'Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)' Review

Synopsis: It's open season on Harley Quinn when her explosive breakup with the Joker puts a big target on her back. Unprotected and on the run, Quinn faces the wrath of a narcissistic crime boss, his right-hand man, and every other thug in the city. But things soon even out for Harley when she becomes unexpected allies with three deadly women.

Runtime: 109 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for strong violence and language throughout, and some sexual and drug material)

Who should see it? Adults fans of Harley Quinn, the Birds of Prey, and DC Comics.

Directed by Cathy Yan and featuring a screenplay from Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is the first of four female-driven comic-book movies to be released this year. Misogynistic incels are surely raging in their basements. Still, hopefully, their cries will fall on deaf ears because Birds of Prey is beaming with personality and zany, creative energy. The regime change at Warner Bros. has helped DC course-correct from a spotty track record to a streak of surefire critical and commercial hits. The secret being that Warners and DC became less concerned with building a universe and focused on telling quality, standalone stories. Margot Robbie leveraged her star power to be more involved behind-the-scenes as a producer after initially pitching the idea on the set of Suicide Squad. Robbie championed Yan and Hodson's vision every step of the way, so Birds of Prey manifested into a unique addition for the DC Extended Universe that took note of past failings.

Whereas Suicide Squad felt restrained by its PG-13 rating and studio interference, Birds of Prey is liberated by an R-rating and the vitality of artistic freedom. The filmmakers really let loose and leaned into the crazed mental state of its protagonist with fourth wall breaks and non-sequential storytelling, among other things. Though the title is Birds of Prey, it's very much Harley Quinn's movie, and that's reflected in spades with Yan's approach to the material. Rather than ignore Suicide Squad, Yan builds on the foundation laid by David Ayer in a way that serves Harley's story. While Birds of Prey is its own creative beast, there are similarities to the style and presentation. Flashy title graphics, a series of high-energy action set pieces, and a soundtrack of pop bops can still be found surrounding the unhinged harlequin.

However, it was obvious that Yan and Hodson wanted to distance Harley from Jared Leto's Joker as much as possible. Harley and Joker's breakup actually works as a wonderful catalyst for setting the plot in motion, though. I especially liked the idea that it would result in Harley's lost immunity within Gotham since nobody wants to mess with Joker aside from Batman. It also offers a compelling character arc for Harley as she's forced to fend for herself. Containing the story within Gotham and positioning the city's criminal underworld against Harley and the Birds of Prey was a wise choice. Suicide Squad ridiculously pit ordinary characters against a supernatural threat, so it was nice to see Birds of Prey stay on the street-level with suitable antagonists. Yan also effectively grounds whacky, cartoonish antics with the menace of Black Mask and Victor Zsasz. Otherwise, I was impressed by the colorful costuming, production design, Matthew Libatique's cinematography, and the phenomenal stunt work. More roller skates in action films, please.

Concerning the cast, Margot Robbie's really honed in on her portrayal of Harley Quinn. Robbie's clearly having a blast acting like an absolute maniac, and I have a difficult time imagining anyone else in the role. One nice flourish was incorporating her past life as psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel when she'd periodically psychoanalyze everyone around her before snapping back to the ditsy Harley. Her separation from the Joker really beefed up the character. It made her more sympathetic to see her struggle in striking out on her own. I'm curious whether she'll remain independent or not.

As for the Birds of Prey, Jurnee Smollett, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, and Ella Jay Basco were well-cast and great additions to the universe. Notable stand-outs being Smollett's Black Canary and Winstead's Huntress while Basco's Cassandra Cain was especially endearing. That said, they're all secondary to Harley. I wish more emphasis had been placed on each member, as it would have been nice to flesh them out in the film titled Birds of Prey.

In the role of Black Mask, Ewan McGregor gleefully gnaws on the scenery. Switching on a dime, McGregor fluctuates from an eccentric crime boss to a fearsome foe and makes the mood swings believable. The design of his mask was also very cool, and I'm glad they didn't stuff McGregor under it for the entire runtime because that'd waste an actor of his caliber. I also can't go without mentioning Chris Messina's Victor Zsasz, who was an intimidating henchman.

It's said "birds of a feather flock together," so I'm happy to report Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)'s earned a place alongside the top tier of DC's film catalog. In simpler terms, BoP is a bop!

