‘Suicide Squad’ Panned By Critics Ahead of Scheduled Premiere, Called “Messy” and Oversaturated with Characters

‘Suicide Squad’ was heavily panned by critics ahead of its scheduled U.S. premiere for August 5. Critics called the film “messy” and oversaturated with too many characters.

Early reviews of David Ayer’s new installment to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) weren’t quite favorable. Critics heavily panned the anti-hero film marketed as a more fun addition to the seriousness of the DCEU following negative feedback for Zack Snyder’s ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ released last March 2016.

An article on Slate compiled excerpts of reviews from some publications and critics. Many commented that the film was a complete mess and it lacked in humor. It was also oversaturated by characters that didn’t necessarily add value to the plot.

The film put together an ensemble cast that includes Will Smith as Deadshot, Jared Leto as Joker, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Despite the stellar line-up, Business Insider noted that critics were generally unimpressed with how the film portrayed the concept of antiheroes versus actually villainy.

Some critics praised specific standout performances while others continued to express distaste. According to an article on Chicago Tribune, Robbie and Smith offered memorable portrayals as the deranged former psychiatrist and world’s most lethal hitman, respectively.

However, Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair called out the film’s “mildly appalling sexism” and racism. Buzzfeed’s Alison Willmore wrote that Robbie’s Harley was a disappointment as she failed to become the film’s “dark heart”.

‘Suicide Squad’ is an upcoming action-adventure and comedy film scheduled to premiere in the United States on August 5, 2016. It is intended as the third installment in the DCEU and is written and directed by David Ayer. It is produced by DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Lin Pictures, and Warner Bros.

The film follows a group of imprisoned supervillains recruited by a secret government agency led by Amanda Waller to execute dangerous missions in exchange for pardon.