‘Suicide Squad’ FILM REVIEW

*Sigh* 

I had such high hopes. Now, that may seem a pretty harsh way to begin a review, and don’t get me wrong there are definitely some defining and memorable moments throughout this film I really enjoyed but…there just could have been so much more. 

More Captain Boomerang, more Katana, more Joker…the list is endless. It’s meant to be a ‘squad’ and Lord knows everyone under the sun knows what that means thanks to T-Swift and her friends, but really it just felt like the Deadshot and Harley Quinn show. And whilst I really loved those characters I did feel like we didn’t get a chance to really see the others shine like we know they have the potential to do. 

Origin stories are always hard- you want to give the audience enough information so the present storyline makes sense but you don’t want to load them down with too many flashbacks and stoic moments where the characters wonder how they got to this point in their lives. It really is a delicate balance, and I’m not one hundred percent sure that ‘Suicide Squad’ nailed it. There was a lot of flashbacks rammed into the storyline that made it feel jolty and at times slightly confusing. The flashbacks themselves were not in order, we saw Harley both pre and post Joker in random sequences, so you were never completely sure of the timeline. 

Will Smith killed it, naturally- his talent for humour and timing shining through in the character of Deadshot very nicely and offering comic relief in the darkest moments. His relationship with army man Rick Flag, portrayed by Joel Kinnaman, was also a highlight for me as I enjoyed their comradery and to-and-fro sarcasm throughout the film, the contrast between good and evil yet joining together to fight for a cause. And the attitude he holds towards Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller had me laughing out loud, particularly his ‘How are you not dead?’ delivery. Flawless.

After all the hype behind the multiple trailers, posters, teasers and radio adverts run throughout the months leading up to the films release I felt a little disappointed however about the amount of screen time the Joker got. He was supposed to be the ultimate bad guy- Jared Leto clearly put his all into it and yet he was used almost as a side piece. An idea to show Harley Quinn’s backstory and nothing more. He played a slight comic relief that didn’t really live up to his potential. And I’m not the only one disappointed in the portrayal- Leto himself has said he was upset with the way he had been placed into the film, believing that the potential of the role was not explored fully.

Needless to say, fans felt tricked and slightly let down by the filmmakers in regards to what they thought to be a major story arc. There seems to be promises of more in the extended cut, but I’ll reserve any kind of judgement until I see it for myself.

With that, the big bad guy was anything but. And trust me, it wounds me to writes such words. I LOVE Cara Delevingne, and I have for years. When she made the leap to acting I was thrilled, simply because it meant we would see more of her on the big screen. But, I feel she took on too much, too soon. This character is not well thought out or portrayed at all, and I feel that is only part Delevingne’s issue. She gets the June Moon persona nailed down, the scared unknowing woman who doesn’t understand the powerful being inside her- however when she makes the transition to Enchantress, something gets lost in translation. She becomes comedic, but not in a good sense. She becomes sexualised, scantily dressed and gyrating around whilst everyone else gets in on the action. She is given an odd CGI voice and look, and somehow the reality of the film, already hanging by a thread due to it’s nature, is completely lost. It’s heart-breaking, simply because the potential is there and not acted upon. However, I do think the other enemy Amanda Waller was portrayed in justice. Viola Davis bought the right amount of patriotic loyalty and emotionless drive to make her hated by the characters and audience alike. Her dominant role throughout the film, to me, seemed to be simply to make the audience side with the protagonists, the ‘squad’ who even though they are quintessentially evil you find yourself rooting for them to succeed. It’s a redemption story, and Waller is the catalyst for succession.

The CGI and special effects was another issue for me- I feel this is just becoming a list of complaints but roll with it, we will get there- simply because it didn’t live up to other aspects of the film. Characters are humorous and attention grabbing for the most part, and I enjoyed laughing along with them. however, I did not enjoy laughing at the CGI because I was SUPPOSED to laugh at it. It was an awkward laugh because it was unbelievable- the whole point of CGI is to make us believe what we are seeing is real, that it really, truly exists- and there were points that succeeded, such as El Diablo’s (another underrated character) full transformation.

A highlight for me was the soundtrack- it kept the film alive and rolling. It succinctly narrated the film and kept the feel of a comedic superhero film going, even if some of the songs did feel a little out of place. I also enjoyed the not so subtle tie-ins to the Justice League upcoming films, the reveal of the Flash and the return of Affleck’s Batman. That last one is a bit of a stretch as I have strong mixed feelings towards ol’ Ben’s Batman, but that’s for another day and post. But I love a good tie-in, and teasers are my weakness. The more interactions they have the more real the characters become to be- it gives them a sense of history, a past we are only just starting to learn.

