much she enjoyed this character, and that enjoyment by an actor is what enables an audience to enjoy the performance even more. She steals the scene every time with her expressions and delivery, and is the real star of the film!

The direction, music, cinematography, editing, and action is all top notch. However, there is a glaring concern in the film, which most likely many audience members would share and may affect the film in the long run – the screen time of the Joker. Heavily promoted prior to release, the Joker’s total role is quite small – perhaps 10 to 15 minutes. As to why he was promoted so heavily only to play like an extended cameo is beyond me. If he did have a larger role, the decision to remove much of that also perplexes me. He is one of the most fascinating characters, and the audience looks forward to his presence every time. Audiences, I promise, will be disappointed by the amount of the Joker’s screen time, and will be scratching their head as to the reason he was introduced in the film at all, because his story is a subplot and does not have much bearing on the main plot of the movie. Disappointed in the way this was handled!

Additionally, from a writing point of view, I was disappointed that justifications were given to the villainous main characters to try and make them “grey” and somewhat more likable. These motivations were unnecessary and I guarantee the audiences would have enjoyed the characters even more if they were just plain bad, without any “feel good” drivers.

All in all, Suicide Squad is a fun, time-pass action flick. It will entertain you for sure, and is a better entry in the DC film series. It paves the way for the path forward, and I really hope the Joker and Harley Quinn come back. Their relationship is intriguing and a film featuring them would really be a treat for the audiences (Ben Affleck you listening! Put them in your solo Batman movie!). I give it 7/10. Go and give it a shot. After all, it is not often that you root for the villains in a movie.

More from Vikrum Mathur:

• Review: With ‘Sultan,’ Salman Khan continues to prove why he is a superstar (July 11, 2016)
• Independence Day: Resurgence – A fun, nostalgic ride (June 30, 2016)
• HOUSEFULL 3 brings a refreshing lightness to the series (June 6, 2016)
• Titli: A fascinating film on life in India (March 30, 2016)
• Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice – The birth of a new superhero cinematic era (March 29, 2016)
• Pyaar kar: A guide to some of the most romantic Bollywood movies (February 14, 2016)
• The Best of Bollywood 2015: The Year’s Most Entertaining Films (January 6, 2016)
• Bollywood 2016: A guide to the most awaited films of the year (January 1, 2016)
• The Modern Saint: a tribute to filmmaker Ramanand Sagar (December 29, 2015)
• Vinay Pathak sparkles in brilliant play Nothing Like Lear staged in Maryland (September 22, 2014)