Film Assessment: B+

'Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Quentin Tarantino, Best Actor; Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Supporting Actor; Brad Pitt, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

Won: Best Supporting Actor; Brad Pitt and Best Production Design.

Synopsis: A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

Runtime: 161 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for language throughout, some strong graphic violence, drug use, and sexual references)

Who should see it? Adult fans of Tarantino's filmography.

Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is the ninth film to be written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino's been vocal about calling it quits after his tenth, so Once Upon A Time In Hollywood may perhaps be his penultimate feature. Regardless, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a unique entry in his robust filmography. Though distinctly Tarantino on account of extended dialogue and peculiar, prominent emphasis on feet, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood differs considerably from the rest of his work. Morally ambiguous protagonists are absent while brutality is reserved for choice moments. Instead, Tarantino reminisces on a bygone era of Hollywood with a lighthearted, sentimental love letter.

Contrary to most contemporary releases, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood takes the time to immerse the audience in a pseudo-1969 Hollywood and the routine lives of its fictional and factual subjects. Tarantino's careful approach will risk being labeled as tedious and inconsequential by many viewers. Patient audience members will no doubt be rewarded as lunacy ensues in the form of a gloriously insane third act. However, the meticulous journey is meant to expand our understanding of these characters and establish the geography and atmosphere of Los Angeles fifty years ago. There's painstaking attention to detail in Los Angeles' significant '60s landmark recreations as well as the ensemble's wardrobe and hairstyling. Not to mention, everything is magnificently captured by Tarantino's frequent cinematographer Robert Richardson, and the film features a groovy soundtrack of curated '60s hits. Nobody makes movies quite like Tarantino.

Though Tarantino's body of work is often tinged with dark humor, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is the closest Tarantino's come to making a full-blown comedy... And it's hysterical, but also profound. The auteur remains wholeheartedly committed to crafting elaborate scenes depicting DiCaprio's Rick Dalton acting in television serials solely dedicated to underscoring a punch-line or emotional beat. As viewers are treated to a taste of Dalton's waning fictional film and television career, they also get a glimpse of real-life actress Sharon Tate on the rise. A bittersweet notion considering her actual fate, and one that lingers over the proceedings as audiences wonder whether Tarantino will rewrite history where the Manson Family is concerned ala Inglorious Basterds. A question I dare not answer here.

Leading Tarantino's star-studded cast, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt share sacred chemistry that will surely go down as one of the best all-time onscreen bromances. In his first performance following his long-deserved Oscar win for The Revenant, DiCaprio lends a multifaceted portrayal of an insecure actor struggling with the bumpy road of stardom. This vulnerability is a side of DiCaprio audiences have hardly seen before, and he's tremendous in the role of course. On the other hand, Pitt exudes a cool bravado as Dalton's laidback stuntman, driver, and best friend, Cliff Booth. A pantheon of movie stars, crew members, and free-spirited hippies are brought to life by the likes of Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern, Mike Moh, Timothy Olyphant, Margaret Qualley, Dakota Fanning, and Austin Butler. 

As Sharon Tate, Margot Robbie secured prominent billing in the marketing. However, the character's ultimately unrelated to the primary plot. Robbie imbues Tate with warmth, kindness, and a jubilant spirit that was a joy to watch, but she had less screen time and dialogue than I expected. When the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, a journalist asked Robbie and Tarantino why Robbie didn't have more speaking lines. Though I understand the intent behind the question, I think the question was a bit inappropriate and presumptuous considering the story's not really about Sharon Tate and additional dialogue wasn't really necessary. It was evident to me that Tarantino was interested in honoring the lesser-known qualities of Sharon Tate that are overshadowed by the tragic circumstances of her death.

Unexpected scene-stealers included Cliff Booth's pit bull and the young Julia Butters. Portraying a precocious method actor (the character deems the word "actress" restrictive) named Trudi, Butters held her own sharing the screen with DiCaprio. A commendable feat in-of-itself and Butters' mature demeanor made the scene all the more amusing.

If the marquee names associated with Tarantino's latest flick weren't enough to tell you Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood is a must-see motion-picture, I'll happily oblige in further supporting that notion. It's entertaining, original, remarkably well-crafted, and harkens back to simpler times. How often does a film like that come around?

