Part What out of Huh in a series(???) reviewing the DCEU(???)

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Short Version: Yeah it's pretty good, fun watch, you get a gold star for this one DC!

Long Version:
Not to be confused with Suicide Squad, THE Suicide Squad, is a pretty good movie. Perhaps the best part, is that you don't have to watch the original to watch this one. This is largely a standalone sequel, one that is a dramatic improvement over the original. If, for whatever demented reason, you saw Suicide Squad(not to be confused with THE Suicide Squad), you'd likely recall its shortcomings. Characters are boring and badly written, the plot is generic and nonsensical, the tone is wholly inconsistent, the action is poorly shot, the effects are terrible, the film was edited by an epileptic, the soundtrack is overbearing, and easily the worst sin of all, the character of Slipknot is barely in the film. Each of these immense shortcomings(save for Slipknot who remains dead), is dramatically improved upon. A large part of this is no doubt thanks to Writer and Director James Gunn. This isn't his first go around the block, having previously written and directed both Guardians of the Galaxy movies before his subsequent cancellation, firing, hiring by DC, then uncancellation and rehiring by Disney. It's all very confusing and stupid but the point is the man knows what he's doing with this sort of film. Initially I was sort of concerned that this would end up being just another Guardians, which would be very boring and trite, and while there are similar touches, they are very different films. The Suicide Squad has a much darker sense of humor, is significantly more violent, and a bit more cynical at points as well.

Suicide Squad(not THE Suicide Squad), was also a very """dark""" film, in that it was simultaneously joyless and poorly lit while also being slathered in post-reshoot quips and Hot Topic graphics, something that THE Suicide Squad strives to avoid. Instead the film plays off the absurdity of its characters and the situation they find themselves in, making for a funnier experience while retaining a semi-serious, violent edge. Our plot follows THE Suicide Squad as they're sent in to a recently couped South American nation to destroy an old Nazi research lab. Hijinks ensue as nearly every member of the team is an unstable psychopath and or/retard and nothing goes as planned. Gone is the ridiculous and dull BIG BLUE SKY BEAM ANCIENT EVIL that nobody cared about, replaced by a slightly more grounded plot evocative of some old war film.

Despite being a sequel*, very few characters return. Amanda Waller is back as the glowie behind everything and is largely unchanged. Rick Flagg returns as an actual human being instead of a piece of cardboard, given actual personality and a sense of humor, and becoming likeable in the process. Harley Quinn also returns after having previously been the centerpiece of Birds of Prey, a movie I did not see. In fact I think Shadowcon was the only person that saw it, in the entire world, accounting for its entire box office profits and weeping profusely during each showing. Harley is just sort of there because it's a Suicide Squad film so she has to be. As a few other reviews have noted, you could cut her out entirely and not really lose anything outside of a few jokes and gags, some of which were actually decently funny this time around. Captain Boomerang also returns. He is Australian.

The rest of the cast is brand new and I'll touch upon them briefly. Leading the show is Bloodsport, played by Idris Elba. Very similar to Deadshot from the previous film as "guy with gun", "guy with daughter", and "leading guy", but excelling in each. Will Smith's Deadshot was one of the brighter points in Suicide Squad, which isn't saying much since he was really only giving it half his best. Here Idris Elba manages to out-charisma Will Smith, providing a superior leading man. Similarly to Deadshot, he's in prison with a daughter left on the outside. Unlike Deadshot, he and his daughter hate each other and really want nothing to do with each other. This initial dynamic is a breath of fresh air compared to the previous installment. John Cena plays Peacemaker another "guy with gun"(and yes the movie does find the comedy in this), patriotic to the point of self parody. Rounding out the main cast is a girl that controls rats, a guy that shoots polka dots, and a giant talking shark. And I know what you're thinking, yes this is very dumb, and yes, the movie is aware of this and runs with it. There's none of the turning to the camera and yucking it up with quips that you'd expect from a Marvel film, but there is a healthy and grounded sense of self-awareness that keeps the film humorous. The film never goes too far though, and manages to give each member of the main cast, save Harley, their own little character arc. Everybody has something to do and everybody has their own motivations and feelings. This comes as a stark contrast to Suicide Squad, where a fraction of the main cast was developed and everybody was just playing follow the leader to whatever Will Smith said.

THE Suicide Squad eschews the Snyder-esque action stylings of the previous film. Overwrought slow motion, muddy lighting, and overdone VFX are traded for scenes that are clearly shot and lit, well-choreographed, and entertaining in their reflection of character personalities. There's a scene done in the rain similar to how Suicide Squad's climax was done and the difference is quite literally day and night. I was never bored or irritated with this movie. It doesn't drag, it isn't bloated with unnecessary scenes and sequences, it cuts to the point and leaves out all the filler. Even the licensed portions of the soundtrack are used to better effect than they were in Suicide Squad, with songs being significantly more reserved and selective in their usage rather than plastered across the film constantly and at random like it's been wounded with a musical shotgun. I think my only serious complaints were that some of the more "feel-good" moments at the end of the film felt a little tonally dissonant with the rest. They're "earned" I guess, but they just felt at odds with the rest of the movie.

Still, a pretty entertaining film. I'd definitely recommend you give it a watch if you haven't already. See you next time when I have to review the Ayer Cut!