Review: Suicide Squad (2016)

I have been looking forward to seeing this for so long, maybe too long.  However the combination of super hyped up excited for an age and the rumours of bad reviews put me on some sort of middle ground in terms of expectations.  I wasn't expecting the best film ever but I was still excited for what it was going to be.

Doesn't it just feel like we've building up to this movie for years now?! I don't know how I managed it but I watched the first trailer and stayed away from the rest, I didn't want to watch the entire movie after about a million trailers and 'TV spots' were released.

Does everyone already know the back story to Suicide Squad, who can have possibly not heard about it in the thousands of trailers floating around.  Anyway, short version is Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) assigns group of criminals to do the tasks that the Government cant be seen to be involved with.  With that shes pulls together Deadshot (Will Smith), El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Boomerang (Jay Courtney), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) lead by Rick Flag (Joel Kinneman) to take down their latest enemy.  Funnily enough, that being someone they released into the world as part of their programme (but that's none of my business!)

The intro to the Squad was probably my favourite part, I liked how each character had their own theme song of sorts, and the graphic overlays were cool, especially in 3D. I'll stick up a spoiler alert now, but I did find it funny that the only Squad member to not have an introduction got killed off within seconds. Um. Way to make it obvious and not shocking in any way at all.

I do have issues with this so lets get them out of the way first, it was a little bit flat.  I was expecting something (a bad guy or plot line) to really peak my interest and it never happened, it never quite reached its peak in terms of story.  Also, does anyone understand why they all became friends, initially I got the idea that they came together to try to escape, then they bonded over having to save Waller or they would all die.  Why didn't Deadshot kill Harley Quin? Why did Boomerang come back after he had the chance to walk away? Why do they care when they are supposedly cold bloodied killers?!

That is all my rants for today, because with all it's faults I still loved it.  I actually liked the fact that they had all bonded and become friends (even if it didn't make sense).  I really liked all the characters particularly Harley Quinn, I cannot wait to see her in her own movie.  She absolutely stole every scene she was in even with Jared Leto's Joker on the loose. The story had its faults but it was entertaining, I didn't fidget at all and forgot all about my ice cream and let it melt :( RIP ice cream...

It was entertaining, but it was bloody exhausting at the same time. Why we had such little time introducing these characters and their backstories just to fill the rest with what felt like the longest finale ever is beyond me. Margot Robbie and Will Smith were amazing, sadly Jared Leto didn't have nearly enough screen time for me to have a proper opinion, and I honestly couldn't give a rats ass about the other characters. Captain Boomerang only gift was his never-ending coat pockets, Killer Croc was 'gangsta' and Diablo was just too busy feeling sorry for himself. Oh and who's side was the katana-wielding girl on?!They were pointless to the story! No, story is the wrong word here, because that was all over the place.

Shouldn't Suicide Squad have been all about trying to get these 'bad guys' to work together? They just fell into line and chummed up within an instant. Sorry for drawing comparisons but the Avengers had a harder time working together than these guys. Also, they're meant to be the worst of the worst, but Deadshot is an absolute sweetheart.

I loved the back stories for each of them as well, which is usually the bit I dislike but as I didn't know these characters as well as some others it was interesting to see where they had come from.  Plus with there being so many, they were short and sweet not half the bloody film showing one person being bitten by a bloody spider! (I thought you liked Spiderman! Sad face.) I did the first time I saw the origin story and then they just kept them coming!!

It was fun to watch, it was better than Batman V Superman, and it wasn't anywhere near as terrible as I had feared it would be, but dang it Warner Bros, you were given enough time to get this right! A popcorn flick at best, sadly.

All in all, I really did enjoy it despite its faults which is all that matters really.  Now I have written my review I can finally read some of these 'terrible' reviews, I have heard so much about!! You er, don't need to look far I'm afraid. I think we're the nice guys :)

Review: Terminator Genisys (2015)

UPDATED POST: Now that Jenna's seen the movie!

I’m doing fairly well with the summer blockbusters so far, which is unusual for me. Thanks to my local Odeon sending me a 50% off tickets for the weekend offer, I got to go and see Terminator Genisys on a Sunday evening. I’m so glad Jenna and I watched the original Terminator movie a few weeks ago, or I would have been tempted to skip this one all together. Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to see Judgement Day, which I now think would have really helped.  Seven months after the original post, I managed to get round to seeing it.  I'm now annoyed that I waited so long!

Excuse me now while I set the scene badly. John Connor (Jason Clarke) sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back in time to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) from the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), just like in the original. However, something goes wrong, and now Kyle has been sent back to some kind of alternate timeline where Sarah is already tough as nails, and has her own Terminator looking after her, named Pops.  That was pretty good!

