DC Extended Universe

[Tomato]

To be clear (because Disney messed this whole thing up with their "have Disney+ but also pay $30 for Mulan" nonsense) It's 30 to rent on all websites *other than HBO Max*. If you have HBO Max, the movie is free. As stumpy notes, you can literally just get a trial period, watch the film, and cancel, and get the whole thing for no charge. The $30 is more "we really want you to use our streaming service, but here's a high-end price if you watch it elsewhere"

That said... as someone who routinely paid for 2+ tickets to MCU films, $30 on its own (no subscription fee) isn't terrible. It's on the high end (again, trying to divert people to HBO Max) but it's not Disney's absurd "pay X for our streaming service, then $30 for our awful Mulan movie" which was just insulting.

[Silver Shocker]

Canada doesn't get HBO Max, so I don't have that option.

They could have put it on Netflix, which is where the Studio Gibli movies went to in Canada, but apparently not.

I DO consider $30 unreasonable. I can go to the theatres with one other person for less than that, and buy a Blu-Ray of a film at full price for less than that (and if not, close enough, and at least I'll be able to keep the movie and it will have extras on it)

[Tomato]

That's fair. There's always the vpn option, but that's another thing on top of everything else. I suppose I was more looking at it compared to Disney's absurdity.

Like, on the one hand, I get it. All these big studios are trying to figure out how to supplement the theater system, which is how they've always gotten their money for these huge multi-million dollar movies. But I agree that $30 is borderline unacceptable (again, I'm used to buying three tickets+my own concessions, so a theater trip can cost me 40+, so I'd still possibly do it if I didn't have the HBO Max option), and more than a little price-gougy. But then again... in a month or two it'll probably be down to more reasonable prices, much like Mulan was.

As for whether this one is worth it... it doesn't sound like it, but I'll probably see it soon? Like, I have access to it right now, it's just been a perpetual state of "eh, we'll get around to it"

Edit: watching it now, but to address a criticism I saw earlier, plane Steve flies is an older jet. Diana takes him to a bunch of older, possibly antique jets.

[BentonGrey]

I will say that, even if they were very, very old jets, it's unlikely that a WWI pilot would have been able to just fly one.  There's, to my understanding, a huge difference between prop and jet flight.

[stumpy]

Just for context, Steve wasn't shown to instantly understand how to fly the plane nor was he shown to do a perfect job of it. I mean, of course, it's silly that I WW1 pilot would be able to make sense of all the buttons and symbols on the instrument panel of a modern jet (which the Panavia Tornado definitely was in 1984), which largely didn't exist and weren't standardized when Steve last saw a plane.

But, this is a pretty small stretch by movie (much less superhero movie) standards. In addition, it was emphasized that Steve Trevor has a very intuitive understanding of the mechanics of flight. That may not mean much in the real world, but I think it doesn't qualify as a show-stopper in this movie.

[Nyte Dragon]

Also, Lex and Senator Finch from Batman V Superman apparently forgot about the Cheetah woman who was sighted jumping all over the place in 1984.

This is because, sadly, DC didn't want to spend time world-building like Marvel did. They wanted to leap right into the main event with JL. They wanted too much too fast, like shoving three different comic storylines in BvS, just to get to JL. DC should look to how Marvel did their movies, and Marvel should look to DC on how to do animated movies and TV series.

Spoiler

the movie missed so many opportunities. For one thing... 1980s music!!! How could this movie fail to have a soundtrack that was anything less than - say it with me - awesome?!?

And, as an official old fart, I recall fanny packs actually being popular for about 30 seconds in the 80s. They were around (and still are). But, the idea that they were some sort of iconic article of 80s fashion...? Meh. BTW, the parachute pants bit was funny. But, it was also in the trailer, so no credit for that.

[/spoiler]

Spoiler

No 80s music!?! NOOOooooo  That was why I loved  GTA: Vice City, and a bit of Saints Row 4. (It has The Touch. I am such a nerd )

And fanny packs? The Rock wore a fanny pack, so that makes it iconic, jabronie!   

[BentonGrey]

Haha, fair point, Stumpy!

[HarryTrotter]

Minor detail,but also

Spoiler

dreamstone

destroyed Rome and we don't know how that happened. Only it took a few centuries and we know the causes. I own three books on that subject and Im pretty sure there are more.  If you want an example of civilization gonna in a big cataclysm, Rome is not a good example.

