'Suicide Squad' review

'Suicide Squad' Review

*Spoilers for Suicide Squad and Batman vs Superman

The DC cinematic universe has not had a good run so far. Man of Steel was met by a universal “Meh, it was fine I guess” and Batman vs Superman was a complete and total train-wreck. So DC have taken a break from heroes whilst they lick their wounds from the critical backlash they received from BvS and have offered us something fresh and exciting. Focusing on Super villains, instead of heroes and offering audiences something different that hasn’t been scene on screen before (not even by Marvel). Ever since the first Suicide Squad trailer, there has been a huge amount of hype building towards this movie and I genuinely thought that this would be the film to get movie goers back on board with the franchise and kick start the DCCU properly. But does it deliver ? Not really.

Following on from Superman’s death in Batman vs Superman, the US government are concerned about the potential of another Superman like being arriving on Earth. If the next incarnation didn’t share the values of man kind, who would defend us from him. Government Agent Amanda Waller proposes to assemble ‘Task Force X’ - a rag tag team of super criminals to do their bidding for them under the leadership of Rick Flag. After being burdened with bombs implanted into their necks the team are forced to band together in order to face an otherworldly attack in Midway City.

The characters are, to me at least, the strongest element of this movie. Will Smith and Margot Robbie are of course great, but special mentions need to be made for Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) and Jay Hernandez (El Diablo) who are both amazing. In fairness, every character in the movie is a least good and a most superb, which for a movie featuring such a vast array of characters is a real achievement. The introductions and back stories to all of the main players in the film are also amazing, particularly Harley Quinn's story of how she was converted by the Joker. In fact I enjoyed seeing it in live action so much, that I hope the rumoured Joker and Harley movie also touches on it. Also, the interactions between the characters are great. DC are clearly trying to respond criticism from past movies, by allowing the tone of the movie to be much lighter which allows for some hilarious interactions between the cast. Sure, not all of the jokes land and there are instances where you can tell that humour has been forced in during re-shoots that do feel out of place, but on the whole there are some very funny moments in the movie(although you do see a lot of them in the trailers), and its good to see DC not taking their movies too seriously. This also allows for this movie to be the most comic book accurate movie DC studios have ever put out by far. Everything from the colour palettes to the costumes and weapons on show are spot on, and yet the characters still feel grounded in the real world.

This also feels like a good time to give praise to the awesome yet brief cameos of some Justice League members. The Flash is only on screens for about 10 seconds (quite fitting of his abilities) but yet his look and costume looks truly incredible. And despite not being credited for his work in the credits, Ben Affleck crushes it as Batman. Despite also only having a brief appearance, this is certainly the best interpretation we've seen of the character, in particularly due to his accuracy to the comics (e.g. not brutally murdering people). His interactions with Deadshot and Harley Quinn are great and the mid credits scene is very intriguing.

However, this movie is movie is far from perfect. As I mention the characters are great, yet some of them of tragically underused. I can understand that Will Smith and Margot Robbie need as much screen time as possible as they're the names that are drawing more casual fans to the movie, but characters such as El Diablo and Katana deserve way more screen time. In fact Killer Croc's only purpose in the whole film is to plant the bomb at the very end, which is very obviously rammed in just so the director can say that everyone contributed. In this way DC have failed to learn from past experiences - they are more focused on featuring as many 'cool' scenes as possible without sparing a thought for the narrative of the movie. In addition, this is another example of re-shoots hindering a movie. Its rumoured that by the time the film was shot, there were two separate scripts; the directors original and the studios version to try and respond to criticism that has clearly been mashed together here. As I mentioned , a lot of the comedy feels forced, yet there are also instances such a Rick Flag's haircut changing from scene to scene that illustrate this. This sadly leads to the movies flow crashing to a holt and the whole plot and story kind of stumbles into the final act. Also the hoards of faceless enemies felt very redundant and the villain was very weak in my opinion. 