Let me start with what I loved. The nods and references to the original movie were awesome and are the reason I’m so glad I watched it. There was even (were even?) purple pew pew lazers at the start! Arnie as Pops was my favourite character, as terrifying as his smile was. I only know Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones so it was nice to see what else she can do, and damn that girl kicks ass!  Loved that smile, it was hilarious, i'm guessing there would be a few out-takes from those scenes because how could you not laugh at this face:

I can’t help but feel that a viewing all the previous movies is mandatory before watching Genisys. As clear as the references to the first movie were, I got the distinct feeling there were many moments from the others as well, and that really hindered my enjoyment of the whole thing. I knew enough to (almost) understand what was going on, but I might have to revisit this review in the future after watching the full series.  This is surprising because I noticed a few mentions of Judgement Day but I didn't feel like I was missing anything having not seen it.  However, I do now REALLY want to see it!  

Now, I feel like I should say that I love time travel. You can do almost anything you want with it, and I love trying to work my head around alternate timelines and what not. This was too much for me though. I think I was doing okay and then I got myself confused halfway through and missed probably 20 minutes of the movie trying to get my head around it. Again though, I think the knowledge of the previous movies would help.  I struggled with the timelines and such for a while but about half an hour in I got to grips with it and I think I managed to hold onto it until the end.  I've lost is now though so don't ask me to explain it! I feel like I may have watched the films in the wrong order as I started with 4, then 1, now 5 and I still haven't seen 2 and 3 but I'm desperate for number 6 - now I am confused!

I loved this way more than I thought I would and personally, I preferred the chemistry between Emilia Clarke and Jai Courtney than I did the original cast (this comment may get me some stick but hey ho!).  I really did enjoy trying to keep track of the timelines and how it differed from the original.  One thing that did throw me was how Sarah knew how her entire life was supposed to play out, I pondered over that one for a good half an hour before I clocked that Pops obviously told her!

Ahhhhh how could I forget JK Simmons, love him!!  Didn't know he was in this, loved watching him bumbling around, tripping over stuff.  He can play anyone and I will automatically love him!

That said then, my score is a placeholder for now based solely on my enjoyment of the screening (as always). I’ll watch the other movies and revisit this at a later date. Or should I say...I’ll be back.  Now's your chance....

Review: Divergent (2014)

I read the book this film is based on a long time ago, in fact I read it straight after the first Hunger Games book as it was recommended as similar to that.  The book is very complicated and in some places hard to follow but still a fantastic read and cracking story. 

The story starts after the suggestion of some sort of war in America and Chicago is now surrounded by a wall and the residents are split into five factions, Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor and Dauntless.  Tris is Abnegation but chooses Dauntless as a way to find herself after being testing and found as Divergent, a person who can't be identified as one of the five factions. (see what I mean about complicated!)

The film was simplified somewhat to help the viewer follow it but didn't take away from the story and actually in some cases it was easier to understand because you could see what was happening rather than trying to visualise it.  Also, each faction wears their own colours, which in the book really means nothing but in the film is helpful to remember which faction is everyone is from :-)

I had never even heard of the book until the trailers for this first came out. I don't think I'll get a chance to see it before it goes from cinemas, but knowing that it's simplified from the book makes me think that I'll wait for the DVD release, watch it, and then read the book!  Nooooooo always read the book first!!!!

I saw Shailene Woodley in a horrendous American series called The Secret Life of the American Teenager and really didn't hold much hope for Theo James after he small part in The Inbetweeners.  I have to be honest, I wasn't impressed with their CV's so was quite disappointed when I heard they were the leads.  Fortunately, I was proven wrong, I loved these two throughout the film, although they may have been lacking the chemistry of other partnerships, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone for example.  Some of the supporting actors/actresses were great to, Jai Courtney's Eric was suitably evil and steals every scene he is in.  It was interesting to see Kate Winslet in a 'bad guy' role (could have hidden her pregnancy better though!!)

I'm glad you said that! I really wasn't impressed with the line up and that's probably why I haven't seen it yet, but now I might actually give it a try.

With the film set 150 years in the future, it was interesting to see what they would make the world look like and they nailed it.  They made it exactly how I imagined it when I read the book and some of the dauntless zip lining scenes captured the visuals of the city perfectly.

All in all, very entertaining and I was gripped from beginning to end (even knowing what was going to happen).  Some scenes became cheesy and awkward to watch but that aside it was really good and I would watch it again.  However, I would definitely recommend reading the book first. Ohh, after I just said I'd do it the other way, haha!