THE SUICIDE SQUAD : Tuesday 19th October 2021.

I finally got around to seeing 'THE SUICIDE SQUAD' on the big screen now that cinema's have reopened across greater Sydney in the past ten days or so, following almost four months of COVID-19 forced lockdown. Written and Directed by James Gunn, this standalone sequel to 2016's 'Suicide Squad' (Directed by David Ayer) is the tenth film in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). Gunn's previous film making offerings include his directorial debut in 2006 'Slither', 'Super' in 2010, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' in 2014 and 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' in 2017, with 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' currently filming and due in 2023. 'The Suicide Squad' was released in the UK in late July, and in the US in early August while streaming on HBO Max for a month starting the same day. It has generated positive critical reviews, although has been a Box Office let down recouping just US$168M so far from its production budget outlay of US$185M.

Here then, A.R.G.U.S. Director (Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans) Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) assembles two Task Force X teams, known as the Suicide Squad that consist Belle Reve penitentiary inmates (a high security metahuman prison), who reluctantly agree to carry out missions for Waller in exchange for having ten years shaved off their sentences, while at the same time having explosive devices injected into their necks which Waller can activate at any given time should the need arise. The teams are sent to the island nation of Corto Maltese, located off the South American coast, after its government is overthrown in a military led coup by an anti-American regime. They are tasked with destroying the Nazi-era laboratory, Jotunheim, which holds a secretive experiment known as 'Project Starfish' as well as conducting clandestine experiments on human subjects, led for the past thirty years by lead scientist Gaius Grieves aka The Thinker (Peter Capaldi). 

The first team is led by Waller's subordinate Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and comprises Brian Durlin aka Savant (Michael Rooker), George 'Digger' Harkness aka Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Cory Pitzner aka T.D.K. (The Detachable Kid) (Nathan Fillion), Gunter Braun aka Javelin (Flula Borg), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Richard 'Dick' Hertz aka Blackguard (Pete Davidson), Mongal (Mayling Ng) and Weasel (Sean Gunn). They are almost entirely wiped out by the Corto Maltese military upon landing, with only Harley Quinn and Rick Flag escaping the fray. This distraction allows the other team to enter the country undetected, from a beach on the other side of the island. The second team is led by assassin Robert DuBois aka Bloodsport (Idris Elba), who accepted the mission in order to prevent his daughter Tyla (Storm Reid) from being incarcerated at Belle Reve, and consists of Christopher Smith aka Peacemaker (John Cena), King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone), Abner Krill aka Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and Cleo Cazo aka Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior). 

After Flag is deemed to be still alive albeit being held captive, Bloodsport and his team systematically kill all those guarding the campsite only to discover that Flag is sat relaxing and enjoying a cold beer with the leader of a group of rebel soldiers fighting the resistance against the new regime Sol Soria (Alice Braga). Despite all of Soria's foot soldiers and resistance fighters being killed off, she agrees to assist them. 

Harley Quinn survives the attack on the first team and is taken captive by the Corto Maltese government, after killing the new President Silvio Luna (Juan Diago Botto) with whom she had a one night stand during which she learned from him of the new regime's plans to use Project Starfish against other nations, most notably America, Russia and China. Mateo Suarez (Joaquin Cosio) the Major General of Corto Maltese interrogates Quinn by having her strung up and goaded with an electric cattle prod to the stomach. In the Corto Maltese capital, the second team captures the Thinker, the lead scientist in charge of Project Starfish, in a bar and is ushered out the back door by Ratcatcher 2 and Polka-Dot Man just as the military arrive and detain Bloodsport, Peacemaker and Flag. Needless to say it doesn't end well for the three military guards escorting their three new prisoners in the back of an armoured vehicle or the two upfront in the driver and passenger seats. Ratcatcher 2, Polka-Dot Man, King Shark, the Thinker and Milton (an Associate of Task Force X) arrive in a beat up old Toyota bus to retrieve Bloodsport, Peacemaker and Flag.

