These are just some quick comments (Notice I always say that and end up going on at length.) about the movie, with as few SPOILERS as I can give away. If you don't want to know anything about the movie you can quit now or take your chances.
The film opens with scenes of various criminals, who would eventually become Task Force X/The Suicide Squad, being captured and some of their background revealed. Most of the screen time, naturally goes to the highest profiled and popular characters, Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). A different version of Smith's character had been portrayed by Michael Row on the ARROW television series. The Harley character was teased in the initial episode of ARROW revealing the Squad in that show, but she was not actually seen. Both Smith and Robbie are the standouts in the film and they actually have a chemistry that I'd love to see used in future appearances of either in the DCU franchise. Ultimately, I think both could carry solo films if DC wants to go that way. I understand that a Harley film has been mentioned.
Early on we also get to see Ben Affleck's Batman having confrontations with both Deadshot and Harley, who is in the early stages of her relationship with The Joker (played nicely by Jared Leto). It's hard not to compare Leto with the other actors who have played Batman's greatest foe over the decades. While I don't find Leto's interpretation as riveting as that of Heath Ledger, Leto doesn't try to model his version on any of the earlier actor's. In some way's he is closer in showing the sheer joy of mayhem that Jack Nicholson displayed way back in the first modern Batman film. But this Joker is intense and really scary. It will be interesting to see how he does when he appears again, probably in the solo Batman film that Affleck is working on.
The other villains who are forced into the Squad are Boomerang(Jai Courtney), Diablo (Jay Hernanadez), and Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). The team is formed by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), who is just as ruthless as she is in most of her comic and ARROW incarnations. Waller, known by most as The Wall, who was given her personality by John Ostrander and his late wife, Kim Yale, is a force to be reckoned with. She uses anyone without mercy to do what she believes to be the 'right' thing for her country, even if the country might not agree if they knew what she was up to. She puts career Army officer Capt. Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) in charge of the group, partly for his military expertise and partly because of the romantic connection he has formed with June Moone (Cara Delevingne), Moone has become inhabited by the supernatural being known as The Enchantress, and Waller hopes to use that being for her own missions, not knowing that the creature has her own agenda all along. The final member of the team, brought in by Flag as his own enforcer, is Katana (Karen Fukuhara), a skilled swords woman whose blade absorbs the souls of those she kills.
Boomerang, Waller and Katana have all appeared before, played by other actors in the CW/DC universe. I do want to mention a quick cameo in the scene where Boomerang is captured. The audience I was with seemed pleased.
When The Enchantress is able to escape and completely possess the body of June Moone, she puts her plan into effect by resurrecting her brother so they can once again rule the world as 'gods'. This scene is creepy on several levels and probably the best one featuring Delevingne. It's up to Waller's new team to put a stop to the destruction the pair is causing, whether they want to or not.
The action is great for the most part and just about every character gets some nice scenes. I really liked Diablo and feel he brought a lot to the film. It would be nice to see him return, but that might be problematic. I know some folks didn't care for Killer Croc, but I don't think you can blame that on the actor. He was given some weak jokes which didn't always work, but I'd like to see him return. I really wish that Boomerang had more to do, because Courtney nails the character and he's a lot of fun. Especially nice is how he tricks another character into doing something just to see the results. Sadly, Katana, while effective in the fight scenes really didn't add anything, but again it's more the script than the actress. I'd have to say that I'd like to see most of the team return.
The weakest performances, and unfortunately, those that hurt the film the most (and I don't seem to be the only reviewer feeling this way), were those of Flag and Moone, who really had little chemistry, except for what was written on the page. Flag was pretty much a cipher and Kinnaman really didn't do much to make the character stand out. Tough soldier with a 'heart of gold' underneath but he was just going through the motions. I'm not familiar with the work of Delevingne, but as the primary villain she was 'comicbook' in the worst way. Her portrayal of Moone was as a rather weak woman, who needed a man to help her and as The Enchantress the initial dark incarnation was creepy, but when she later transformed it was like she decided she was auditioning for a role in a Joel Schmacher Batman film. It totally threw the viewer out of the film and her 'hoochie coochie' dance moves were laughable. Why did director David Ayer, or anyone else behind the camera not see how bad this was?
Finally, this was for me the best of the three DC released in this new franchise. While I personally didn't dislike (or hate as some seem to) Man of Steel & Batman v Superman as much as some folks, they weren't up to what the best of the Marvel films have been able to bring us. I thought both movies had some merit and Ben Affleck's Batman stood out as a wonderful character. I'm looking forward to his return in the new Justice League film and thought that Gal Gadot, as Wonder Woman, was a refreshing surprise in BvS. I have high hopes for her solo movie.
I'm going to give this one a solid B+ for the performances of most of the cast, with an overall B for the final product. I just wish that more thought and effort had gone into the casting of two of the major characters.
Not a spoiler, but stick around after the initial credit sequence for a scene that may reveal something happening in a future film. Nice bit with two good actors.
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