You may be wondering how I've gone this far through the review without mentioning the new Joker. Thats because I genuinely forgot he was in it. I feel awful for Jared Leto. He's spent the best part of six months of his life never breaking character to try and immerse himself into the role, and yet the final product rolls around and he's barely in it. This makes it very hard for me to formulate an opinion of him. Of what I saw I liked. Jared Leto goes all out in this role and his appearance, thought upsetting to some, is a lot less noticeable in motion. However, he can't be in the movie for more than 15 minutes of screen time. I appreciate that he isn't a member of the Suicide Squad so he was never going to a main part of the story, but by the same token you could have easily left him out of the movie (except for the flashbacks of Harley Quinn's origin) and it would have made little to no difference to the story. I am, however, now very excited to see where he turns up next (Hopefully in the Batman solo movie!)

Overall, I can easily say that this is the best DCCU entry that we've seen so far but that may not be high praise considering how weak the other entries are. The story was pretty poor, the comedy felt forced at times and large chunks of this project are clearly missing. That being said, the characters were a brilliant, the opening 30/45 minutes were extremely enjoyable and the film did a great job of expanding the universe. DC are still a million miles off the quality of Marvel Movies, but this film is at least a nudge in the right direction. Hopefully, the extended/directors cut includes everything we missed in the cinematic version, as with all that present I feel this could have been a pretty good movie.

3/5 Stars

'Captain America:Civil War' review

'Captain America:Civil War' review

As a huge Marvel fan, it's extremely difficult for me to not get excited every time that Marvel Studios release a movie. They have a bullet proof filmography, ranging from movies that are satisfying to movies that leave you genuinely speechless as you leave the cinema. The high expectations and excitement of course mean that its a lot easier for a movie to be a huge disappointment if it turns out to be no good. However, I trust Marvel Studios to continue to make great films, and I'm glad to announce that their latest outing 'Captain America:Civil War' is no exception - it is truly phenomenal.

Following on shortly after the events of 'Avengers:Age of Ultron' and 'Antman', the Avengers are at a cross roads. The governments of the world are no longer willing to tolerate the Avengers demolishing cities and causing mass amounts of casualties in their bids to save the world, and so the United Nations create the 'Sokovia Accords' - a document ensuring that super heroes will either have to register with the governments or be forced to retire. Tony Stark is completely on board with this, as after his 'retirement' at the end of 'Age of Ultron' he's had a lot of time to reflect and has realised that the Avengers are directly responsible for the deaths of thousands and the destruction of entire cities. Steve Rodgers, on the other hand, disagrees as he has witnessed first hand the corruption rooted deep in both 'S.H.I.E.L.D' and 'Hydra' and doesn't want to lose his right to choose when and where he and the Avengers get to work. This disagreement leads the Avengers to separate into two factions, one lead by Iron Man, the other by Captain America. When negotiation fails, the Avengers have to resort to other methods to settle their differences.

The Russo brothers should be given massive plaudits, as they have made it so that the audience can support and yet empathise with both teams, making the inevitable fight all the more satisfying. The reasoning behind the conflict isn't at all far fetched and you can completely understand where both sides are coming from. Other than the Iron Man and Captain America fight,  there are many other storylines at play, including introductions of new characters, developing relationships between existing characters and Cap's mission to reunite himself with Bucky Barnes, none of which detract from the core of the story, only enriching the film and continuing to expand the ever growing MCU.

The action scenes, as we've come to expect from Marvel Studios, are spectacular. The chase between Bucky, Black Panther and Cap; the brawl between the two teams and the 1v1 between Cap and Iron Man are all wonders to behold and the movie even makes the politics behind the conflict tense and suspenseful. There are also some massive twists in the tail that very few will see coming, which only add to the drama.

Despite all this, Marvel continue to pick the perfect tone for their movies. Even with the huge things at stake in this film, the Avengers are still cracking 'one liners' to each other. This movie has some genuinely funny moments, all of which provide welcomed rest-bite from the intensity of the conflict.

