Second chances pay off - The suicide squad review

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

"I cherish peace with all my heart. I don't care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it."

Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

Not being the biggest fan of the 2016 attempt, Suicide Squad (David Ayer), I wasn't completely bought on the idea that this version was going to be any better. James Gunn, known more recently for directing the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, however, has created something intriguing, filled with heart and jam packed with explosive action scenes, not to mention a stellar cast.

The Suicide Squad has finally found its place within the superhero genre, and fits perfectly. The way this film is shot is so incredibly distinctive and unusual for a typical superhero movie; for example, a distorted fight scene is shot through the reflection of Peacemaker's (John Cena) shiny helmet that lays on the floor, creating not only an incredibly talented and distinctive shot but adds a dimension of characteristic directing. This film has that Gunn feeling, and imaginative shots like the one described proves this.

The cast works. They all have great chemistry together, and it truly feels like this time round, the casting director got it spot on. Instead of purely hiring A-list actors in order to gain a wider audience, arguably like the first one did (Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne), this one felt purposeful and meaningful. Idris Elba (Bloodsport) and Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn) are perfect in their roles, they create imperfect characters who, whilst have still done some of the worst crimes imaginable, audiences still feel sympathy for them both. John Cena, Peter Capaldi (Thinker) and of course Sylvester Stallone's voice acting as King Shark all do a great job at convincingly portraying their characters, yet the stand-out performance is by Daniela Melchior who plays Ratcatcher. Her ability to convey emotion and vulnerability all whilst playing a particularly weird and strange character, as an audience member, you feel for her and what she has had to deal with throughout her life. However, don't get too attached to any character, you never know what's going to happen to a member of The Suicide Squad.

One element of this movie that Gunn has achieved perfectly is the level of gore and Gunn not being afraid to make it a movie that is for adults and not be fooled by the idea that superhero movies must be acceptable for children in order for them to be successful, but he has proven that it is not the case. Whilst the visual effects are not perfect, the gruesome nature of some of the scenes are enough to make you squirm, especially during several of the fight scenes between the major characters. Be warned, it is not for the faint-hearted.

This movie is not without its faults, ranging from characters spontaneously changing judgements and motives which sometimes feel unusual and confusing for the viewer, to a familiar nostalgia of characterisation that resembles rather heavily on Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy characters. Yet, after the disaster that was the 2016 Suicide Squad, this movie proves that second chances will pay off if you have the right vision, the right cast and and the balls to take a very big risk.