[Silver Shocker]

1980s music!!! [...]- say it with me - awesome

That was why I loved  GTA: Vice City, and a bit of Saints Row 4. (It has The Touch. I am such a nerd )

Yup. I've heard an entire generation of gamers got their taste for music from games like GTA and Saints Row. I totally get it.

If you want an example of civilization gonna in a big cataclysm, Rome is not a good example.

Well, as they say, history is written by the winners. If they covered their tracks with some of that stuff like they did in the post-credit scene in Suicide Squad, (I haven't seen WW1984, but I assume that's not the case?) it would be easier to accept.

[HarryTrotter]

Well, as they say, history is written by the winners.

Thats not always the case,Mongol conquests for example. And in the case of Western Roman Empire,it took some 3 centuries of decay,and even then there was a century or so of local authorities and the Church trying to maintain order and infrastructure.
Anyway...I just found that funny because Diana is a historian and immortal.

[Silver Shocker]

So I'm watching my way through Red Letter Media's review of WW1984 (they're not too kind to it) and it turns out I have to take something back:

Also, Lex and Senator Finch from Batman V Superman apparently forgot about the Cheetah woman who was sighted jumping all over the place in 1984.

This is because, sadly, DC didn't want to spend time world-building like Marvel did. They wanted to leap right into the main event with JL. They wanted too much too fast, like shoving three different comic storylines in BvS, just to get to JL. DC should look to how Marvel did their movies, and Marvel should look to DC on how to do animated movies and TV series.

So it turns out that during the mall opening sequence, WW takes out the security cameras by throwing her tiara at them. It's small, but it's something.

[stumpy]

This last bit occurred to me while watching the movie, too. In 1984, there were some security cameras, but they weren't everywhere and many places didn't even keep recordings more than a day or a week. Admittedly, any recordings of a violent incident at a public mall would have been seized by police for trial. But, even so, security camera video in those days was, frankly, terrible by today's standards.

It's largely a sign of how far we've come in terms of the presence and quality of technology that the immediate reaction to such a scene is that 20 people would have had their mobile cameras recording and there would have been at least some high-quality video clips. Not in 1984, though.

<rant>BTW, that's certainly my reaction in today's superhero movies when someone like Spider-man takes his mask off on a rooftop in New York or London or basically any large city. Guess what, Peter? You don't have a secret identity anymore! Because you take off your mask while not moving so often, at least 3 videos of you were posted last week and, out of the thousands of people who would look at such videos, dozens of them know you and know that Peter Parker was in the area. I wonder how long Flash Thompson or Brad Davis are keeping this secret? Welcome to the 24/7 Aunt May Rescue Squad! Goofball.</rant>

[BentonGrey]

I haven't seen it, but from what I'm hearing, it sounds like it's a bit of a mess.  The Honest Trailers video was pretty hilarious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSryeC-g0Jc

[Silver Shocker]

<rant>BTW, that's certainly my reaction in today's superhero movies when someone like Spider-man takes his mask off on a rooftop in New York or London or basically any large city. Guess what, Peter? You don't have a secret identity anymore! Because you take off your mask while not moving so often, at least 3 videos of you were posted last week and, out of the thousands of people who would look at such videos, dozens of them know you and know that Peter Parker was in the area. I wonder how long Flash Thompson or Brad Davis are keeping this secret? Welcome to the 24/7 Aunt May Rescue Squad! Goofball.</rant>

Oh I know. I ranted about this when I reviewed Far from Home here. And if you've seen that movie you know why.

She does seem to get younger and younger, and in some universes is not so helpless, like the one in Spider-Verse. Heck, in at least one universe she's a herald of Galactus named Golden Oldie.

And "Spider-Maam". Mind you, I think by this point EVERY Spider-Man character has been a hero or villain. You can even swing through the streets of the Amazing Spider-Man video game as the late, great STAN LEE, complete with his own unique voice pack!

If Agent Venom makes into, say, the post credit scene of Venom 2 or something....Oh boy.

Wonder Woman has been my favorite part of the DCEU.

I think a lot of people would agree with that, if only for a lack of alternatives. Wonder Woman 1 wasn't a perfect movie (it really does lose steam in the final act, and the villains are complete non-starters, per usual) but the rest of the movie? Pretty fun, and that trench scene is still some epic business to this day.