Film Assessment: A

'I, Tonya' Review

Nominated For: Best Actress; Margot Robbie, Best Supporting Actress; Allison Janney, and Best Film Editing.

Won: Best Supporting Actress; Allison Janney.

I, Tonya steps out on thin ice to tell the true story behind the rise and fall of Tonya Harding's competitive figure skating career. I, Tonya details the significant events of Harding's upbringing and the surrounding circumstances of the most fascinating figure skating scandal in sports history involving an attack on fellow Olympic competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. 

Craig Gillespie directs the harrowing Harding biopic in the similar self-referential fourth wall-breaking style of The Wolf Of Wall Street (which also, oddly enough, featured Margot Robbie in a break-out role). It largely thanks to Steven Rogers' sharp script, which is sure to keep audiences on their toes, but the sweet soundtrack and exemplary line delivery from the commendable cast certainly didn't hurt. Gillespie presents the events in an interesting manner though, as aged-up actors stage interviews with Harding, her abusive ex-husband, her monster mother, and moronic meathead of a body guard that are interwoven with the story so each character gets a say in "what actually happened." However, as you'll soon find out, none of these narrators are particularly reliable sources. 

Gillespie clarifies from the get-go via opening text that the film presented is a depiction of the events based on conflicting accounts, so most events aren't entirely accurate, and the aforementioned interviews only add further credence to the claim. However, as unbelievable as some of the events seem, nothing felt falsely fabricated for the purposes of drama or comedy. Gillespie and Rogers lean more on the sadistically comedic side of things, because otherwise viewers would be overwhelmed by the more melodramatic reality of everything Harding endured. 

Gillespie isn't foolish enough to joke about domestic abuse, so those moments ring true, but he was clever enough to realize this story required a dark comedic approach to avoid bogging down audiences too deeply into Harding's harsh reality. Harding was an exceptional athlete who got screwed over by circumstance, and the age-old anecdote that "life isn't fair" really resonates with Harding's story. Harding had the skill, but lacked the financial resources and happy home life, so the very idea of becoming an accomplished figure skater was a hard-fought, up-hill battle for her. 

Which is precisely why I admire I, Tonya. This isn't a traditional, tired inspirational sports drama about an athlete overcoming adversity and emerging victorious or simply satisfied with their performance. Instead, we're shown a story of an athlete who not only overcame adversity, but got dragged straight back to the bottom of it because of the idiots around her. Aside from being the first American figure skater and woman to ever land the triple axel, Tonya never comes out on top. She rarely gets the scores she deserves due to her attitude and dress, while the less-talented skaters receive higher marks on account of costuming... So when Tonya finally succeeds at something never before done, you truly feel the significance. Not simply because the feat is astounding, but because it's rewarding to see Tonya receive adequate attention for her exceptional ability. Only then, is everything undone by no fault of her own.

If there's one event in I, Tonya that I believe to have been accurately portrayed, it would certainly have to be that Tonya Harding only became an accessory to the attack on Nancy Kerrigan after the fact. Based on the internet research I did afterwards, it seems it's agreed upon that Harding wasn't as embroiled in the scandal as the media wanted people to believe, but rather knew about it and kept quiet to avoid the eventual disqualification that came her way.

On the filmmaking front, cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis pulls off some terrific tracking shots and Peter Nashel composes some interesting, heavy themes to contrast the high-flying soundtrack full of hits from the '80s and '90s. As for the skating, Margot Robbie did actually get in the rink quite a bit and underwent a couple months of training beforehand to ensure she could at least be out on the ice. Figure-skating body doubles and CG were implemented to great effect in order to accomplish Harding's more daring feats

Margot Robbie strides forward with not only the best performance of her career thus far, but easily one of the best performances from a lead actress all year (She should definitely be receiving her first Oscar nomination come January). Robbie's depiction of Harding showcases a rather impressive range from the young actress as she plays a broken individual shaped by the tragedy of circumstance. We witness an outpouring of emotional vulnerability from Robbie in one particular scene where Harding has to smile amidst the turmoil of her personal life in order to make the right impression out on the ice. Margot Robbie's acting career has only just begun to blossom, but I can only imagine that her portrayal of Tonya Harding will stand as a career-best performance for quite some time.

