Movie Review - Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad ** (out of 5) (PG-13) Disclaimer - This review comes from an action and sci-fi fan who hasn’t read the long-running comix on which this film was based; devotees’ opinions may vary)

This summer blockbuster offering is basically a contemporary version of The Dirty Dozen with superpowers, set in the DC Comics reality of Superman and Batman. Our nation’s military honchos need a new kind of force to defend against likely threats coming from meta-humans with evil plans, or serving ambitious mega-villains. So Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) recruits some of the worst criminals in our prisons to form the eponymous unit. Deadshot (Will Smith) is a top assassin; Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) became a lethal loonie when she fell in love with The Joker (Jared Leto); others have assorted lethal skills, some of which are superhuman. Obedience to special ops leader Capt. Flag (Joel Kinnamon) is enforced via inserted explosive devices that can be remotely activated to blow up any traitor or deserter “real good”.

The script efficiently introduces newbies in the house to the concept and players. Action scenes generally are exciting, though often confusing. The tone and overall look are as dark and gloomy as Batman flicks, without the levity and charm of The Avengers, or most of the films that have erupted from the pages of Marvel Comics. Without Smith and Robbie, the characters and dialogue would have been quite dull, due to lack of engaging personalities among the rest. As expected, the plot ends by setting up sequels. I learned that the Squad’s years in print have featured many other team members. While this debut may not be particularly inspiring, expect more tales of this crew, tweaking the series with others from the comics, as needed, for energy boosts. (8/5/16)