Suicide Squad (2016, David Ayer) non-spoiler Review

We must have seen a different movie then because the only murky part was the final battle in my screening. Saw it in 2D as the 3D for these films is pretty much a cash grab. The post conversions rarely ever look good.

 

The best character in the film was Will Smith playing Will Smith. I’m glad he’s back. Other than that, Suicide Squad is totally forgettable. None of the characters are established well enough to view them as their comic book counterparts (how is that even possible when your movie clocks in at over 2 hours long?!). The Joker doesn’t feel like the Joker, Katana doesn’t feel like Katana, Deadshot doesn’t feel like Deadshot… and so on. The worst offense is each character is manipulated to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I understand these are criminals, but do we really need Harley Quinn to be a stripper or Killer Croc as a stereotypical BET watching, urban thug? Who is the target audience for this film? Juggalos!?

The villain is confusing and made even more so from the appalling storytelling,…. the pacing is so off that any type of attempt to bring heart into the film is ruined by cringe inducing dialog (Did Will Smith really just call somebody a “Ho”?!) or the horrible songs the film uses as its backdrop. Fucking Eminem? What is this?... 2002?

This is just a hard pill to swallow, especially being witness to Nolan’s universe and how impressive it was to see brought together with such care and respect to the characters and the audience that loves them. This DCEU that has been created is an absolute tragedy for fans of these characters. It is blatantly obvious that it’s nothing but a bland and uninspired attempt to keep up with Marvel at the box office.

If you want to watch a more accurate and engaging depiction of the Suicide Squad, check out the animated film Batman: Assault on Arkham. Furthermore, aside from the new Batffleck movie, I have no intentions of seeing anymore DC films that have any involvement in this current universe. It’s just not for me.

 

VINDICATED! Actually, I have a hard time keeping track of the Dead/th_____ characters myself. Any, yes, he does look terrible in the Arrow series. But, I like the way the character was written more. He's much more cynical in the show and his humor tends to be a lot darker rather than Smith's more flippant take.

 

I enjoyed the film. Will Smith and Margot Robbie were both exceptional. With this large a production there are bound to be some misses but overall it was very entertaining. I'll be buying this on blu and hopefully it will feature a longer cut like BVS did. Saw it in regular 2D.

 

It definitely felt like the "studio's cut" than Ayer's (despite what he says) but I won't lie-I had a blast watching it. The cast was great (especially Smith and Robbie) and it was just big colorful comic book fun.

Saying that I had two problems:

-I liked what Leto did with the Joker but he was barely in the movie (a lot of his scenes were cut out)
-The villains were bland and forgettable. As forgettable as the blandest MCU villains.

I hope for a DC on Blu but it sounds doubtful. Still picking it up regardless!

 

Agreed. Took some convincing for my 13 year old, who just assumes anything 3D = fun. But now he asks and I tell him when they aren't worth seeing in 3D. Plus I told him we can see more movies (as it is cheaper to go).

 

3D is pretty much dead over here.
We have a high end 3D digital theater in my town, but people don't give a shit anymore, including me, and rather watch the 2D version.
Movies shot in "REAL 3D" looks pretty good, but since 95% are converted, it looks like shit, and is NOT worth the money.

 

I really enjoy 3D when it is done right - but yea a lot of converted cash grabs are made - some better then others. I try to get some info before shelling out for the 3D over 2D

 

Outside of Chomp, you guys are way too kind

This movie is a mess.

 

I'm sure everyone who saw it and enjoyed it will freely admit the editing was a mess. Still I was able to enjoy the movie and I'm hoping for a longer/alternate cut on blu.

 

My son and I both enjoyed it. But we loved Bat v Superman so maybe we are just nuts.

 

I really didn't think the editing was that messy. The reviews made it sound very distracting but I thought it flowed fine for the most part. I do doubt this is the director's cut though, even with Ayer saying otherwise.
I still hope they give us an extended or alternate cut on bluray, but that's mainly to see more of the Joker's stuff. Jared Leto keeps mentioning there was a lot more stuff of him that got cut and how he hopes it surfaces. Fingers crossed.

 

I'd like to add my two cents. I just returned from an Imax 3D viewing of the film for the first time. I love the Batman universe, Imax and 3D.

First of all, the 3D was poor. I'm hoping the blu-ray version adds some more depth. Being a Batman fan, I was disappointed that the Joker didn't have a better introduction such as he did in the other films. Leto's overall performance was too truncated to judge. The only character I did not like at all was Killer Croc. I'm of the opinion that his character should be dangerous, overwhelming and unpredictable. He was none of those things.

This film is the Harley and Deadshot show. Neither disappointed. Will Smith did not mail this performance in at all. I've never really been a fan of his work. I can't possibly imagine anyone being more perfectly cast than Ms. Robbie was as Harley. She was magnificent. I'll also take Captain Boomerang over Captain America anyday. Jai Courtney was great.

Was the movie rushed? Yes. The dialogue was weak in spots, some jokes fell flat (some of Croc, none of Harley's). The CG villain was not unlike any other weak CG villain. This was WB's response to the idiotic whining over DC's lack of a fun comic movie. That's what it is, for better or worse.

