‘Suicide Squad’ review: Script doesn’t live up to cast’s potential

Hollywood always hopes for a late summer smash. It got it in spades a couple of years ago with “Guardians of the Galaxy,” a refreshingly goofy Marvel Comics take on superhero teamwork. (How goofy? Among the heroes was a machine-gun-toting raccoon and a walking, talking tree.)

After an August 2014 release, the film went on to gross over 333 million bucks.

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Rival DC Comics is hoping for similar box office magic this August with the highly anticipated “Suicide Squad.” It too wants to offer an antidote to a summer full of goody-two-shoe superheroes by presenting a rough-and-tumble collection of superstar villains.These anti-heroes are criminals of the highest order, with names like Deadshot, Killer Croc, and Diablo. They are described as the “worst of the worst,” and are bribed to work for the U.S. Government.

Here’s the rundown of baddies. Deadshot (Will Smith) is the world’s deadliest assassin. Killer Croc is a crocodile-skinned cannibal monster. Diablo is a pyromaniac who can start fires with the flick of a wrist. The Enchantress is a 7,000-year-old witch. Slipknot is a psycho with ropes. Captain Boomerang is an Aussie psycho with a boomerang. And Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is a twisted psychiatrist who’s now the ultimate “bad girl,” with a sex kitten outfit to match.

This “Suicide Squad” is under the control of Colonel Rick Flag, who’s aided immeasurably by the tiny bombs implanted in each of the squad members’ necks. One false move and they’re blown to smithereens.

Complications arise when the Enchantress goes rogue just before her implant. The other super-bad guys are commandeered to chase her down. That chase becomes all the more important when it becomes clear she’s out to destroy the planet. Sure it sounds silly, but silly can be a lot of fun in the right hands. Writer/director David Ayer (Fury, Training Day) doesn’t have the right hands apparently.

I would think it would be obvious that when you’ve assembled a motley crew of highly-skilled criminals, you should let those skills fly high. Instead, the Suicide Squad does most of its battling with standard gun work and run-of-the-mill street fighting, with nothing more exotic than fists and bats. No rip-roaring ropework from Slipknot, no bombastic boomeranging with Captain Boomerang. And as luck would have it, a grief-stricken Diablo has sworn off his pyro skills, so there are not even any fireballs for most of the movie.

Perhaps sensing the movie doesn’t have enough excitement with only seven villains, Ayer adds the Joker (Jared Leto) to the mix. Not part of the Suicide Squad, mind you, the Joker just happens to be crazy Quinn’s lover. He periodically tries to rescue her from her forced servitude to the Squad. The Joker doesn’t further the plot any, but he at least gives the Squad something more to fight over.

In addition to not taking advantage of the unique skill sets of the Suicide Squad, the movie also builds to one of the lamest climaxes of any blockbuster comic book movie. The 7,000-year old Enchantress may have some amazing cosmic powers that can inexplicably blow up space stations and destroy aircraft carriers. But in the final confrontation, she’s downright silly, writhing and wriggling around on an altar like she’s in some kind of demented mating dance. (What is this, Ghostbusters?)

In the movie’s defense, it doesn’t feel as long as its two-hour-ten-minute runtime and the high-profile cast gives it its all. (Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn is especially good.) I just wish the script had given more back to the cast.