The Suicide Squad Review: Supervillains Assemble In James Gunn's Bonkers DC Movie Reboot

The Suicide Squad (M18)

Starring Idris Elba, John Cena, Margot Robbie

Directed by James Gunn

David Ayer’s fault the 2016 iteration of the DC property was watered-down and unremarkable (it did, however, win an Oscar for makeup), the result of the studio desperately trying to ram a square peg into a round hole (hey, let’s make it more Marvel-ish!). For the do-over, the powers that be wised up: They let the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer go full-tilt boogie with the story of a ragtag bunch of incarcerated miscreants (portrayed by a gleefully game ensemble; pity some of them don’t have a longer screen time) on a secret government mission in exchange for commuted sentences. The outcome: An inventively playful and deliriously yecchy reboot that doesn’t try to be part of a larger DC Extended Universe (it does set up for John Cena’s Peacemaker’s HBO Max spin-off series), but just the best standalone it can be. If the Guardians of the Galaxy were a K-pop group, then this Suicide Squad is a punk rock combo. Clearly, Gunn had been entrusted with the key to the city but was also granted permission to wreck it — and as a viewer, I’m more than happy to pick up the tab for the damages. (4/5 stars)

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

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Old (PG13)

Starring Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff, Thomasin

Mckenzie

Directed by M Night Shyamalan

Glass, his sequel to Unbreakable and Split, M Night Shyamalan scores a partial rebound with this glorified Twilight Zone parable — inspired by Pierre Oscar Lévy and Frederik Peeters’ graphic 2011 novel, Sandcastle — about a secluded beach (filmed in Dominican Republic) which causes people to grow up rapidly (they age two years every hour). Shyamalan does a socko job with building the mystery with unnerving beats and off-kilter camera angles. The Big Reveal falters a bit, though; it can use more enigma than answers. As a treatise on mortality and the fleeting passage of time, it lingers on. (3/5 stars) ​​​​​​​

Photo: UIP

The Swarm (NC16)

Starring Suliane Brahim, Sofian Khammes, Marie Narbonne

Directed by Just Philippot