It's wonderful to see these characters brought to life. I'll say it again, Harley was magnificent. Better than I anticipated. As is the film. There is no reason Suicide Squad should be panned this badly yet The Avengers receives so much praise. That isn't a Marvel/DC comparison, it's a comic book movie comparison. Fact is, these actors and actresses threw themselves into these roles and enjoyed doing so. I hope a more complete director's cut is in the pipeline, but I enjoyed myself just the same.

3.5 out of 5.

 

Here's a list of stuff that was altered or removed. Seems like this cut would have been a lot better and the actual director's cut.

Spoiler: List

• In early cuts, the movie's opening detailed June Moone's posession by Enchantress in real time. Reshoots reshuffled the scene to be later in the movie in flashback form in favor of a new opening centered on Deadshot.
• Deadshot in the prison cell, watching the rain fall and thinking about his daughter.
• El Diablo observing the flame of a lit match, before putting it out due to his vow to no longer use his powers.
• El Diablo being escorted to a training center by being placed in a tube that fills with water to quel his flames, and then unceremoniously dropped onto the ground.
• Early interviews mentioned Captain Boomerang's racism and sexism, but the movie is light on examples of such behavior, which have apparently been deleted. Most of them were reportedly directed at Katana, to whom Boomerang is attracted to.
• Early reports indicated more backstory for Killer Croc, revealing that he lived his entire life as a social outcast due to his physical deformities and has convinced himself that he is beautiful in his own way. Croc crossed paths with Batman while working as muscle-for-hire for numerous Gotham's crime bosses, while secretly planning to take over one day. There were also scenes displaying his affinity for making sculptures out of discarded materials. Aside from jokes about Croc viewing himself as 'beautiful,' one of these were retained in the final cut.
• Also deleted was a scene where he (Croc) becomes sick at the helicopter escort to Midway City, throws up half-digested pieces of goat, and then eats them again, disgusting the nearby Navy Seals.
• Early cuts reportedly included a passing reference to Slipknot being serial rapist, likely to further paint him as unsympathetic to the audience ahead of his own death.
• More scenes of Rick Flag and June Moone's romantic relationship, including him reading the files of the Suicide Squad recruits after Waller delivers them to him.
• Another scene where Flag and Moone are out on a date.
• Extended scene of Joker interrogating Captain Griggs, including the line, "I can't wait to show you my toys," which was in every trailer, but was removed from the movie.
• Joker and his men escaping after shooting up a restaurant. Harley, who is already affiliated with the Joker, follows them on a motorcycle and intercepts their car. Joker bangs his head against the glass in frustration.
• Joker and Harley then get into a fight, which ends with Harley pointing a gun at Joker's head. Joker sweet-talks Harley into lowering the gun, charming her, then backhands her across the face. Afterwards he sweet-talks her again and they kiss.
• Extended Ace Chemicals scene where Harley jumps into the chemicals. More bits of dialogue by the Joker.
• Extended Batmobile chase scene with more interaction between Joker and Harley. One of the examples, presented in all the trailers, is the Joker punching the roof of his car.
• Harley using her baseball bat as a mock gun to play shoot at invisible foes.
• Extended scene of Joker breaking into the nanobomb manufacture facility to arrange for Harley's neck-bomb to be disabled.
• More interactions between Harley and Boomerang. Early cuts apparently included her really disliking him despite growing affectionate to all other members of the squad.
• Extended bar scene with Harley taking everyone's orders. Deadshot calls for a shot, Katana wants whiskey, Croc and Boomerang settle for beer, Harley asks Diablo wants and he prefers water which she jokes, is "a good idea." The scene was featured in the trailers, but in the movie it cuts directly to Deadshot's speech about them almost pulling the mission off.
• Removed several scenes with the Joker to repaint his relationship with Harley as more loving rather than abusive.
• Joker and Harley get into an argument after he rescues her in the hijacked helicopter. In early cuts he reportedly pushes her out to kill her, then the helicopter gets shot down. This was apparently reworked into the helicopter getting shot down first and Joker pushing her out to save her.
• Joker returns during the final battle in the subway station, face half-burnt from the helicopter crash, which apparently leads to a brief altercation with the Suicide Squad. He calls for Harley to escape with him but she refuses for once in order to help her friends, and the Joker escapes after throwing a live grenade at the group to cover his own escape.

 

It makes me happy to see all the people I respect on here gave it a chance and had fun

Read that deleted scenes list earlier and a lot of those should've been in the movie.

The scene in which

Spoiler

The Joker shows up with his face burned and drops the grenade...yeah I can understand why that was cut because it would make his break in at the end less surprising (I guess)

 

Spoiler

Having him briefly go up against the Squad would have been really cool and something a lot of people were hoping for so it really boggles me as to why they'd remove it. I do't think anyone thought he was actually dead in the first place. I know I was expecting him to pop up again.

 

Yeah it's obvious

Spoiler

he's not dead but that final scene is still played with the intent "OMG he's not dead!" so it makes sense. at least to me, why it was cut

Would I still have liked to see it? You bet.

 

So roughly about 10 minutes or so of stuff left out.

 

Oh no, there was much more than that. Leto said enough footage of him was shot for an entire Joker film.

http://batman-news.com/2016/08/07/jared-leto-suicide-squad-footage-joker-movie/