Meanwhile, Quinn using the power of her thighs strangles her interrogator and using the dexterity of her foot retrieves the padlock key from the now dead interrogator, turns herself upside down, inserts the key into the padlock and turns the key so unlocking it and freeing herself. She then goes on a killing spree wiping out every guard who happens to be in her path either in a hail of bullets, or using the golden javelin bequeathed to her by Javelin just before he died on the beach a couple of nights ago, or by breaking necks from some accurately landed high kicks or savage punches. You never should underestimate the wrath of a woman scorned! 

And so Harley successfully escapes and joins the others, who use the Thinker to gain access to Jotunheim. As the Squad rigs up the facility with explosives, Flag and Ratcatcher 2 enter the laboratory with the Thinker, where they witness the fruits of all of his clandestine human experiments. He tells them that Project Starfish is Starro the Conqueror, a giant alien starfish that is able to create thousands of smaller versions of itself to kill people and take control of their minds and bodies. Starro was brought to Earth by the US government, who have been secretly funding experiments on him in Corto Maltese for the past thirty years and using thousands of its citizens as test subjects. Upon learning this, Flag decides to leak a hard drive containing evidence of this news but is killed by Peacemaker who is under secret orders from Waller to cover up the US's involvement in the experiments, and the existence of Starro.

Meanwhile, a skirmish between the Squad and the Corto Maltese military lead by Major General Suarez results in Polka-Dot Man accidentally setting off the explosives prematurely. As the facility slowly begins to implode and fall apart, Peacemaker catches up with Ratcatcher 2 and is poised ready to kill her for knowing the truth about Starro, but Bloodsport shoots him instead and takes the drive, so sparing Ratcatcher 2. 

Starro escapes from the now destroyed laboratory, kills the Thinker and the majority of the military personnel on the ground, and begins taking control of the island's population by releasing thousands of smaller starfish which latch onto the faces of the victims, so suffocating them almost immediately before taking control of their minds and bodies at which point they are revived - zombie like. Waller tells the Squad that their mission is complete now that Jotunheim is destroyed, but Bloodsport chooses to ignore her and leads his teammates in battling Starro, while Waller is knocked out by one of her subordinates using a golf club across the back of the head, back at Task Force X HQ to prevent her from executing the squad. 

During the battle, Polka-Dot Man is killed, Harley pierces a hole in Starro's eye using the javelin, and Ratcatcher 2 summons the city's rats to chew the alien to death from the inside. With the military diverted, Soria takes control of the government by gunning down all of the corrupt officials and pledges democratic elections. Bloodsport forces Waller to release him, Harley Quinn, Ratcatcher 2 and King Shark from their imprisonment, and to swear not to go after his daughter Tyla, in exchange for keeping the contents of the drive confidential to which she has little choice but to agree. The remaining Squad is airlifted out of Corto Maltese.

It's easy to see where Director James Gunn filtered away a production budget of US$185M, and it's equally as easy to see why this film has yet to recoup that initial investment. 'The Suicide Squad' is a silly film full of largely one dimensional characters that we have very little investment in by way of back story apart from one or two glib sentences in passing from the main characters; there is plenty of cussing and swearing; the humour seems aimed mostly at fifteen year old boys; there is lots of blood and gore; and the action sequences are so over the top that it really does remind you that you're watching a comic book adaptation after all. As for the giant alien starfish, Starro, well that reminded of the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the 1984 'Ghostbusters' film, just a little more menacing. On the positive side, Gunn's absurdist direction shines through in this no holds barred, fast paced, ultra violent, piece of nonsense that doesn't take it self too seriously, has moments of sardonic humour, and is visually everything you would expect from a movie such as this. Worth watching on a big cinema screen just for the spectacle of the action sequences which Gunn delivers with aplomb and of which there are plenty to satisfy the most die hard fans of the genre. The film also stars Taika Waititi as Ratcatcher, the father of Ratcatcher 2 who is dead but is seen in memory flashbacks by his daughter. Also, remain in your seat for the post-credits sequence.

'The Suicide Squad' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th August 2021.

