by Aaron Lightfoot, Comic Columnist
Without question, Marvel Comics is beating DC Comics in live-action film adaptations. That being said, the amount of films Marvel has put out has successfully put a damper on anything DC Comics can do, and it has unfortunately made critics expect a certain list of qualities for films from both entities regardless of how different they are from one another.
The negativity surrounding the “Suicide Squad” movie is nothing more than one person’s opinion being regurgitated several times over, with each iteration feeling like something new was added to the list of complaints in order to try and make them seem like they know what they are talking about. This is not to say there weren’t flaws with the films, but there is no way the film was nearly as bad as most people are saying. Rotten Tomatoes has the film rated by critics at 26 percent with an audience score of 74 percent. Critics are allowed to have their opinions weigh a bit more than others, but on the same website critics somehow rated Sharknado an 82 percent with an audience rating of 33 percent.
Going into the film, I was extremely worried due to all of the negativity surrounding it. It started off strange, but the backgrounds behind all of the characters were not only necessary for people to understand the characters, but also very entertaining.
Throughout the film, there were several choices in dialogue and filmography that were questionable. The biggest flaws came from the writing. Many of the one-liners seemed to be said in order to let the audience know exactly what is going on.
The awkward nature of all of the villains coming together and becoming close friends so quickly is also a point of weakness for the film. There is always supposed to be conflict and resolution, but it seemed to not have much conflict and resolved so quickly that it made them being friends with one another seem like the transition was an afterthought.
There are many things the film did right. Several of the actors casted portrayed their characters in the best possible ways. Jai Courtney as Boomerang and Jay Hernandez as El Diablo were highlights for me. Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn have received mixed reviews, and there are several great moments, as well as some odd moments that didn’t fit. The best casted character in the entire film was Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Davis was able to completely convince me that she is the only person that can ever play Waller again.
Another highlight of the film was the sheer amount of comic references that were entirely spot on. Without getting into spoilers, there are several instances that made me excited to see what would happen. A scene featuring Boomerang and Slipknot, the chase sequence between Batman and the Joker, and even the slight sexual tension between Deadshot and Harley Quinn was enough to make any real fan happy.
The problem with most reviews is that people are biased toward thinking any superhero film needs to be like everything Marvel does. “Suicide Squad” has to be one of the better of the three DC films to come out since the end of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy. I will openly say that I have always been a “DC fanboy,” but I feel if someone is able to put aside the negativity around the film and watch it with an open mind, they will have an enjoyable experience. There are some obvious flaws in the movie, but this doesn’t make it one of the worst films of our time, just like many people are trying to make it out to be.
Rating: 7/10
For profiles on the characters in “Suicide Squad,” click here. View our review from film critic Andrew Link here.
One Comment
Jeff
Finally a review where someone doesn’t just crap all over the film. I really enjoyed it.