Suicide Squad (2016) Review

So, I’m a pretty unashamed fan of DC Comics. I’ve loved the characters and story arcs and all things that come with being a comic book fan. Truthfully, despite trying to see every movie with an unbiased approach, I had been hoping that 2016 would be the year that DC put themselves back on the map. Here’s the thing about being a fan of DC comics in a world where Marvel Studios has set the standard for what to expect. It’s like being one of the guys in a Jackass movie; you keep psyching yourself up for something awesome to happen, but you inevitably just end up getting hit really hard in the dick. That’s how Suicide Squad, the latest DC Cinematic Universe film, continuously felt.

In a world where Superman has made himself rival the power of a God, and shown that gods can fall, the government now scrambles to find an answer for if the next Superman isn’t a farm boy with a mother named Martha (WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME?!) Cue Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), the Head Operator of A.R.G.U.S. and the woman who takes it upon herself to put together a team of super villains who can be coerced into doing the dirty deeds that the good guys can’t quite accomplish. Along with the most badass soldier on the planet, Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Waller brings together Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and Enchantress (Cara Delevingne).

Now, this review is going to seem fairly negative... and it is. This is not a good movie. But just know, at the rate that Warner Bros. seems to want to still their nose into every DC movie, people won’t be getting that Cyborg movie they’ve all been begging for. There are a lot of things wrong with the direction these movies seem to be taking.

Suicide Squad clearly aims to give you an anti-hero story in the same vain as Guardians of the Galaxy, but with a much darker tone. The problem instantly is that the film forgets to write their characters as fun or compelling as any of the Guardians cast. Characters in Task Force X, as the government knows them, are merely there to be DC comics character name drops. The most obvious waste of interesting characters comes at the hands of Killer Croc, Katana and Captain Boomerang (though this might be the most charismatic I’ve ever seen Jai Courtney). I’ve been racking my brain, and I still don’t know what they bring to the story.

Also, I find it hilarious how we’ve been hearing about how method and weird Jared Leto has been to find the character of The Joker, when his screen time amounts to the smallest supporting part. And, frankly, I’m not sure if I liked his interpretation of the character. He’s clearly a superb actor, but his Joker feels more like a glorified thug as opposed to the Crown Prince of Crime. The Joker is supposed to feel like a total wildcard. We’re not sure if he’s gonna blow up a hospital or try to tell you a joke. Leto’s Joker just lacks the magic that Heath Ledger, Jack Nicholson and Mark Hamill have all brought to the role. I think that Leto needs to get a more substantial shot where he can really sink his teeth into it. Because he does some things excellently, but just doesn't capture you the way those others did.

However, the biggest problems that the movie faces are that it has no idea what it wants to be. The first act tries to set itself apart in its tone and introductions, giving characters a fun little introduction. However, after that, it falls hard into the tropes of being incredibly generic. The jokes that producers clearly felt would get standing ovations completely fall flat, numerous character moments fail to resonate because we have no stakes attached to most of the characters, and the pacing is so sporadic that you’re not sure if there’s something coming after this or if this is the final battle. Writer and director David Ayer, whose previous films include End of Watch and Fury, clearly either had to compromise a lot on his vision for these characters or had no god damn idea what he was doing with this property.

Now, there are a few things I enjoyed about the film, before I end this review. Will Smith, Viola Davis and Margot Robbie all nail their characters incredibly well, with Smith giving his best performance in some time. He plays Deadshot as a guy who sees being an assassin as a way to provide for those he cares about, and his internal struggle in that regard comes through. Robbie embodies Harley in a great way. Sure, she doesn’t have the accent that we all know Robbie can do, but Harley is fun and unpredictable and loves her Mista J. It’s Davis, however, that fucking nails Amanda Waller. She’s a no nonsense cold ice bitch, and she’d be the first to admit that before blowing your head off, and Davis plays it perfectly. Also, there’s a scene where Deadshot gets to let loose and shit a bunch of guys and it’s probably the highlight of the movie, so that was cool.

Ultimately, Suicide Squad fails because it feels more like a response than a statement. It feels like a response to fans that wanted DC to be more like Marvel, without laying any of the groundwork. The movie tries to be a fun romp, and ends up being a slow walk through a shit stained minefield where you step on every damn mine. That said, it's better than something like Green Lantern. It's just a movie that clearly could have used more time for everyone involved to get it right. While the criticism of a lot of Marvel films may be that most of them do and say the same thing, Suicide Squad shows up and fails to say anything.

