MOVIE REVIEWS

REVIEW: Hyper-Violent & Bloody ‘Suicide Squad’ Movie Sequel Is For Hardcore Fans Only

Aug 6, 2021, 6:00 AM | Updated: 7:56 am

SALT LAKE CITY — Five years ago, a comic book movie based on a team of supervillains sent by the government to battle an even worse enemy earned nearly $750 million at the box office. This despite being panned by critics (though I personally didn’t hate it) and the director arguing that it wasn’t the version of the movie he wanted to make.

‘The Suicide Squad’ from writer-director James Gunn, DC Comics & Warner Bros Pictures opens in theaters & streaming on HBO Max, Aug. 6, 2021

Now, even as fans ask for a director’s cut of that 2016 film, DC Comics and Warner Brothers have decided to give “Suicide Squad” a reboot. This time they brought in a highly successful Marvel movie director (James Gunn of “Guardians of the Galaxy” fame) and he was given almost carte-blanche to do what he wanted, apparently with no restraint.

In Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” government agent Amanda Waller (played again by Viola Davis) needs another team of convicts from the fictional Belle Reve prison to go into a jungle country on a search-and-destroy mission. Bloodsport (played by Idris Elba) is asked to lead the team, which includes characters with names like Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, T.D.K., Weasel, Polka Dot Man, Peacemaker and likely the only name you might recognize: Harley Quinn (played again by Margot Robbie).

Honestly, there wasn’t much that I enjoyed about “The Suicide Squad.” I expected it to be violent based on its R-rating, but I was surprised just HOW violent and gory it got.

Some individual characters had funny moments, but too many of them were in the trailer.

There were visually impressive moments and artistic cinematic touches, but for me, it wasn’t enough to balance out the over-the-top violence, gore, and lack of connection to most of the characters.

I have no doubt there will be people who like this movie, but I can’t personally recommend this to anyone outside of the most hardcore comic book fans.

“The Suicide Squad” is playing in theaters everywhere on the big screen and streaming free to subscribers on HBO Max until Sept. 6.

Interested in this movie?  Watch the video at the top of the page for my full, in-depth review & final rating.

(L-r) JOEL KINNAMAN as Colonel Rich Flag, ALICE BRAGA as Sol Soria, DANIELA MELCHIOR as Ratcatcher 2, KING SHARK, IDRIS ELBA as Bloodsport and JOHN CENA as Peacemaker in Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics (L-r) IDRIS ELBA as Bloodsport, STEVE AGEE as John Economos and VIOLA DAVIS as Amanda Waller in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (L-r) IDRIS ELBA as Bloodsport, JOEL KINNAMAN as Colonel Rich Flag, DAVID DASTMALCHIAN as Polka-Dot Man and PETER CAPALDI as Thinker in Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. MARGOT ROBBIE as Harley Quinn in Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. JOHN CENA as Peacemaker and KING SHARK in Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. DANIELA MELCHIOR as Ratcatcher 2 in Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. 'The Suicide Squad' from writer-director James Gunn, DC Comics & Warner Bros Pictures opens in theaters & streaming on HBO Max, Aug. 6, 2021

Hopefully you & your family found this review helpful! Andy Farnsworth is the movie and pop culture guy for the KSL 5 Today morning news show and also hosts the Fan Effect podcast for KSL NewsRadio. Check out some of his other in-depth reviews of movies and streaming TV series on KSLTV.com.

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REVIEW: Hyper-Violent & Bloody ‘Suicide Squad’ Movie Sequel Is For Hardcore Fans Only