The Suicide Squad (2021) - Actually pretty good

First of all let me say that I'm actually one of those rare people who actually quite liked the original 'Suicide Squad.' No, it wasn't a masterpiece or anything, but the images presented to my eyes were not unappealing and I didn't think I'd wasted the couple of hours of my life I spent watching it.  So, I was quite intrigued to hear how the second one (which is everything from a remake to a soft reboot) was so much better than the first.

It is.

No matter how good the first one was (my opinion, only) this one trumps it all round.  The plot is basically the same, i.e. a load of (deliberately) B-list 'super-villains' are temporary released from incarceration in order to carry out a mission 'for the greater good.' It gets underway a lot quicker with us introduced to our new set of heroes (or 'anti-heroes' to be precise).  Instead of Will Smith we have Idris Elba, but he's joined by fan-favourite Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.  Of course those to stalwarts are the general stars of the show, but the rest of the cast are on top of their game as they're sent on a mission to some fictional South American country to stop a giant monster from being unleashed on the world.

The action and plot is nothing that you haven't seen before, but it's James Gunn's writing that makes this one worth a watch.  We live in a world that's completely oversaturated with superhero films and the general Box Office performance is showing how apathetic the general public is to the previously tried and tested formula which the superhero genre offers.  Most new superhero movies may be new in terms of the titular character/s, yet they offer little that hasn't been done before.  I'm not saying that 'The Suicide Squad' is so different that you'll be amazed at what you're witnessing, but it's certainly worth a watch if you like your humour dark and you're prepared to suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours.

In fact, the 'couple of hours' part is about the film's major drawback.  Like many modern films it could probably do with being a little more trimmed here and there.  It isn't the worst offender when it comes to outstaying its welcome, but I reckon if it lost ten to fifteen minutes here and there it would certainly be a tighter little number.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one