Grade: D

DC and Warner Brothers Reveal Superhero Line-Up

So in case you haven't heard, DC and Warner Brothers have released their tentative movie line-up until 2020. Now, if you've read this blog before, you know I've speculated a lot on this, and superhero stuff is kind of important to me. I love it, I can't help it. But before I fanboy out, let's take a look at the schedule:

• 2016 — Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

• 2016 — Suicide Squad

• 2017 — Wonder Woman

• 2017 — Justice League Part One

• 2018 — The Flash

• 2018 — Aquaman

• 2019 — Shazam

• 2019 — Justice League Part Two

• 2020 — Cyborg

• 2020 — Green Lantern

Alright, so let's tackle this list chronologically. I'll skip over Dawn of Justice, and go right to Suicide Squad. It was released earlier this week that the rumoured line-up for the Squad would feature Blockbuster, Multiplex, Jaculi, Mindboggler, Captain Boomberang, Vixen, and Deadshot. Deadshot, Boomberang and Vixen expect to take up majority of the story, with no word as to why the fuck Harley Quinn isn't making her movie debut. Whatever line-up they go with will probably be officially confirmed now that writer/director David Ayer (End of Watch, Fury) confirmed today to direct. While I doubt this movie will be much like it, everyone should check out End of Watch.

Alright, next we jump to Wonder Woman, which honestly has no new information, though a producer with Warner Bros did confirm that Wonder Woman would be a half-god, being a descendant of Zeus. Gal Gadot is still attached to star. After that we got the first of two Justice League movies, both of which will be directed by Zack Snyder. So he's the Joss Whedon of the DC world, for those of you that follow Marvel.

After that, we got a solo Flash movie, with the now confirmed Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Perks of Being A Wallflower), in what will be the shortest titled film of his career. I don't know how I feel about Miller being Barry Allen, partially because of Grant Gustin playing a similar aged Barry on CW's The Flash. Also, after that, we have Aquaman, with the now confirmed Jason Mamoa (Game of Thrones) set to play the Atlantean King. 

Yes, I realize how long and useless this post is, but gotta get them clicks. We also have Shazam with The Rock set to play villain/anti-hero Black Adam. No word yet on Shazam, but let's just hurry up and sign Joe Manganiello already. After that, we got the second Justice League movie, then a solo Cyborg movie, starring Ray Fischer, that no one will see, then finally a Green Lantern movie in 2020 because 9 year should be enough time to forget the last one right?

Missing from the list are Man of Steel 2, and the solo Batman movies, as the release dates for both of those has yet to be set in stone. While I'm assuming casting for the Suicide Squad will commence shortly, the main Justice League members still to be cast are Shazam, and Green Lantern. Also, if they use them, there's still Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow. 

So much stuff. So much time. If you read the whole post, congratulate yourself. You did it. Have a Capri Sun.

Scoot McNairy Joins the Cast of 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice'

Barry Allen?

So colour me excited about this news. One of my favourite actors that damn near no one has heard of has joined a movie everyone has heard of. He's an incredibly talented actor, who is fantastic in pretty much everything he does. In fact, he's racked up some nice roles over the past few years. After breaking out in Gareth Edwards 'Monsters' (a fantastic character driven monster movie), he's gone on to appear in 'Killing Them Softly', 'Argo', 'Promised Land', '12 Years A Slave', 'Non-Stop' and 'The Rover' leading to a starring role in the AMC drama 'Halt and Catch Fire' (which is fucking excellent and everyone should check it out).

Anyways, this report comes courtesy of Deadline, who seem to have quite the source within DC and Warner Brothers, and they report that the role has not been disclosed. But based on the fact shooting has been going on for over a month, McNairy's rising star and his connection with Ben Affleck (who cast him in Argo), over at The Playlist, they are speculating that he might end up being The Flash. And I am really okay with that. I'm sure details will come out shortly, and if not, look no further than San Diego Comic Con for the big Justice League announcement.  