Also the music. RLM's review (which in additional to being chock full of spoilers, per usual, also blatantly disregards copyright law due to the home release as it's over a hour long and includes footage of damn near half the movie) features a short clip of the scene she takes out the cameras, and I just have to gush for a moment because this features this fun, playful remix of the usual epic heavy metal style WW movie theme that sounds like it's out of Ant-Man or something. It's fun! I'm tempted to listen to the music online later or something.

I haven't seen it, but from what I'm hearing, it sounds like it's a bit of a mess.

This seems to be the case. RLM point out that director Patty Jenkins actually WROTE the sequel (she didn't write the first one) and refused to let them cut either of the ENORMOUSLY long opening scenes and she got away with it, so they theorize she now has too much clout for her good and can't write a screenplay to save her life. (She's also doing Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, by the way, which now has some SW fans going "I have a bad feeling about this" - and I now understand why)

As I said like a month ago - the broad story for this is very appropriate for a Wonder Woman story, but there's a big problem with it, and my old friend Benjamin Sisco knows exactly what it is. (1m 40s mark)

Also I'm going to say it - I hate the Kingdom Come armor. Color balance - it's a thing for a reason people. There's a reason the current tv costume for Supergirl is terrible, and it is not the lack of a skirt.

The Honest Trailers video was pretty hilarious:

Watching it right now. I say, hot DAMN and I thought the Suicide Squad one was savage. "Hot mess" and "I ain't touching that one" doesn't even cover it (also, people of earth, I encourage you all to take two minutes on google and actually look up the character of Maxwell Lord and what he looked like in the comics and cartoons)
To quote The Ghostbusters: "There's something weird.....and it don't look good (let's get a beer.)"

Spoiler

When I got to "google 'how to cancel HBO MAX free trial." I all of the died. 

"Derr, what's a trash can?" Yup.
Pedro Pascal: "I was good, but I can be better *shows The Mandalorian* this is, in fact, the way. Also Mando better at female characters than WW. 

[stumpy]

IMO, for all of the little things wrong with the movie on a detail level (cameras, Steve knowing how to fly a jet but not knowing what a subway train was, etc.) and larger things from a movie-making standpoint (long opening scene that kinda pays off later thematically, but puts strain on the pacing), one of the biggest issues is that the consequences of Steve's appearance and actions are not really considered and that's pretty out of character (and unheroic) for Diana. And, possibly worse, it seems completely unnecessary.

Spoiler

I mean,

Why have Steve come back as mind-implanted in the body of some other dude? It serves almost no purpose in the plot. It certainly wasn't necessary, since the completely magical wish stone could have just re-created Steve as himself with his own body. And, what does the story lose from that? Nothing.

And it causes so many issues.

• People have pointed out that it's more than a little weird that Steve's being around has - at the very least - displaced some innocent person. That person is shown to have a life, career, hobbies, etc.
• While I can certainly understand Steve and Diana wanting to satisfy the Seventy Year Itch, there is something obviously icky about using someone else's body for that. Especially since, at that point, they have no reason to believe he isn't aware of it and won't remember it. At least in Ghost there was consent.
• The kahuna of questionable issues regarding Steve/non-Steve: IMO, the biggest thing is that Steve running around in combat with WW puts this other guy's life in danger, repeatedly! It's not just, "Hehe, isn't it great that Steve is helping out, even though WW is really the butt-kicker?" It's, "Hmm. If Steve dies or is seriously injured, the guy whose body he has hijacked becomes SOL as the price for Steve's heroic exploits."

Now, I am willing to cut some slack because of circumstances. 1) For sure, Steve nor Diana chose him to come back in someone else's body. If that's as far as it went, then they can't be blamed for something they didn't cause. But, they are pretty much responsible for the things they chose to do once it was clear what had happened. 2) And, as a mitigating factor, the End of the World™ is pretty solid. Putting someone's life in danger as part of staving off Armageddon is at least at the lighter end of the grey area.

The problem is that the movie never addresses these things. It's kinda, "Derp! What fun that we can use this guy's body for sexy time fun and then run around getting shot at and engaging in combat with super-powered opponents!"