The film ends ambiguously, I think- they leave it wide open with the Joker re-appearing, naturally, with the options of numerous sequels. There are a number of villains that could potentially be lined up for the squad to defeat- Harley, Deadshot, Killer Croc and Boomerang are all still in Belle Reve, and El Diablo’s fate seems slightly equivocal. I’m not sure how I feel about this situation. As a story arc, Enchantress is defeated and the squad benefit from being temporarily good- we get to see an aspect of humanity and vulnerability to them all that I like.

I left the cinema with mixed feelings- I found it enjoyable whilst I watched it, but the more I thought about it the more flaws I found. It seems to be a trait I find forming with regards to DC movies recently. Overall, it’s a feel good movie that is watchable enough but should be a definite miss for those die-hard comic fans, or really anyone who knows anything about the original comic characters. Sadly, the film just didn’t do them justice.

5.5/10

‘Shadowhunters’ TV REVIEW

Cassandra Clare’s ‘The Mortal Instruments’ have been some of my favourite books for many years. An immensely popular YA fiction series that creates rich characters, wonderful story arcs and twisted relationships that would make a wonderful soap drama in the world of supernatural. So when they announced they were making a film version a few years ago, I was thrilled. After seeing it, a little less so. Don’t get me wrong, it was good but- it wasn’t exactly gripping. The casting seemed off, too many things were changed from the original text and I just felt some of the magic got lost on the crossover from page to screen. 

But, thank goodness, we as a fandom were given a second chance in the form of a television show. A chance for the media Gods to redeem themselves, if you like. But the whole world was watching, and every eye was on McG and Ed Decter, the shows producers, to do a better job that had been done before. Every member of the fandom had an opinion on who to be cast in the beloved teen roles of Jace and Clary, not to mention Alec, Izzy, Simon and Magnus- and all opinions were different. It seemed an impossible task to get right, but somehow, they managed it. Well, almost managed it. A couple of casting choices seemed a little dubious to me, but we will get to that later. 

Next came the story-line- what parts of the novel were the writers going to keep, and what was going to be added? Would they go completely off book to keep the plot alive and interesting- after all, as much as we love the books, knowing everything that is going to happen before it actually does was bound to get tedious for fans of the novels. The writers had a hard task of sticking to the plot as well as inventing new twists and turns to keep us as viewers captivated. There’s a very thin line between staying true to the original story and throwing it away for artistic license- and with fans as passionate as the ones of ‘The Mortal Instruments’, it’s not a line you would want to cross.

Especially with regards to the relationships that are present in the novel. With characters as rich and dimensional as the ones Clare had created on the page, there comes a lot of drama, romance and emotions. the fans were desperate for that to come across on the screen as well as it does in the books. The witty banter between Jace and Clary is crucial to their relationship, it’s what makes it stand out and so much fun to read- the shameless flirting from Magnus and the awkward bashfulness from Alec is so important for their journey and had to be included, otherwise it would simply fall flat- both from the writers and the actors. These are characters we know so intimately, after six books plus extras written all about them, it’s easy enough to say you know them as well as your own family. Everyone’s a critic when it comes to something you’re passionate about. 

I personally am much happier with the casting choices, overall, for the TV series than I was for the film. Yes, there are a couple of actors I would have loved to have bought over from film to TV land, such as Jared Harris in the role of Hodge who, to me, was just perfection. I very much enjoy Jon Corr as an actor, but when a character is described a certain way in a novel I prefer to see that same description on the screen as well. 

The stand out roles for me, without a doubt, were Alec and Magnus, played by Matthew Daddario and Harry Shum Jr. respectively. And not just because I am such a fan of their characters together, but because they really embodied the main personality traits their characters’ possess. Shum Jr. manages to use his dancing background to give Magnus the flair and ‘sparkle’ that he deserves, playing the magical warlock with a sharp tongue and a ‘c’est le vie’ attitude about most things with a credit to his skills. Whilst Daddario portrays a stoic and strict version of Alec that compliments his other half Magnus. He plays the leader with great authority, but shows the vulnerable side of Alec that stems from his struggles regarding sexuality and feelings in a way that makes you find him endearing and a joy to watch. 

Other members of the cast such as  Emeraude Toubia and Alberto Rosende, who bring Izzy and Simon to life on screen, really did their characters justice in their portrayals. The changes made to the character of Luke Garroway, played by Isaiah Mustafa, turning him from a bookkeeper to a detective really worked favorably for the plot-line and the story arc of the entire season. The older generation of characters, the parental roles, really hold their own- they have more prominent roles than in the movie which is also something I enjoyed- to see the family aspect of the show and the novels really come to life. 