Casting the Remaining Characters in the DC Universe

So with the presumably leaked Comic Con announcement list coming out, we now have a fairly clear picture of what to expect from Warner Brothers and DC in the coming couple of years. While much of the casting seems set, with shooting already taking place, I thought I'd take a look at who should be cast in the remaining major roles. Now, what we currently know is that Ben Affleck will play Batman, Henry Cavill will play Superman, Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher will play Cyborg and Joseph Gordon Levitt will play Sandman. I know that rumours are abound that Jason Mamoa is set to play Aquaman, but I thought I'd cast it anyways, since that isn't totally confirmed. So what we'll look at is casting Shazam, Flash, Aquaman and Green Lantern. Note: For Shazam, I'm not going to cast Billy Batson, because I can't think of a kid to play his current New 52 iteration. Can we just age him up and hire Logan Lerman, already?

The thing to remember with this list, is that I'm not going for the big names if they don't fit. Chris Evans wasn't really all that well known before Captain America (I know he played Johnny Storm, fuck you), and Chris Hemsworth was a complete no-name from Australian TV. So just look at this list with an open mind, and agree with everything I say. Just do it.

SHAZAM

"Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam, is a fictional superhero created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker. Originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics, he first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940). Shazam is the alter ego of Billy Batson, who works as a radio news reporter and was chosen to be a champion of good by an ancient wizard (also named Shazam). Whenever Billy speaks the word "Shazam!", he is struck by a magic lightning bolt that transforms him into an adult superhero empowered with the abilities of six archetypal, historical figures."

JOE MANGANIELLO

With rumours going around that the Rock could be involved with the Shazam movie, it makes me think that Rock will take the role of villain Black Adam (a favourite character of his), which means that you need a Shazam that looks like he can beat The Rock. So it should really not come as any surprise that my top pick for Shazam is True Blood werewolf and Magic Mike big dick swinger Joe Manganiello. Manganiello combines a strong charisma with a tough exterior and one arm pull ups. Dude is literally built like a superhero. He also comes across as someone who might actually be able to take The Rock in a fight. Here's another thing. He was the runner up to Henry Cavill to play Superman, which means he already has a pre-existing relationship with Zack Snyder and DC. 

JON HAMM

My runner up is a guy many thought could play Superman, given his perfect jawline and all-American presence, and my personal pick to play Batman (don't worry Affleck, I'm okay with you). Hamm is a supremely talented actor, who is among the best around yet to make a big splash on the big screen. It's fine though, because Hamm has been crushing it for the past seven years as Don Draper on the critically-acclaimed Mad Men, as well as showing up in memorable supporting in the likes of Bridesmaids, The Town, 30 Rock and A Young Doctor's Notebook. He's an actor who is clearly adept at both drama and comedy, which would suit Shazam perfectly. The only thing would be his age, but we can get around that. Also, googling a picture of him alerted me to the fact that people take pictures of his crotch and post online. Cool?

FLASH

"The Flash is a name of a fictional comic book superhero from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940). Nicknamed the Scarlet Speedster and the "Crimson Comet" all incarnations of the Flash possess "super-speed", which includes the ability to run and move extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes and seemingly violate certain laws of physics. Thus far, four different characters—each of whom somehow gained the power of "super-speed"—have assumed the identity of the Flash: Jay Garrick (1940–present), Barry Allen (1956–1985, 2008–present), Wally West (1986–2006, 2007–2012), and Bart Allen (2006–2007, 2009–present). Before Wally and Bart's ascension to the mantle of the Flash, they were both Flash protégés under the same name Kid Flash."

AARON PAUL

Like Chris Pine (above), Aaron Paul is an actor on the cusp of A-list leading man status. While many people will always remember Breaking Bad for Bryan Cranston's iconic performance as Walter White, it was Paul's Jesse Pinkman who was the heart and soul of that show. With Breaking Bad now over, and Paul set to break out into feature films, DC would be wise to lock him up. He's an amazingly talented actor who is constantly captivating and not afraid to be let other actors shine in his presence. He's also so god damn good at crying. I know that has nothing to do with The Flash, but damn, he can get a good man tear going. With his first foray into a leading franchise not going well, with the critically panned Need For Speed, Paul could make a nice recovery joining a large ensemble, then getting his own movie. Bitch.