Anyway, for any superhero movie, there are going to be some things you just have to ignore. But, that was a pretty big elephant dancing in the corner. I enjoyed the movie. But, it didn't leave nearly the positive impression that the first WW did.

[Silver Shocker]

Yeah, I think you covered all your bases on that one. As Alfred once said "I'm not touching that one, sir" (and the fact that that scene STILL isn't on YT after all these days baffles me. Not even as part of an Alfred supercut) I've only got like 3 things to add:

Spoiler

1. They painted themselves into a corner on this one, and they clearly did it by accident.

2. When Friends (which I've been hearing people say for years is problematic and holds up really bad) handled a comparable situation better, that's pretty bad.

3. Because I am indeed a morbid fellow. Here's a thought (I'll have to keep watching RLM's video to see if this is their minds go; would not be surprised) What if THIS was got her to hang up the costume until Batman V. Superman and what made her hit Bruce when he mentioned Steve in Justice League? The sad thing is, it lines up better than the actual canon explanation. Wonder Woman's "Last Jedi" phase.

And to think, I just thought it would get people talking if movie WW snapped Maxwell Lord's neck like the comics....."I've killed things from other worlds before" *Obi-Wan Kenobi circa Revenge of the Sith "That...that business in the 80's doesn't count"

[Shogunn2517]

Okay, saw Justice League tonight and here are my more comprehensive impressions.

Coming into it I expected the movie to be as flawed and aggravating as pretty much every movie in the DCEU has been since it started.  Man of Steel was watchable, but frustrating.  Batman vs Superman was a unmitigated mess.  Suicide Squad, I barely could take seriously.  Wonder Woman was the most entertaining of the bunch but the plotholes left me a bunch of questions.  So given the problems(mostly artistic and weird characterizations that stick out like a sore thumb.  That and the whole building of the DCEU seemed awfully generic and rushed.  So it was an understatement to say that much expectations were low, but I kind wanted it to confirm my expectations to be as bad as I assumed it would be.  But it wasn't actually.  I can't say it was good or even watchable, but it had it's fun moments and it was fun to see the team together.  Yes, I couldn't help but to almost verbalize every question of the gaping plot holes I'd see, but there's meat on the DCEU's bones.  Might be rotted.  Might be mostly fat.  But it's there.

Spoiler

So first of all, ALL of the problems each of these characters had in their previous films were still living and breathing in this film.  They even introduced more.  Still have absolutely no idea why Wonder Woman decided to take a 100 year break from civilization.  Why is Batman of all people so team-oriented all of sudden when he clearly hasn't been prior.  The Flash's suit is probably the MOST ridiculous costume I have ever seen.  Cyborg actually gives him a run for his money though.  He looked a mess, but they made up for it.  They really could have done a better job explaining his origin, which was glossed over very thoroughly.  And I'm sorry, I know it's still not popular, but almost everything about Aquaman really thaws my grill!!!  I like what they did with his powers and the underwater sequences.  He seemed adequately powered when fighting Steppenwolf.  But outside of that Jason Momoa's characterization was just... wacky.  I expected Aquaman to be more "warrior"-like not the "trucker"/"biker" type he seemed more like.  And yes, Jason Momoa himself... still can't understand the casting decision.  Maybe it would have made more sense if we saw Atlanteans and saw they all were Polynesian or the like, but no... Mera... she looked exactly like her comic iteration does.  Okay maybe Aquaman's dad was ethnic.  But what's the point?  Whatever, I'll go on. 

One of the bigger plot points of the movie was Mother Boxes on earth.  There were 3 and because Superman died, they somehow I guess ranged a dinner bell to Apokolips, calling Steppenwolf to return to Earth after the combined Atlanteans, Amazons and "tribes of Earth"(and the Green Lantern) beat him last time.  Why he waited like 1,000 years to come back, I'm still not sure.  But he figured now that Superman's dead, he can come back and get the Mother Boxes and put them together to do whatexactlyImstillnotsure.  Anyway, Atlanteans had one, Amazons had another and for whatever reason, Cyborg's dad ended up with the 3rd one.  And it was that 3rd one they figured they could use to bring Superman back to life.  And they did.  But when they did he came back angry and violent, kicking everybody's arse, in some dress pants, when he was just wearing a full suit a half a second earlier.(Speaking of suits... more on that at the end.)  I gotta admit one bright spot of this film is I think it did to Superman what BvS did with Batman.  He finally wasn't a brooding, depressive, ornery, jerk.  From the get-go he was smiling and being pleasant.  After he was resurrected and (for some random reason) decided to not be homicidally mad at the end sequence, he was a team player, cracking jokes and just being all around... super.

