As it turns out, this was not a blessing for Suicide Squad. It actually hurt the final product.
There were two movies here melded into one: David Ayer's version and the studio's version. This led to the tone being inconsistent throughout, and what I mean by that it every second or third scene felt like it could have been part of a different movie. This was a similar problem to what was experienced by BvS, and it will continue to be a problem as we move forward in the "DC Expanded Universe" if Warner do not learn to put trust in their directors. Marvel wouldn't have reached the level of success that it has if they hadn't allowed filmmakers like Jon Favreau, Sir Kenneth Brannagh and Joss Weadon to shape their franchise. The same could be said about Bryan Singer with the first two X-Men films and Sam Raimi with the original Spider-Man trilogy. David Ayer is a very competent director (as evidenced by the exceptional Brad Pitt-led "Fury") and Warner Brothers should have been brave enough to let him form his own vision of what the Suicide Squad could have been with as little involvement from them as possible. As soon as the reported extensive re-shoots on this project were ordered I feared that it would result in a very confused story, and my apprehension was proven correct. If you want to the point a finger at anyone for Suicide Squad not being an A+ film, point it at Warner Brothers.
In saying this, the plot line didn't do much to service this movie's characters either. The main villain is Enchantress, a centuries-old mythical being who now inhabits the body of Cara Delevingne. That's the first problem: what makes a top hit-man and a psychopath with a baseball bat any further qualified to take on this threat than, let's say, the Batman. The Squad should have been put up against some sort of terrorist organisation or something similar, that would have been a better way to show off their skills. Instead what we get is the villains doing their best to kill mindless henchmen (who seem to be no threat at all) before being absolutely battered around by the Enchantress who, if she was smart, would have just killed them all with her magic there and then. To be honest, the best part of Suicide Squad was the flashbacks that showed us exactly what made these character's the way they now are, but these are not used anywhere near often enough. Add that onto the ridiculous overuse of chart-based music in this film and you'd be forgiven for thinking that Suicide Squad was beyond saving from an abysmal rating.
However, the acting and most of the characterisation of the Suicide Squad is fantastic. Margot Robbie IS Harley Quinn. For those of you who don't know, Harley Quinn was first introduced in Batman: The Animated Series as a one-time sidekick of Mark Hamill's Joker. Yet fan popularity saw her presence grow, and at this point she is featured predominantly in the DC comic-books as well as appearing multiple times in other Batman media. She is one of the most complex and endearing characters to ever have entered Batman's universe, so it is so satisfying to finally see the character brought to life so well on screen. Robbie oozes sex-appeal, fun and a sense of deep dark danger. She bring levity and is strangely likeable, but the filmmakers are always careful to not let us forget that she is, effectively, a serial-killer (see the revelation at the film's opening that she was at least partially responsible for the death of Robin as an example of her evil nature). For most of this movie she looks after her own self-interests (getting back to her beloved Joker) but she forms a bond with the rest of the Squad which sees her finally get to see what it's like to be a part of a team and get a taste of heroism. Simply, Robbie is an absolute joy to watch whenever she is on-screen and I expect her to be a focal point of this universe going forward. Will Smith is also great as the well-known Batman villain, Deadshot. Deadshot is a sociopath who places the same value on human-life as he does on the size of his purse strings. Smith perfectly radiates Deadshot's arrogant demeanour but it is the tender moments he shares on-screen with his daughter that really put this performance above the rest. Smith proves in Suicide Squad that he is still a bankable leading man if given the right part and the opportunity to have fun with the role. The final cast member who I'm going to mention is Jared Leto. Leto's Joker doesn't get too much screen-time here, but every time he is he captivates you with his presence. His performance is sexually charged in the usual ways you would expect from the Oscar winner at this point, but it is his rage and seriousness that sets him apart from any incarnation of the character we have seen before. While Nicholson and Ledger's Jokers felt like a threat on a larger scale, Leto's is the type of villain who would enjoy making you watch him kill your entire family. It's an evil that seems to hit closer to home, and that makes him all the more terrifying. While not in the movie very often, Leto's chemistry with Margot Robbie and his own impressive reinvention of the role have made a believer out of me. All-in-all, Leto is most definitely the right pick for this iconic role.
Yet this brings me to the element of this film that left me most undecided, and that is how The Joker and Harley Quinn's relationship has been portrayed in this movie. Traditionally, fans of the Batman comics have already butchered the true nature of this pairing enough by captioning pictures of the two with "#relationshipgoals" or something similar. In Suicide Squad, we see that this incarnation of The Clown Prince loves Harley and they have been described as the "King and Queen of Gotham". This simply should not be the case if the source material is to be followed. Traditionally, Harley has been portrayed as The Joker's greatest victim, someone who's promising future was stripped from her due to the torture experienced at the hands of her "puddin". While this version would perhaps allow the filmmakers more room to possibly explore a redemption story for Harley, the slightly more mutual affection demonstrated in Suicide Squad gives us more of a wrinkle on The Joker's character and has the potential to create a very emotional arc going forward. It will be interesting to see how the two characters develop and I would love to see the two face-off at one point down the line. Where the Joker/Harley relationship is concerned, I will reserve judgement for now.
Before I finish up, let me say this; I did enjoy Suicide Squad, but there's no denying that it is a bit of a mess for the reasons I've listed above. In saying this, it does have a charm to it that I think comes from the love that the director and the cast have clearly put into this film. At times, it is so much fun. The behind-the-scenes bond that these actors have reportedly formed has clearly translated to the screen, but it is corrupted by the changes made by the studio. In conclusion, Suicide Squad did not live up to its hype, but there is certainly a better film in there somewhere. If a director's cut is released, I will be the first in line to buy it.
Score: 7.4/10
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