This year running from Thursday 5th through until Wednesday 25th August, the Fantasia International Film Festival will celebrate its 25th edition. Located in the heart of Montreal, the second most populated city in Canada in the province of Quebec, Fantasia has become a cultural and professional destination point, and since its first edition in 1996, the festival’s ever-growing popularity has attracted the attention of the international film industry alongside a vast array of attendees from around the world. Every aspect of the filmmaking community is increasingly represented with in-person delegates at the festival, including Directors, Actors, Producers, Writers, studio representatives, distributors and more who experience the legendarily enthusiastic audience of Fantasia. James Gunn’s 'The Suicide Squad' will be presented as a special event screening on 4th August.

This year the Cheval Noir Competition features fourteen feature films from across the globe, taking in :-

* 'All the Moons' from France and Spain with English subtitles, this fantasy film is Directed and Co-Written by Igor Legarreta. International Premier screening.

* 'The Devil's Deal' from South Korea with English subtitles, this drama offering is Directed by Lee Won-tae. World Premier screening.

* 'Ghosting Gloria' from Uruguay with English subtitles is Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Edited by the pairing of Marcela Matta and Mauro Sarser with the latter also Writing and starring. World Premier screening.

* 'The Great Yokai War - Guardians' is from Japan with English subtitles and is Directed by Takashi Miike and also serves as the Closing Night Film. International Premier screening.

* 'Hellbender' from the USA this horror film is Directed by John Adams, Zelda Adams and Toby Poser. World Premier screening.

* 'Hotel Poseidon' from Belgium with English subtitles this drama horror comedy film is the first feature from Director and Writer Stef Lernous. International Premier screening.

* 'Indemnity' from South Africa with English subtitles this action offering is Directed and Written by Travis Taute. World Premier screening.

* 'Love, Life and Goldfish' from Japan with English subtitles this musical romance is Directed by Yukinori Makabe. International Premier screening.

* 'Martyrs Lane' from the UK this horror drama film is Directed and Written by Ruth Platt. World Premier screening.

* 'Remain in Twilight' from Japan with English subtitles this fantasy drama feature film is Directed and Written by Daigo Matsui. North American Premier screening.

* 'The Righteous' from Canada with English subtitles this drama horror thriller is Directed and Written by Mark O'Brien. World Premier screening.

* 'Tokyo Revengers' from Japan with English subtitles, this Sci-Fi actioner is Directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa. International Premier screening.

* 'Voice of Silence' from South Korea with English subtitles this thriller is Directed and Written by Hong Eui-jeong. North American Premier screening.

* 'Wonderful Paradise' from Japan with English subtitles this horror fantasy is Directed and Co-Written by Masashi Yamamoto. North American Premier screening. 

For all the other films competing in various categories, plus all the latest news, views and reviews from the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival, you can go the official website at : https://www.fantasiafestival.com/en

With Greater Sydney, where I live, still in COVID lockdown for a further four weeks now ending (at this stage) on Friday 27th August, which means all of our cinema's are closed until this date, which further means that the release of the movies as given below, slated for release this week, will be delayed somewhat across certain parts of Australia at least. That said, these movies will either have been released or are set for an imminent release somewhere in the world, and as Odeon Online has an international audience, I thought it best to carry on regardless.

And as such, turning the attention to this weeks latest release new movies coming to your local Odeon, of which there are five, we kick off with the tenth film in the DCEU that sees a rag tag bunch of Supervillains and a collection of unhinged cons at the Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. This is followed by a French comedy about a large and accomplished rose grower whose business is on the verge of bankruptcy, with moves to be bought out by a powerful competitor, when her faithful assistant, takes on three new employees without any gardening skills. Next up is a RomCom about a woman who reluctantly agrees to move in to a retirement village who encounters a clique of mean-spirited women and an amorous widower. Then we have the story of a Korean-American man raised in the Louisiana bayou who works hard to eek out a life for his family, who has to confront his past life when he learns that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home. And we close out the week with a music doco celebrating the fifth anniversary of a hugely popular and successful all girl band from Korea.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead. 

'THE SUICIDE SQUAD' (Rated R18+) - finally the much hyped, eagerly awaited and hotly anticipated American superhero film is here based on the DC Comics ensemble Suicide Squad. This is a standalone sequel to David Ayer's 2016 'Suicide Squad' and the tenth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It was Written and Directed by James Gunn whose previous film making outings include her debut feature 'Slither' in 2006, then 'Super' in 2010, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' (the tenth film in the MCU) in 2014, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' in 2017 (the fifteenth film in the MCU) with 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' currently in pre-production for an expected 2023 release date. The film was released in the UK last week and is released in the US and here in Australia from this week, having generated largely positive Reviews with Critics praising Gunn's direction, the visuals and the irreverent humour.

