Suicide Squad –I noticed this DC Cinematic Universe film was hitting Netflix this week and, after catching it again recently on the Movie Network, I felt like voicing my displeasure with this one again. Let’s start this one off with some truth: I was really looking forward to it. There had been some stumbles but I was largely behind director David Ayer’s previous films and the cast had shaped up so well. Will Smith is obviously the box office draw, Margot Robbie was and still is a perfect choice for Harley Quinn and the rest of the squad filled out with capable actors and actresses but when the final credits rolled I was supremely disappointed. Every backstory given for each character seemed to slow the movie down, some even stopped the film outright. The action was muddled and confusing, the script seemed pumped full of macho lines with no sense propelling them and, again, it all felt like an echo chamber of confused producers screaming at each other. As a comic enthusiast and a fan of the Suicide Squad in general, we deserved much better.
Truth Or Dare – Based on the premise alone, it’s pretty obvious that this film is a complete dog. Basically, a handful of teen friends go to Mexico for a crazy little vacation and end up bringing a curse back with them that forces them to play a deadly game of truth or dare. Did I mention that they’re asked by people with these creepy plastic grins plastered on their faces? I’d like to say there are some redeeming qualities to Kick-Ass 2 director Jeff Wadlow’s foray into horror but this movie is a total train wreck with no rules or logic at play. The Blu-ray also boasts an “unrated” cut which is really just an extra blood squib and an unnecessary sex scene between Lucy Hale and Tyler Posey in a nowadays rare full body flop from Blumhouse. This is the type of movie that makes me regret being a film critic.
Steve Stebbing 