Many critics have been very harsh on Warner Bros. new Suicide Squad. John Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal calling it, “… an all out attack on entertainment.” It is my opinion that Suicide Squad is a step in the right direction for Warner Bros. after Batman v Superman.

Suicide Squad is a summer blockbuster film about a team of supervillains that are hired to do some good. The concept of the Suicide Squad, also known as task-force X, is that a group of villains, each with a specific skill set, are hired to run covert missions in exchange for time off their prison sentence. The beauty of this team is that they can be blamed for anything that goes wrong.

The plot is decent, with several unexpected twists, although it is not without its holes. Also, the Warner Bros. choice to cut out many of the Joker’s scenes for the final film release also hurt the film. Bob Jones teacher Mrs. Panagos said, “I went into the movie thinking there was going to be a lot more of the Joker and was disappointed at how little there was of him.” However, it is the characters and acting, along with the art style that won this film over. The more notable performances are those of Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Viola Davis.

The biggest question and topic of controversy is the introduction of Jared Leto as the Joker. The Joker did not have a large presence in the film, but when he did appear, Leto managed to add an element of intrigue to the role, and definitely leaves the audience excited for more.

Perhaps if so many of his scenes had not have been cut, less people would be on the fence about this new Joker. Jacob Little, a senior, commented on this new take of the Joker, saying, “I liked that they did something different from the traditional Joker.”

The film’s soundtrack consists of a number of popular songs from several decades, and although it may seem schizophrenic, it fits the tone of the film, capturing the fun insanity the film’s art style and characters display.

At the end of the day, this film is meant to be a fun summer blockbuster, one you can go enjoy by yourself or with a group of friends. It meets, and even surpasses this goal at points.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Suicide Squad received a 26% from critics, and a more positive 69% from audiences. Users and critics on IMDb rate this movie at a 6.8/10.

My final verdict for Suicide Squad is a very strong 7/10, almost an 8. The interesting art style, the plot twists and unexpected events, and most importantly, the fantastic performances from the cast make this film worth your time and money. If this is any sign of improvement for Warner Bros., I am definitely excited for future additions to the DC film universe.