But as far as the other parts of the movie go, it seemed reeeeeeeeallllly slow and dragged out at the beginning, but it almost seemed like they were trying to show mini-movies or what movies for each of them would be like, but put it in one movie.  So it was kind a little all over the map.  But when they finally got to the ending sequence, stopping Steppenwolf from from putting the Mother Boxes together for whatever, they had a good plan.  But by the Superman showed up to give the other five a fighting chance(I mean really, half those guys shouldn't have much problem with Steppenwolf to begin with) don't know why but all the Paradeamons decided to stop attacking and let Superman and Cyborg pull apart the Mother Boxes.  And then all the Paradeamons decided to go kick Steppenwolf's butt... for some reason.

So, unless you can't tell, the plot of this movie is a steaming stinking mess and makes absolutely no sense when you put thought in it.  Still not entirely sure they thought to use Steppenwolf of all villains.  Aquaman's a biker.  Batman is all Kumbaya all of sudden.  Flash was fun, but a little too silly and slapstick.  Cyborg was okay.  Looked hellaweird, though he made himself look more like how we're use to seeing him by the epilogue.  And Superman... yes, he was nicer, but his return just seemed too convenient and they just skipped way too many details(Clark Kent just comes back to life all of sudden too?  He comes back to life a raging lunatic, but sees Lois and just forgets how much he hates Batman?)  Wonder Woman was pretty consistent.  Other than the fact she seemed to handle Doomsday pretty easily, but Steppenwolf is too much for her to handle?  But other than all that I laid out, which was hard to miss, it was fun seeing the team together.  Pretty much everyone was handled pretty well IMO.  The scripting was too bad.  Nice few easter eggs.  THRILLED they actually used Elfman's Batman theme(which makes me wonder why they couldn't use Williams' Superman theme).  I can't say it was great.  Or really all that good.  But it was entertaining for a bit.  Nothing to brag about.

BTW, the post-credit scenes, a scene with Superman and the Flash betting on a race and showing an escaped Lex Luthor, who now wears a 3-piece suit, but sporting an unnecessary bald head.  Last we saw him he was somewhere between slacker millennial but now he's debonair business mastermind.  Well he was rather assisted or called Deathstroke to a yacht to talk about putting together his own team.  So... I suppose the sequel will feature an Injustice League/Legion of Doom... which makes me wonder about Darkseid and when and if they'll use him.

So I actually went back and found my original impressions of the theatrical Justice League now that I finally finished the Snyder Cut. And to be honest, I still have a lot of those same issues. A while there were some fixes, there are a few more than continues to irk/confuse me.

Spoiler

First of all, my overall impressionis that this is still largely much of the same movie complete with my issues of the DCEU. I thought Superman was dour and depressing in MoS and BvS and where the JL I thought fixed that the SC took it away. And then made it a point to further give him a black suit and I'm honestly not so sure why. Aquaman is still way too "bro" for me. Cyborg is still given Barry a run for dorkiest costume. And again, they made it right just to undo here. And Wonder Woman, while my second favorite character, parts of her story confuses me. And Batman, as much as i liked what Ben Affleck did, this movie makes the fact that they shelved his solo movie that much more harder to accept.

Overall, honestly the movie felt like the first one but put in all of the deleted and filmed but cut scenes they had from the first movie. I'm THRILLED Darkseid wasn't just "named checked, he felt more like THE villain. I'm glad they gave Cyborg more shine and expanded his entire story.  (literally one of my complaints above.) The ending, which seemed like a bunch of "oh by the way" scenes put in an epilogue. I'm actually not sure how any of it helped. Liked the first one better. Overall while it was more enjoyable than the first, despite the 4 hour.

[Shogunn2517]

One more Thing...
Can someone tell me why

Spoiler

Superman is wearing a black costume?

[HarryTrotter]

Snyder cut fixes some things. Some things. It looks better,it improved characterization of basically everyone but its still the same joyless movie as before. It's 4 hours long and it really feels like 4 hours.