There was some concern that introducing new characters, would only detract from the focus of the movie, but both new additions, Black Panther and Spider Man, should be welcomed with open arms because the are both amazing. Black Panther fits the role perfectly and provides yet another emotional twist in the build up to the fight. But the real star of the show is Spider Man. After Fox's two mediocre at best attempts of the character, I thought I was finished with Spider Man in movie form, but 'Civil War' has me completely back on board. There must be a hell of a weight on Tom Holland's shoulders to perform one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time at such a young age (especially after many others had failed) but he does so exceptionally. This version is the best and most comic book accurate version of both Peter Parker and Spiderman that we have seen. Everything about him, from the fact that he's actually played by a high school kid to the angsty comments about how he can't join the Avengers as he has too much homework is exactly as it should be. The inclusion of the character is used masterfully. Its a sensational introduction of the character to the MCU, but is brief enough so that he doesn't steal all the attention from Captain America and Iron Man. I now cannot wait for 'Spider Man:Homecoming'

I cannot urge you enough to rush out and see 'Civil War'. Not only does it stand alone as a incredible movie, but it fits snugly into the astounding universe that Marvel Studios have created. The new characters are both exceptional, the story is emotional and yet exciting and the fight is incredibly satisfying. I can honestly say that this is one of the best movies that Marvel have made, which is saying something due to the marvellous record they have. I would say it's their best outing since 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and is definitely in my top 3. Truly Spectacular.

5/5 Stars

'Batman vs Superman:Dawn of Justice' review

'Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice' Review

WARNING: This review contains some spoilers for the film and other DC comics and movies. If  you haven't seen the movie and want to go in blind, then watch the film before reading this.

There was a vast number of people, myself included, that were under the impression that 'Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice' was never going to come out. Since it was announced at Comic Con 2014 , its had it's release dates switched multiple times and was finished being filmed over a year and a half before it was finally released, leading many fans to be concerned that the final product was going to be a chopped up mess of a movie that has been thrown together haphazardly. However now all these rumours can be put to bed, as the movie is finally here. Any movie that pins two of the most iconic comic book characters ever known against each other is going to attract a lot of attention and pressure from fans, as they really just want to see this epic clash of 'Son of Krypton vs Bat of Gotham' done well, and for the most part this movie is just that - done well.

The plot is a little more elaborate than the classic "Who would win in a fight between..." it may appear as on the surface. As a direct follow up 'Man of Steel' (2013), Metropolis is divided by their opinions on Superman. Some think he's a hero for saving them from the Krypton invasion and a symbol of hope, others see him as responsible for the destruction of Metropolis during his battle with Zod. Batman falls in the second category, and sees Superman as a violent threat to mankind who needs to be stopped before he "wipes out the entire human race." However, Bruce isn't alone in his hatred for Superman as behind the scenes Lex Luthor has been pulling the strings to make Superman look like the villain he's perceived to be and to make sure Batman has ample means to destroy Superman.

The cast is a mixed bag. Ben Affleck is a terrific as both Batman and Bruce Wayne. He definitely has me excited for his solo Batman movie, which I wasn't before I saw this movie. Some of the supporting actors are excellent too; Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) is a brief but welcome addition and sows the seeds for her own solo movie, Jeremy Irons is a tremendous Alfred Pennyworth and Amy Adams does a great job as Lois Lane. 