At her side, Sebastian Stan projects a two-pronged portrayal of Jeff Gillooly as both an immensely unlikable man and an innately swell guy. As Robbie says in the film, he's the kind of guy who can talk himself out of anything. There's no doubt though that Paul Walter Hauser was the perfect casting choice to play Tonya's thickheaded bodyguard, Shawn Eckhardt. Nearly every line of dialogue from Hauser is absurdly idiotic, so good luck resisting the urge to laugh anytime he opens his mouth to talk about being an expert in counter terrorism.

However, it's Allison Janney's portrayal of Tonya's no-nonsense, foulmouthed mother, LaVona Golden, that stands above the other supporting stars. In a year of film dominated by films featuring turbulent relationships between parents and their children (The Book of Henry, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Lady Bird, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri to name a few), Janney manages to stand apart from the crowd as a mother who's only able to provide tough love and she really sells the rough, hellish exterior.

I, Tonya is equal parts hilarious and heart-wrenching. While Gillespie doesn't always nail a deft balance between humor and seriousness and the film runs a bit long, that doesn't change the fact that I, Tonya sticks the landing as a phenomenal performance piece sure to scoop up significant awards attention in the coming days. 

Film Assessment: B+

Alternate Cut Review: 'Suicide Squad- Extended Cut'

Nominated For: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Suicide Squad was just as controversial as, if not more divisive than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Many fans were stoked because of the killer marketing material and incredibly-cut trailers but let down that a lot of the coolest moments from the trailers didn't show up in the finished film. Then it was reported that supposedly Warner Bros. hijacked the production in post-production giving creative control to the trailer company that cut the Suicide Squad trailers rather than David Ayer in response to the split reaction to BvS. 

Fans then hoped to hear about a director's cut similar to the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice- Ultimate Edition or at least a version with more footage and fans had their prayers answered in October when the Suicide Squad- Extended Cut was announced for a release in November on Digital and on Blu-Ray in December. I think I was a little too forgiving of Suicide Squad's shortcomings when I first saw and reviewed it so I've gone back and changed my initial score a little and I've just recently made time to watch the Extended Cut that sticks an additional fourteen minutes on the runtime so here are my thoughts on the Extended Cut and if the extra footage makes any difference whatsoever.

Theatrical Cut Review- Suicide Squad Review

"Extended Edition" Review- If you're looking for Suicide Squad's Extended Cut to fill in plot-holes and repair some of the theatrical cut's flaws ala the BvS-Ultimate Edition, then you will likely be very disappointed with it. This alternative version of the film plays out almost exactly like the theatrical version, just with the deleted scenes stitched back in. That's not to say it didn't slightly improve the film because I did find some refinements in terms of the characters. Most of the footage added back into the film is interactions amongst the squad and some more character drama. Both go a long way to further fleshing the characters out beyond what we saw in theaters last August and make the squad feel like a more tightly knit group as you see more of their bonding over the course of their journey. I also think I saw some additional footage for the film's main action set pieces and the additional footage definitely makes these scenes feel more substantial but they're no more memorable. 

If you're interested in the Extended Edition for more footage of Jared Leto's Joker, you'll find probably about a minute or two more but not much and it will do little to change your mind on his performance. I still feel he nails the insanity of the character but also think Jared Leto was just a little too weird with certain mannerisms as he would occasionally snort like some kind of hog and that's just not very Joker-like in my mind. 

The enchantress still looks stupid dancing around and none of the effects look all that different. I personally didn't really like the CGI in this, and I say that because I'm not sure if I included that in my theatrical cut review or not. 

The other performances and cast still shine as a beacon of hope nailing their respective characters (If you really want more detail on that just head over to my theatrical review linked above). One noticeable difference I really liked about Harley Quinn in particular was that there's some dialogue of her inner psychiatrist diagnosing some of her squad members as I felt that was very true to the character and something that almost flew out the window in the initial cut, a minor addition but a welcome one. 

Any character you felt was underserved in the theatrical cut gets some additional footage with the exception of Slipknot and Batman & Flash's cameos but don't expect any significant alterations. 

Overall, the extra footage goes a little ways towards improving the film for me personally. I can say that I liked the additional character-driven scenes and seeing more interactions amongst the squad that make their chemistry feel more authentic later on down the line but didn't find it to significantly change my opinion on anything. If you liked the theatrical cut you'll find more to love here, if you disliked it this won't be enough to change your mind.