JOEL EDGERTON

Joel Edgerton is most likely the least well known actor on this list, which is a fucking shame, cause this guy can act. For those of you going "Where do I know this guy from?" he played Brendan Conlon in the movie Warrior, opposite Tom Hardy, so you know he can handle the physical preparation needed for a role like this. Edgerton is one of those character actors who constantly gives fantastic performances, getting major notice for his performance in the Australian film Animal Kingdom which had many people talking Oscar for him. It didn't happen because the Academy doesn't know how to recognize talent, but he got the Aussie equivalent to the Oscar, so it worked out.The only thing that would work against him is the fact that, at 39, he might be too old for the part. Regardless of that, he's still my pick as runner up. Heh, runner. Nice.

AQUAMAN

"As part of The New 52, DC's 2011 relaunch of their entire superhero line, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado served as the initial creative team of the company's new Aquaman series, the first issue of which was released September 28, 2011. The three creators remained on the title for the both first 16 issues. That subsequently lead into the first New 52 continual, Aquaman related 'Mega-Event' (cross-over) in years "Throne of Atlantis". The relaunched series cements Aquaman's status as the half-human son of Tom Curry and Atlanna, and sees him return to Amnesty Bay along with Mera. Greatly distressed by the harsh treatment given to the oceans during his time as ruler of Atlantis, Aquaman decides to abdicate the Atlantean throne and return to full-time heroics. However, he now struggles with his lack of reputation with the greater public, which views him as a lesser metahuman with less impressive powers than those of his peers. Also, in The New 52, Aquaman is once again a founding member of the Justice League and is a main member of the team."

ALEXANDER SKARSGARD

Yes, I realize that Skarsgard is the second True Blood alum I've put in this post. But let's look the fact that both men were fan favourite characters, and Skarsgard's performance as Eric Northman is the best on the show, and through movies such as The East, and Disconnect, he's shown that he has a ton of range. I realize that Jason Mamoa may indeed have this part, and if that's the case, that's fine. But it's insane to me how much Skarsgard resembles Aquaman. Couple that with the fact that he has an inherently tough feeling about him, and the gravitas to not let Aquaman fall to the side, and it's obvious that he's the guy to do it. There's also something kind of off with him, which would help greatly with Aquaman having problems with the Justice League, and especially Superman.

ARMIE HAMMER

Honestly, I think this may be the only character where I don't have a runner up. I think Skarsgard is great, and I think the same of Armie Hammer. While he may have failed to become a big star in Lone Ranger, his performances from The Social Network are ones that I still remember. He's an actor who resembles the part, has the physique, as well as the certain frustrated nature that Aquaman possesses. Anyone that has talked to me about Aquaman knows how I'd love for Hammer to play him, as he's one of the few actors around that I could believe delivering his dialogue. Also, his Social Network connection with Jesse Eisenberg, as well as the fact that he recently shot a movie with Henry Cavill, could clearly aid in his casting.

GREEN LANTERN

"Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes from the fictional DC Universe, all of whom are characterized by a power ring and the ability to create solid constructs with the ring. Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and green lantern that gives the user great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower and strength to wield it. The ring is one of the most powerful weapons in the universe and can be very dangerous. While the ring of the Golden Age Green Lantern (Alan Scott) is magically powered, the rings worn by all subsequent Lanterns are technological creations of the Guardians of the Universe, who granted such rings to worthy candidates. These individuals made up the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps. Most prominent of these are Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner." 

ZACHARY LEVI

I've been a big fan of Zachary Levi for a long time, ever since I first watched Chuck. He's clearly quite good at being funny, which is something Hal Jordan will need. His performance in Tangled, though purely voice work, showed he can play the cocky-jerky-cool guy who is actually pretty alright. Sound like a certain Lantern? Levi has the right look for the part, and the right chops, with the only problem being that he recently played Fandral in Thor: The Dark World. The thing with that is that Fandral is such a small part, that won't grow, so let the Nerd HQ founder be a part of a comic property that can showcase him better. And that doesn't require a fake British accent.

JAKE GYLLEHAAL

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Jake Gyllenhaal. He's a supremely talented actor who is incredibly likable and has charisma constantly at the ready. He's the most well known actor on this list, because he's earned it. He has a habit of taking serious, weighty, emotionally taxing roles, but being cast as Hal could help him to showcase some more of that quick wit and humour he possesses. Personally, I think he's itching to get into a big mainstream movie and prove himself as a box-office draw, especially after Prince of Persia didn't do as well as they all hoped. The man has range that would make most actors jealous, and he's still young enough to be involved in these films for a while.