However, not all members pull off the roles. Jesse Eisenberg to his credit gives his all to the role of Lex Luthor, but it just doesn't work. Lex Luthor is supposed to be the 'greatest criminal mastermind of all time' and able to match the superior intellect of both Batman and Superman. However in this movie, he's comes across as a psychotic maniac who gives very little thought to his plans, has melt downs during public speaking and leaves jars of his own urine in court rooms. For example, Lex Luthor realises that his plan to trick Batman into killing Superman isn't going to work, so creates Doomsday from the mutated Krypton genes of Zod. But say his plan worked. Doomsday defeated Superman. What would happen afterwards? Lex didn't have any control over the monster he had created. Doomsday would have just destroyed the entire planet, including Luthor himself. I'm also not completely on board with Henry Cavill as Superman. I like Cavill as an actor, and don't thinks its fair to blame my dislike for Superman in this current DC universe on him. It's more so the writing for his character. I can appreciate that Superman is the leader of the Justice League and is more solum and mature than some of his fellow heroes, but in both 'Man of Steel' and 'Dawn of Justice' he spends most of his time sulking and being miserable. Other than Superman initially realising he could fly, there is very little comedy associated with his character. The rest of the time he's snapping necks or blatantly killing people, which I dare say doesn't do his reputation any good.

The pace of the movie is a complete contrast to other DC movies, and most super hero movies in general. The action is almost constant, and provides very little down time between action. While I personally think this is a welcome change, especially in the context of the story, I can see how it may overwhelm people, as some scenes (particularly the first 10-15 minutes) do tend to jump around and switch a little too quickly and may confuse someone who either isn't familiar with the source material and/or hasn't seen 'Man of Steel'. In addition, although I enjoyed the dream sequences throughout the movie, particularly Batman's nightmare of what would happened if Superman went rogue and became a vicious dictator, they did at times feel a little out of place and as though they had just been  shoehorned in to promote future properties we may see.

The action in the film is  exceptional, which you would expect from a movie with a budget of over $250 million. I particularly liked the scene where Batman clears a room of 30 thugs single handedly using the element of surprise to his advantage - which is probably the most Batman thing we actually see him do. My only problem was the actual fight it's self. Don't get me wrong, the morbid part of me loved seeing Batman and Superman beat the crap out of each other - I just wanted more of it. In a film that runs for nearly 3 hours, the main fight of the movie lasts maybe 20 minutes tops, leaving me desperately wanting more. Personally I feel the movie could have done without the inclusion of Doomsday. Just keep 'Batman vs Superman' between Batman and Superman and leave Doomsday for a future project, e.g. the Justice League.

My gain concern with this movie (which may not even register with some people) is the characterisation of some key roles. As I mentioned before, Lex Luthor doesn't work, but I also wasn't pleased with Batman. Ben Affleck did a outstanding job of portraying the character he was given, but that character wasn't Batman. Or at least a comic accurate version of Batman, which fans have been crying out for. One of the most iconic comic book characters of all time has had his persona almost completely rewritten. 

Batman has three hard and fast rules that he lives by; 

1)Don't kill anybody

2)Don't use guns

3)Don't drink 

In 'Dawn of Justice' we see him break all three of them. Several times. 

I'm all for changing the comics - everybody's adaptation is going to be different - but Zach Snyder has completely changed the motives and reasoning behind Batman. After his parents are murdered, Bruce swears to make sure no one in his city is ever hurt in the way he was and uses his childhood fear of bats to instil fear into the hearts of his enemies. Other than his sneak attack on the warehouse, we see non as this as it's replaced with Batman shooting guns and bedding women. I can understand him killing in a dream sequence when he's fighting super soldiers, but when Batman starts snapping the necks of street level thugs, something is seriously wrong. 

Overall, I don't hate this movie. There is a lot to like about it. Most of the cast do a terrific job; the action is stupendous and its infinitely better than the last entry in this current DC universe. However, as much as everyone wanted this movie to be amazing, it's not. The reasoning behind their fight starts off pretty strong but ends up as a pure misunderstanding which could be eradicated by either hero simply asking the other what was going on, the fight its self is underwhelming and far too brief and Superman is vastly underused ... again. If you enjoyed 'Man of Steel' then certainly see it as it covers a lot of the same ground and continues the story. If you didn't enjoy 'Man of Steel', maybe still give it ago because it's much better than 'Man of Steel' and is by no means a bad movie. However it has left me quite disappointed and now more cautiously optimistic than excited about future DC projects.

2/5 Stars