Film Assessment: C+

'Suicide Squad' Review

Suicide Squad seemed like the dream DC film from the day it was announced. With David Ayer behind the camera and an all star cast in front what could possibly go wrong? Suicide Squad's marketing campaign has been nothing short of stellar, I can't believe that the same studio marketed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. On Tuesday when the embargo for 'Suicide Squad' dropped and I saw a majority of reviews were negative I became concerned. This has become a trend with DC releases since Man Of Steel and generally I've come to agree that those films had problems. I found Man of Steel to be ok, while Batman v Superman was enjoyable but severely disappointing as a result of poor technical execution and odd creative decisions. Both of those previous entries into the DCEU were helmed by Zack Snyder so I had hoped he was what was holding the DCEU from reaching it's full potential, that is till I saw the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice- Ultimate Edition, the director's cut, that made remarkable improvements to the lacking theatrical cut. 

That along with several reports of studio interference on Suicide Squad made me increasingly more anxious that the reason the DCEU hasn't burst the bubble is that Warner Bros. is holding it back. Well, I'm glad to report that I no longer have those worries after viewing Suicide Squad at an early screening last evening as this is the one time I don't feel the negativity is justified. Also, there will be spoilers for Batman v Superman and on that note the film itself spoils a major plot point from Batman v Superman since it takes place afterwards in the DCEU timeline. With that out of the way, it's probably time I started actually reviewing Suicide Squad. 

'Suicide Squad' Review

Nominated For: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Won: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Suicide Squad picks up with a shady intelligence organization head Amanda Waller assembling a team of criminals that she believes are capable of defending humanity from the next big meta-human threat now that Superman's in the grave. The catch, these bad guys are the worst of the worst and Waller has some contingencies in place in case they don't want to play nice (Those familiar with the squad will know exactly what I'm referring to). After a mysterious threat arises, Waller brings together Task Force X (the covert name for the squad) and send them to handle the situation. That's the basic premise of Suicide Squad and it's unique in the sense that there are no heroes around, our protagonists are bad guys and the antagonists are even worse. 

While Marvel has a scarce library of compelling villains to pull from, DC has the motherland with plenty of great options and so it seems only right that they would bring them all together for a team movie like this to showcase them off and if Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice brought us our first glimpses of the Justice League it's only right that Suicide Squad shows off some of their baddies. 

As I stated in the prologue, Suicide Squad has had some terrific marketing material that was very promising so once the negative reviews poured in I started to feel a little concerned but remained determined I would keep an open mind while watching it and not let the venomous critiques alter my opinion. With that being said, I loved Suicide Squad despite what I've read. While I understand the critics' complaints, I don't feel they are as bad as they're being made out to be. I had too much of a good time thanks to the electric chemistry from the remarkable cast and Ayer's pizazz. 

Coming straight off Fury, I was stoked to hear David Ayer would be in charge. Ayer wrote the screenplay in addition to directing the picture and, while I have a few gripes I'll discuss in a moment, he did incredibly well in both departments. Ayer pulls off an interesting mix of grounded and gritty while instilling a sense of levity making for a unique tone in the DCEU's bleak library. FINALLY, someone in the DCEU can tell a joke from time to time.  

I've seen many complaints about the editing but I didn't have a problem with it since it's much better than the atrocity that was Batman v Superman's cobbled together theatrical cut. In other technical areas, the visual effects were well done with a flashy mix of grit and bright aesthetics for roughed up look throughout. The costuming department also had a bit of fun giving each character their unique charm and flavor through their choice of attire, while the makeup and prosthetics used to make Killer Croc were just darn incredible. The action on display is fun to watch with terrific fight choreography but none of the sequences were particularly memorable in comparison to other comic book movies. 

My qualms with the film were essentially that some elements were typical generic plot devices and story points we see in almost every comic book movie these days. I kid you not, the antagonist feels so similar to X-Men: Apocalypse's titular big bad in that their motivations are murky, their plan seems contrived, and they're just weird. Since Suicide Squad's ad campaign didn't disclose the antagonist I will refrain from lifting the veil from your eyes and when discussing performances will try to be generic so that it's difficult to determine just who is opposing the squad. It wasn't the least bit surprising to me but I'd like to keep up the ambiance if possible. Also there's quite a few cliché moments that were predictable and not as emotionally impactful as they were probably intended to be. One other issue was that the soundtrack didn't always vibe with what was going on during the film and I actually would have preferred an actual score throughout with maybe some of the greatest pop songs interspersed less often more akin to Guardians of the Galaxy, a clear inspiration for the project. Steven Price's score is great when utilized but the classic pop hits are turned up too loud and too often that it was a slight annoyance. 

