The Boys and I went to the late viewing of Suicide Squad last night. It is very cold down here, and fun was had getting to the cinema. There are two commercial cinemas in Dunedin: one had sold out, and the one we were in was fairly full. I was about the oldest person there: it was full of students, about a third female.
Afterwards, walking back to the car, and home the consensus in casa Pukeko was that we enjoyed it. About 6/10. Details below
- The real hero is Captain Savage, and the dynamic of the movie is the bonding of Deadshot with him over lost loves: Savage’s GF (because the Enchantress had possessed her) and Deadshot (because he can’t see his kid). As a solo Dad, I really liked Deadshot: I have had those “I’ve gotta go” conversations with the kids
- The real villain is not the Enchantress. She’s just an alien, trying to survive and get revenge (and her heart back). It is Amanda Waller: the one shocking scene is when she shoots all her staff so only she gets rescued
- We thought Harley Quinn was the light relief and emotional core of the movie. I thought the bar scene with the “own it” speech stank of Oprah, and that Diablo’s guilt and shame was more realistic. But (this is important) Quinn was ignored then. Psychobabble meant nothing. Fixing things did.
- Politically, this movie is about as Alt Right as you can get out of Marvel. The enemy is the government. The women are all evil or crazy. The villains are chicks. A deadbeat dad is the point of view character. They can get away with it because they are bad guys, but that means they are more real and less two-dimensional than the Rio Olympics.
- This is the second best joker I’ve seen, and I want more of him. The best is the late, great, Heath Ledger
- We all loved Captain Kangaroo. He’s a stock Aussie stereotype, but the actor made the most of his role
When all heroes have to follow the narrative, only the anti-hero can tell the truth. Our times are… fallen.
This is not 2/10. It is better than Pacific Rim (and I liked Pacific rim). It is as good as the first expendables or Transporter movies.
6/10. Worth seeing in the theatre.
We’re heading out to see that next Friday. Have been looking forward to it for months. 🙂
Good fun. A bit of a let-down after looking forward to for that long, but what wouldn’t be? PS DH says I’m the Amanda Waller char. -snicker-
The fan consensus is this is the best DC comic movie since the Nolan Batman’s. (Though those were much more suited to the “War on Terror” era in ways I don’t think we all grasped quite at that point.) The technical critics that I trust not to be too stupid say there seems a whole lot that got edited down. (Something they would notice and a normal watcher shouldn’t unless it’s glaring.) So that’s where they’re focused on.
But I think you hit on the topics that made the technical issues drive most reviewers nuts. Only anti-heroes can be honest characters in most media, and honesty cuts against everything that our media pushes.
I don’t normally get out for movies, but I might actually catch this one in theaters.
OK, Mr. Gale, you have my attention. I might have to check this one out now. I like the mentioned alt-right bent, and that you brought up the truth of the matter, which is that such a viewpoint only works if the protagonists are villains.
We are indeed fallen. But even films from the fallen can offer insight into that very nature. Seems like this one might do just that.
And Leto was good as Joker, eh? Well how about that?
Anti-heroes always have a redemption aspect to them. That’s something that is just easier to write/act, as it’s far more human. You can see the problem that most writers have with Superman as the related issue. (It’s why they ended up with a lot of Jesus imagery, as they just can’t figure out how to handle that type of story properly.)
Some like this Joker; others don’t. I’ve seen both points argued decently already, so it really sounds like it’s worth a watch to pick a side.
I’m not only intrigued by the apparent alt-right bent I wasn’t expecting, from what you’re saying, but also by the fact you give it only 6 but say it’s worth seeing in theatres.
I think I’ll go see it.
I grade hard.
10/10 The first Star Wars: 2001 a space odyssey.
8/10 LOTR first and last movies, the best batman,
6/10 most action movies, Original Ghostbusters.
4/10 Movies I wait to come out on neflix
2/10 Eyes Wide Shut, the Ghostbusters remake.
Ah.
Well, having now seen it, I agree that you grade hard, I was willing to be less critical and just enjoy it overall as a mostly mindless ‘popcorn flick’, but I think your assessment is nevertheless fair, as it did have many flaws, but was still quite fun and worthwhile.
>Politically, this movie is about as Alt Right as you can get out of Marvel.
>Marvel