And now we move onto the two leads of the show, Jace and Clary portrayed by Dominic Sherwood and Katherine McNamara. Whilst I appreciate there can be pressure and responsibility when playing the lead in a show, something about the performances felt…flat. McNamara’s portrayal seemed forced, her facial expressions too dramatic and the words just not seeming quite natural. Physically she matches Clary from the book perfectly, but her over innocence and dramatic outbursts become tiresome fairly quickly in the series. Her chemistry with Dominic Sherwood cannot be faulted however, and when the two share the screen it really is hard to look away. They play off each other with ease- the flirtatious game Jace and Clary are known for in the first novel very clear on screen. Sherwood’s portrayal of Jace is very well done- he nails the sarcasm to a tee and he’s got the looks as well, but I don’t know if its simply because I have built a certain, very clear image of Jace in my head over the years that makes me a little bias to anyone playing him, but something seems off. I don’t know if its because Sherwood’s Jace is a lot angrier and hot tempered than I remember Jace being in the novels- he was always the ‘scary calm’ type rather than shouting his feelings. Or maybe it’s just the script itself I struggled with. 

The script had it’s ups and down for me. The plot I enjoyed immensely, because it was a nice mixture of the original text and new ideas, but the dialogue seemed overkill. There was such an information dump and obvious lines that could have been expressed with emotion or movement rather than words. It felt jarring at times, like the actors were trying to catch the audience up with all the information they needed to know so that the next scene made scene. It was a little disconcerting, and broke up the dialogue and the scene quite a bit. Above all else, it felt a little insulting to the audience, as if we needed to be spoon fed information to understand the show. I did, however, like how each character had their own story line and own issues to deal with, all whilst being tied together by the main story arc- defeating the villain Valentine, played by Alan Van Sprang. 

The costumes and styles definitely need a mention as well- what the characters wear is a huge part in the novels, ‘wearing black better than the widows of our enemies’ runs a strong theme throughout all of Clare’s shadowhunter novels, and the costume designers did not disappoint. Leather as far as the eye could see, weapons galore and more black material than you could shake a stick at- I loved it. The characters totally looked the part, and the costumes are something I cannot fault. And the wedding dress…I’ll say no more. 

And moving swiftly from the costumes to a new but not entirely unrelated topic, the settings- in particular the Shadowhunter Institute where the characters live and work- are all incredible as well. The set designers have outdone themselves, building the apartment where Clary and her mother live, the institute itself, and various other settings that help support the story line. 

The last thing I wanted to address was the changes to the original story whilst it was being adapted. There are many people out there who want the story to remain the same, to just see the original text up on the screen with no changes, and I understand that. When you love something, you don’t want to see it changed- perhaps for worse. It’s a risk the writers, and the fans, have to take when a project like this is green-lit. But personally, I liked the changes. The main events stay the same but there are many twists and turns that I really enjoyed throughout the season- it made it seem fresh and new, and gave the story another dimension. 

And, luckily for us as a fandom, the show has been picked up for a season 2, coming early 2017. I, for one, cannot wait to see where the story is going to go. 

6.5/10 

‘Wicked Charms’ Book Review

Recently I’ve been expanding my type of genre when it comes to books. Growing up I was dependant on romance, to read about girls who had everything I wanted. Young Adult fiction became my crutch during the boring days of my teenage years. 

But now I find myself craving something a little different. When voicing these concerns a family member suggested I move onto to something that would ease me into another genre- a crossover perhaps. With that she handed me the first in a series by Janet Evanovich, ‘Wicked Appetite’- a crime novel with a light hearted comedy feel and a fabulously sexy duo with tension that could be cut with a knife. Without a doubt, I was hooked. And explains why I read the second novel, ‘Wicked Business’ in a matter of days. OK, more like hours. 

Which is why I was so gosh-darn excited for the third book to be published. I knew Evanovich was co-writing this novel with another author by the name Phoef Sutton, someone I hadn’t heard of before, and I was a little apprehensive. Would it have the same off the cuff and witty one liners Evanovich was so well known for writing? Would the tension between Diesel and Lizzie still be red hot? These were all genuine questions I had buzzing around my head leading up to the publication date. 

But it turns out…I needn’t have worried. Evanovich and Sutton work amazingly together, and the stories in this series just keep getting better and better. Now that the characters are well fleshed out and as familiar to me as the family member who introduced us, the plot lines and crime aspects really take precedence and you start to understand where the authors are heading within this series. 

And I love the characters, I really do- they are lovable and sweet with a wicked sense of humour. No pun intended. Alright, maybe a little. And whilst a few of them seem a little too goofy to be real people, or perhaps too helpful that makes our heroes’ journey just that much easier, they are fun to read about. From the guy who can’t stop talking like a pirate even when he’s off duty to the finger flipping pet monkey Carl, you can’t help laugh out loud at them all. 