What really made the film click was it's illustrious ensemble and their tortured team dynamic. Margot Robbie's beautifully twisted Harley Quinn and Will Smith's expert marksman Deadshot take the spotlight as the characters with the most focus of the group and they steal plenty of scenes.  Robbie makes for a terrific Harley Quinn though as she borrows from the character's longstanding history to incorporate many of her infamous mannerisms while managing to make the role her own. Harley's arc is primarily tied in with Leto's Joker, don't worry I'll get to him soon enough, and the two work wonders together on screen thanks to some phenomenal chemistry. 

Smith gives the most likable performance he's provided in some time now with charisma aplenty and his Floyd Lawton has a nice emotional touchstone arc involving his daughter that brings out his heart of gold despite his willingness to kill basically anyone. Jay Hernandez has a breakout role as Diablo, a hothead meta-human with the most relatable backstory and one of the more emotional arcs out of the squad. Jai Courtney is finally given substantial role in Aussie Captain Boomerang that he excels in, serving as effective comedic relief throughout the film. 

Cara Delevingne plays June Moon who's possessed by a strange witch named Enchantress. Delevingne's movements and mannerisms are very strange as the character crawls about scantily clothed and made for the weirdest of the performances on display. As for other squad members, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's a creepy reptilian Killer Croc, Karen Fukuhara plays samurai Katana, and Adam Beach is the slick Slipknot. The three have the least material and screen time but each member of the squad gets at least a few standout moments to shine. 

Now I bet you want to know what I thought of Jared Leto's Joker. Well he doesn't have a lot of screen time but when onscreen he invokes what a modern psychotic Clown Prince of Crime would be like with swagger, mental instability, and a sense of purpose. With that being said, I didn't see enough of his Joker to warrant a proper comparison to previous incarnations, but while he's certainly no Heath Ledger he was fine as the character and I'd love to see more of his unique take and hopefully  opposite Ben Affleck's Batman someday. 

Viola Davis makes Amanda Waller a woman who means business and any sane individual would definitely want to mess with and she plays it with remarkable conviction. Sure some of her action's don't make sense but they make her all the more fearsome. Her stooge Rick Flagg is played by Joel Kinnaman who gives him enough southern militaristic twang to be somewhat relevant but was probably the character I cared the least about. He's the one leading the squad in their mission and responsible for dishing out punishment if they deviate from the mission's parameters. 

Overall, they made for an incredible well rounded cast that dish out one-liners with charisma, gusto, and heart. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for easter eggs, cameos, and there is in fact a mid-credits scene. While Suicide Squad has it's flaws, it's harmless fun and what joyous entertainment it is! I found it more difficult to dig out flaws than strengths as the pros are abundant thanks to the terrific performances and fun tone. I highly recommend Suicide Squad and can guarantee you'll have a great time, Suicide Squad is a blast and don't let Rotten Tomatoes tell you otherwise.

Film Assessment: B C+ (Revised)

'The Legend of Tarzan' Review

I apologize that this review has been significantly delayed as I actually just got around to seeing The Legend of Tarzan thanks to some unforeseen complications and a busy schedule.

'The Legend of Tarzan' Review

The Legend of Tarzan picks up a decade after the classic tale of Tarzan written by Edgar Rice Burroughs (not to be confused with Disney's animated adaptation Tarzan as this film is in no way correlated to Disney's version since The Legend of Tarzan is a Warner Bros. production) where we find that Tarzan has adopted his official monicker of John Clayton III and grown accustomed to a lavish life in London. Tarzan must return to his true home to thwart imperial schemes threatening all life in the African Congo and that's where the adventure begins. 