Imprisoned convicts of Belle Reve penitentiary are sent as members of Task Force X by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to the South American island of Corto Maltese to destroy Jotunheim, a Nazi-era prison and laboratory which held political prisoners and conducted experiments. During the mission, they come into conflict with Starro, a giant, telepathic alien starfish. The assembled members of The Suicide Squad are Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) - a crazed criminal and former psychiatrist; Bloodsport (Idris Elba) - a mercenary with a technologically-advanced suit and weapons that only he can use; Peacemaker (John Cena) - a ruthless killer who believes in achieving peace at any cost; Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) - the field leader of the Suicide Squad; King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone) - a man eating fish human hybrid; Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) - an unhinged Australian thief who wields boomerangs; The Thinker (Peter Capaldi) - a highly intelligent supervillain. Also starring David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Michael Rooker as Savant, Pete Davidson as Blackguard with Storm Reid appearing as Bloodsports daughter Tyla and Taika Waititi as Starro. 

'THE ROSE MAKER' (Rated M) - is a French comedy film Directed and Co-Written by Pierre Pinaud in only his second feature film making offering after 2012's 'On Air' and following a number of short films between 1999 and 2008. The film premiered in late August 2020 at the Angouleme Film Festival in southwest France. Since she was a child, Eve Vernet (Catherine Frot) has immersed herself in roses, learning from her father everything about growing, grafting, and creating new varieties. Now an award-winning producer in her own right, Eve is nevertheless in difficulty. Her business is on the verge of financial ruin, with the situation becoming more dire with each passing day as a powerful competitor seeks to buy her out. Vera (Olivia Cote), Eve’s steadfast and loyal assistant, seeks to save the business by bringing in three farmhands to share the enormous workload of this family business. Unfortunately, those three know nothing about roses or the business of horticulturalism. But one of them, Fred (Manel Foulgoc), has an interesting past, giving Eve an idea for saving her rose farm and her father’s legacy.

'QUEEN BEES' (Rated PG) - this American romantic comedy offering is Directed by Michael Lembeck who has sixty-eight TV and movie Directing credits to his name and sixty as an Actor. While her house undergoes repairs for a kitchen fire that will take a month to fix, fiercely independent senior Helen Wilson (Ellen Burstyn) temporarily moves into a nearby retirement community, where she encounters lusty widows, cutthroat bridge tournaments and a hotbed of bullying 'mean girls', but a budding relationship with a new resident Dan Simpson (James Caan) makes life more tolerable, until she learns of Dan's secret. Also starring Ann-Margaret, Christopher Lloyd and Elizabeth Mitchell. The film was released Stateside in mid-June, has so far grossed US$1.8M and has generated mostly mixed or average Reviews.  

'BLUE BAYOU' (Rated M) - is an American drama film Written, Directed, Co-Produced and starring Justin Chon who has fifty-five screen acting credits to his name, six as Director, and five as Writer and five as Producer. The film saw its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-July this year and is set for release in the US in mid-September. Antonio LeBlanc (Justin Chon) is a Korean adoptee raised in a small town in the Louisiana bayou from the age of three. He's married to the love of his life, Kathy (Alicia Vikander), and raising his beloved stepdaughter, Jessie (Sydney Kowalske). Struggling to make a better life for his family, he must soon confront the ghosts of his past after learning that he could be deported from the only country he's ever called home. It has so far garnered generally mixed or average Reviews.

'BLACKPINK : THE MOVIE' (Rated PG) - this music documentary is Directed by Su Yee Jung and Oh Yoon-Dong and charts the fifth anniversary of the popular Korean all girl band 'Blackpink' featuring never before seen footage, interviews, clips of their sell out tours and more than a dozen of their hit songs. 'Blackpink' are Jennie, Lisa, Rose and Jisoo. 

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the coming week, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-