The story revolves around Lizzie Tucker, a cupcake baker living in Salem who discovers she possesses a magical sense that allows her to locate stones that have the abilities of the Seven Deadly Sins. Sounds odd written down, for sure, but combined with Evanovich’s comedic writing style and the murder mystery sub-plot that keeps the suspense building it works. The other protagonist is the mysterious Diesel who acts as Lizzie’s guide, and therefore ours as well, to the supernatural and the world of magic. He too possesses some magical ability of his own, and to keep the sexual tension alive as the series continues, neither can be with one another for fear of losing their magical skills. It’s both convenient and slightly hilarious at times.

While the crime aspect doesn’t exactly match the level of gore or suspense as say Stephen King or Jo Nesbo, there are moments that will surprise and shock you. However it is not the main focus of the storyline and takes a back seat to the comedy and relationships between the characters. It is a gateway novel from romance into the crime genre, and a perfect start for people looking to make the switch. 

There are two main storylines within this novel- the stand alone one that focuses on the particular stone of Lust and the character’s quest to find it, and the overall arc of Lizzy and Diesel’s fight against the main villain of the story- Diesel’s not so nice cousin Wulf who is also after the stones for his own nefarious ways. Not much is known about Wulf up to this point, and I think Evanovich plans to keep it that way- he’s been labelled the ‘tall mysterious man’ and he really lives up to his name. But his role ties in nicely with both storylines as he simultaneously hinders and helps our heroes along the way. 

It’s a feel good novel to read during your down time or on holiday. It’s a series I have grown to love as I have read each book, and is one I happy to read over and over again whilst waiting for the next in the series. If you’re looking for something a little different and light hearted, yet want to stray away from the cliche romances thrown at the female demographic, this is the book, and the series, for you. 

7.5/10 

‘In Your Eyes’ Movie Review

A film that has been in the making for over two decades, written by the wonderful Joss Whedon who is really the gift that just keeps on giving in the realms of supernatural, paranormal and romance, this film was an unexpectedly glorious discovery made by myself a few nights ago. 
I recently made the decision/ social mistake of getting myself Netflix, and whilst trawling through the many films I either had already seen or had no interest in ever watching, this little beauty fell into my lap. 
First premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, Whedon then made it available online rather than taking on theatrical distribution. The only explanation as to why I hadn’t heard of it until now. 
It’s a love story, plain and simple, only the twist is…the protagonists have never met. It is a story of two minds falling in love, not bodies. Dylan and Rebecca live on opposite sides of the country, and yet somehow, inexplicably, their minds are linked- they are able to see what each other can see, feel what each other can feel, and when they talk aloud, they can hear each other as well. 

I know, a little wacky- but considering the mind it came from, it’s a very sweet idea. The two could not be more different if they tried- she a upper class, unsatisfied housewife only married for the safety and comfort her wealthy doctor husband can provide, he a convict recently out of prison trying to turn his life around. It’s cliche and yet fresh. Whedon has done it again, the tragic love story you have to root for (Buffy and Angel anyone?) and want to be triumphant. 
Yes, the film lacks the superheroes, magical weapons and action sequences we are used to from Whedon’s work, but the themes are still there- we see a strong woman break from the safety of her life to pursue what will really make her happy, we have the misogynistic husband who controls his wife and talks down to her, more concerned with his career than her. Good triumphs over evil and the bad guy is vanquished. 
The score, composed by Tony Morales, left me with goosebumps throughout. It’s a soft, melodic sound that makes you fall in love, just like the characters and the storyline. It’s a perfect fit. 
The location is beautiful, a wonderful contrast between the cold New Hampshire and the mountain state of New Mexico. It represents the characters’ perfectly, their situation and their personalities alike. The theme runs right through to the end, when the characters both choose to leave their respected settings and travel to a new destination, showing their growth and change as people. 
The two leads, Zoe Kazan and Michael Stahl-David, really get to show off their ability in this film. It’s about falling in love all on your own. They had to dominate the screen visually whilst sharing it- a hard feat I can only imagine. Talking to themselves, whilst really having a conversation with each other occurs predominantly throughout the film, yet you really find yourself believing they are there, in each others heads. They are both a joy to watch and very believable together, both well rounded and damaged characters with flaws and virtues alike. They are well suited, both on and off screen. 
My only concern is one of minuscule size- they don’t address why they are psychically linked. We, as an audience, are expected to just accept it as fact and focus on the love story- which most of me is fine with. In other love films we aren’t expected to question why both leads are in the bar at the same time, or any other serendipitous meet cute that might be the reason the couple first meet- why should this one be any different? Perhaps its just me, always wanting to know more. 
But it’s sweet, plain and simple. Something you can curl up in front of the television on a cold night and watch, and restores just a little faith in the world. A definite recommendation to anyone who loves romance, Whedon and a little paranormal. 
8/10