Well that's that. With the shooting already started on Batman v Superman, and cameos for these characters expected to show up in that film, we should know casting fairly soon. They probably won't go with any of my picks, but that's because they are dumb. Till next time.

Can We Have Too Many Superhero Movies?

The Justice League

So, as anyone that reads my ramblings at all, or listens to the podcast, or simply knows me at all, the fact that I'm a gigantic DC Comics fanboy shouldn't come as a shock. Honestly, I just spent my Saturday reading the entire New 52 run of Nightwing. Now onto Green Arrow. Anyways, the latest news regarding DC's movie universe plans has me quite giddy. According to Nikki Finke, formerly of Deadline, DC plans on releasing seven movies in a two year span. According to Finke, who tends to be good at getting scoops, this is what the schedule, that will most likely have it's big reveal at Comic-Con, looks like:

May 2016 – Batman v Superman

July 2016 – Shazam

Christmas 2016 – Sandman

May 2017 – Justice League

July 2017 – Wonder Woman

Christmas 2017 – Flash and Green Lantern team-up

May 2018 – Man Of Steel 2

The biggest surprise on that list for me is the solo Shazam movie. While he's definitely one of the cooler characters in the DCU, I'd have much rather seen a solo Aquaman movie. Regardless, this is exciting and also a bit worrisome. The worrying part is that DC may over-saturate the market with their product by releasing a new movie every few months. With the rumour that Jason Mamoa will indeed play Aquaman, courtesy of Hitflix's Drew McWeeny, it is starting to make sense why Batman v. Superman v. The Board of Justice was delayed. 

According to the rest of Finke's article, it wasn't because of Affleck bulking up or Eisenberg or Gadot, but rather a fair few JLA regulars will be making appearances, and it's all about getting the actors and contracts signed. But apparently Zack Snyder, director of the upcoming BvS and Justice League, has clear costume designs ready for the characters he wants to use. Also, in regards to Sandman, I'm assuming this has to be the same version that Neil Gaiman and Joseph Gordon Levitt are working on together. Also, with the Rock suggesting he will be in a DC property coming soon, signs seem to point to Black Adam, Shazam's main villain and a character the Rock likes a lot.

Black Adam, The Rock and Lobo, just for kicks

So with DC finally announcing their plans, and Sony, Fox and Marvel's upcoming schedules also being public knowledge, it raises the concern that superhero movies could end up overstaying their welcome. According to Brad Brevet of RopeofSilicon, who I am also stealing this list from, there's going to be 22 superhero movies over the next four years. The schedule looks something like this:

1. Guardians of the Galaxy (8/1/14) - Marvel
2. The Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1/15) - Marvel
3. The Fantastic Four (6/9/15) - Marvel
4. Ant-Man (7/17/15) - Marvel
5. Captain America 3 (5/6/16) - Marvel
6. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (5/6/16) - DC
7. X-Men: Apocalypse (5/27/16) - Marvel
8. The Amazing Spider-Man 3 (6/10/16) - Marvel
9. Shazam (Jul 2016) - DC
10. Untitled 2016 Marvel Movie (Dr. Strange?) (7/8/16) - Marvel
11. Sandman (Dec 2016) - DC
12. Venom (TBA 2016) - Marvel
13. The Wolverine 2 (3/3/17) - Marvel
14. Justice League (May 2017) - DC
15. Untitled 2017 Marvel Movie (Thor 3?) (5/5/17) - Marvel
16. Wonder Woman (Jul 2017) - DC
17. The Fantastic Four 2 (7/14/17) - Marvel
18. Flash and Green Lantern team-up (Dec 2017) - DC
19. The Sinister Six (TBA 2017) - Marvel
20. Man of Steel 2 (May 2018) - DC
21. The Amazing Spider-Man 4 (5/4/18) - Marvel
22. The Avengers 3 (TBA 2018) - Marvel

Along with all these movies, there's also the number of comicbook TV shows, with Arrow and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as the upcoming Flash, Daredevil, Gotham and Agent Carter shows as well. It's a good time to be a comicbook fan. Bad time to be David Goyer, because he's a dick that shits on comicbook fans and hates Martian Manhunter. 

The Avengers