Impossible team: The cast of Suicide Squad walk into the war zone in Midwest City.

The live action of the semi-evil-quasi-humans Suicide Squad gives new zest to the DC extended universe, like Deadpool did for Marvel.

Bad guys versus other bad guys are like a hangover cure to the superhero movies we’ve seen the past few years.

Leave it to a fan when it comes to making a film out of a comic, who could add on emotion to the characters without the help of the inner speech ballons — you know, the ones that look like clouds.

David Ayer scribed and helmed the third installment in DC cinematic universe after Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

He did a good job of putting in the fun and edgy tone to the universe, letting the bad guys remain the bad guys to the end and showing that there’s actually no good guys to be found anywhere in this film.

And that’s where the storyline dissolved into a mess.

As Superman is no longer around, the government is desperate to find another weapon to face the rise of meta-humans or superhumans and otherworldly threats.

Intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) convinces the decision-makers that she can lead Task Force X comprising a group of supervillains to serve the purpose.

She has Batman (Ben Affleck) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) — the superheroes to appear in Justice League in November next year — round them up using their weaknesses.

With her henchman Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) as team leader, they manipulate the villains to join a rescue mission in Midwest City. As loyalty is never a question, the good guys plant a nanite bomb on each of the new recruits.

Witch: Cara Delevingne plays a dual role as the Enchantress and archeologist June Moone.

They are lethal assassins and comprise Deadshot (Will Smith), psychiatrist-cum-psycho Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Australian bank burglar Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), human reptile Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), fire thrower El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), very old witch Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) and rope master Slipknot (Adam Beach).

Ninja warrior Katana (Karen Fukuhara) was thrown into the mix to protect Rick Flag.

The impossible team is brought onto the military base camp strapped up, but once they are allowed to put on their villain costumes, they walk into the suicide mission to deal with the meta-humans like a hero knowing that fleeing is not a good way to stay alive.

There are unexpected turns and twists in the story, with A-class supervillain Joker (Jared Leto) — the love interest of Harley Quinn — appearing from time to time like a banana peel on the already slippery road to justice.

Although the Clown Prince of Crime is not the star in the film, he steals the spotlight with his genuinely eerie stare and cackling. (If the video was out, I’d play the scene of him jumping into a pool of acid on repeat).

Sentimental assassin Deadshot has a bigger role in the film right from the start with him being introduced at least three times. He gains the most trust from Flag and the rest of the odd pack, which he taunts to do their best, while reminding everyone that they are the bad guys.

Storyline and character development aside, other aspects in this film make up for whatever it lacks. It is visually entertaining with great graphic works and bold color blocks as if the scenes pop out of a comic page.

Ayer also balanced scores and soundtrack so that any pop culture geek can relate to the scenes, enriching the viewer’s cinematic experience and haunting them.

Irresistible gaze: Arkham Asylum psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel (Robbie) is attracted to her patient, the Joker (Jared Leto).

There have been interviews about the making of the film and the pre-production period where Ayer made efforts to get the cast to let out their killer instincts, which could be made into an interesting movie by itself.

Screening in theaters from Wednesday, Suicide Squad promises a sequel in its after-credit scene (real scene, unlike Marvel’s signature teasers). Hopefully it will just get badder.
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Suicide Squad

Director/scriptwriter: David Ayer
Prodcution: DC Entertainment/Warner Bros.
Cast: Will Smith, Viola Davis, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Jared Leto.
Running time: 130 minutes
Rating: 17+