One thing that I think should be made expressly clear in this review is that The Legend of Tarzan is in no way, shape or form a retelling of Tarzan's origin, although there are some flashbacks intermitted that flesh out the backstory for this specific adaptation. However, I found myself wishing that the film did retell Tarzan's origin because I'd love to see a modern live-action take on it and especially with the talented cast amassed for the flick. **Psst** Disney, please make a live-action adaptation of the animated film and use the technology showcased in The Jungle Book because that would be terrific. Although with Disney's crowded slate of films, I'm not sure when a live-action Tarzan could feasibly happen. 

David Yates, director of all Harry Potter films post-Goblet of Fire and even the upcoming spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, takes charge of The Legend of Tarzan and I must admit his direction and the other technical elements are a mixed bag, soaring in their heights and drowning in a sea of boring bleakness in their lowest points.

Yates tries one of the latest Hollywood tropes by bringing about a dreary reimagining of a classic character (ala Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). I'm not knocking Yates' abilities as a director but rather commenting that he doesn't have a distinctive voice.

As for the cinematography, Yates and cinematographer Henry Braham in many instances captured gorgeous imagery of the lush African jungle shrouded by mist and natural light while also bringing some sloppy camera work, reminiscent of The Hunger Games, and the remaining portions of the film are lit in a grim grayscale that evokes a darker tone for the film reflected in the grittier more mature narrative and the grounded fight choreography. 

The visual effects seem a bit mediocre in comparison to this year's The Jungle Book and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, films reliant on computer generated animals that look exceptionally real in comparison to the gorillas here. 

The screenplay is penned by Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer, and unfortunately neither saw it fitting to to explore the character of Tarzan or any character for that matter. The story's convoluted, the dialogue is cheesy, and the entire thing lacks energy (something a movie about a man swinging through the jungle hooping and hollering desperately needs). 

The only charisma to be found in the flick comes from Samuel L. Jackson's George Washington Williams. The remaining cast members all give quality performances but aren't granted exciting material to work with. 

Alexander Skarsgård brings the sheer impressive physicality of Tarzan, going the extra mile by even ensuring he has posture of a man raised by apes, and a more intellectual mind now that he's become the civilized Brit John Clayton III but doesn't get to do much beyond that with such a shallow lead role. He does provide a terrific trademark Tarzan yell, works well in action sequences, and sure can swing around. 

Margot Robbie has proven herself to be quite the actress hitting the nail of role after role straight on the head, I can't wait to see her kick butt as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, and this film is no exception. Margot Robbie makes for a more capable Jane Porter, who although characterized as a damsel can certainly fend for herself if need be. Robbie like her other costars isn't given much to work with, but does the best she can with the lackluster material provided. 

Samuel L. Jackson steals the show as the charming George Washington Williams, a real historic figure, bringing fun and levity to the proceedings. Jackson seems to be the only actor enjoying himself and was certainly the only one with a smile on his face for the entire runtime (I'm not qualifying any mischievous grins from Christoph Waltz). 

Christoph Waltz's villainous role as Captain Leon Rom is all too reminiscent of his roles in Inglorious Basterds and Spectre, a refined wacko in charge of some malicious organization, but he's done it better in those films. I seriously hope that Waltz isn't headed in the direction of Johnny Depp where he will play a single caricature in upcoming films because I'd prefer to see something new from Waltz, and it's not to be found in The Legend of Tarzan. 

Poor Djimon Hounsou is given another relatively small antagonistic role in yet another big budget franchise, similar in size to his roles in Furious 7 and Guardians of the Galaxy. Hounsou is great as Chief Mbongo, but is used in such a small capacity it may have been a better idea to just leave his character out of the story altogether.

With all that being said, there are some aspects that saved the film for me. For one, the third act finale is epic and full of grandeur adventure as Tarzan leads a wildebeest charge. Up to this point, I had found most of the first and second acts be sluggish and boring at times as it was very uneventful and a tad uninteresting till the characters reached Africa, and even then I didn't ever feel the raw energy that should be emulated from a Tarzan movie till the third act. Another saving grace was the score composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams. Greyson-Williams' score fit perfectly with ongoing events and when the action got going, African drums crescendoed instilling a more adventurous undercurrent, but unfortunately this daring fun tone wasn't carried forth into the entire film. Just another thing The Jungle Book did right.

The Legend of Tarzan is worth watching at some point and maybe when the film swings onto home media release will be a prime rental, but is just a so-so Tarzan movie that's too dark and gritty for it's own good.

Film Assessment: C+