[Shogunn2517]

Snyder cut fixes some things. Some things. It looks better,it improved characterization of basically everyone but its still the same joyless movie as before. It's 4 hours long and it really feels like 4 hours.

Yeah pretty joyless. In fact that's one of my complaints about the movie. It seems as if he made it a point to remove the joy that JW put in it.

[HarryTrotter]

Snyder cut fixes some things. Some things. It looks better,it improved characterization of basically everyone but its still the same joyless movie as before. It's 4 hours long and it really feels like 4 hours.

Yeah pretty joyless. In fact that's one of my complaints about the movie. It seems as if he made it a point to remove the joy that JW put in it.

There was no joy to be found in that one either. That's my whole point.

[Silver Shocker]

So I put off talking about this for a few months, but in the words of the great John Hammond....today, I guarantee it.

The Flash movie will include Micheal Keaton as Bruce Wayne (who appears to be sporting similar hair to the hair he had in Batman 89 - nice touch) but also Supergirl.

Behind the scenes pics have finally come out, showing her in the costume, minus the CGI cape, no doubt.

The actress is a dark haired Latina, which I'm fine with - I've heard she's good in stuff I've never heard of.

I can roll with the red-blue on top  - it kinda looks like the Andrew Garfield Amazing Spider-Man 1 costume mixed with the shoulders of the 80's Supergirl costume, but the all-blue bottom half is hideous IMO. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Color balance is a thing. It doesn't have to be a skirt, and it doesn't have to be that weird New 52 one with the exposed knees, but you gotta have something going on in that area.

The black hair does make me wonder if she's Cir-El, but she wore a black costume, not red and blue.

[UnkoMan]

Alright folks, are we talking about The Suicide Squad in here yet?

I know I've got different taste than the majority of people here but... This is the best DC movie since Dark Knight.
And you know what? I really enjoyed Birds of Prey.

Harley is used well but sparingly enough. You can tell Margot Robbie loves the character.
Idris and John Cena are awesome.
Rick Flag actually DOES STUFF and comes across as way more Rick. Plus they get him in a yellow t-shirt.
King Shark has some cute "Hulk" moments.
One complaint?

Spoiler

They kill Boomerang off right away. He was one of the very few good things in the first one. I didn't like it though I can see why they'd do it.

Yeah, I was a fan. What did you folks think?

[BentonGrey]

I'm hearing good things about it.  How much does it expect you to know or care about the first movie?

[detourne_me]

Wejust got back from the theater. It was excellent. Best DC movie in a while, and I liked Birds of Prey, too. I thought it was better than Black Widow.  My wife really loved it, especially Harley, she never saw the other Harley movies so this was her  first exposure to the character!

[UnkoMan]

I'm hearing good things about it.  How much does it expect you to know or care about the first movie?

Requires zero knowledge of the first movie or even of the concept.

However, if you are expecting a serious take on a specific comic or version of SS, drop that expectation. This will not meet that.
What this is, is a goofy, extremely violent (but so over the top as to not be realistic) romp. It's a solid cartoonish action movie, inspired by comics but definitely doing its own thing. They even manage to toss in a bit of backstory now and then.
It's not be for everybody, but it is fun.

[Silver Shocker]

Yeah, I saw it Saturday afternoon. As I've mentioned many times, I'm a huge fan of the Ostrander run of the comics, and I kinda hated the first movie.

I loved this one. It's at least as good as Shazam, probably better if I'm honest, and yeah, it's pretty much the best DC movie since The Dark Knight (first one I've seen in theatres since The Dark Knight Rises, as it happens).

Yeah, you don't need to know anything from the first Suicide Squad to follow this. Everything in it is in the movie itself, even the fact that Harley and Flag already know each other. If you know who Harley Quinn is and who her abusive boyfriend was - and you do - you're golden.

Two things I appreciate a lot over the first - 1. Amanda Waller is used better in this than the first one IMO and 2. The Belle Reve support staff are in the movie. In the Ostrander comics, while Waller is a manipulative jerk - like in this - John and the rest of the staff are nice people just doing their jobs, and that's demonstrated here in a way I really appreciated. Ostrander himself is in the movie as the Belle Reve doctor.

Spoiler

Yeah, I was shocked that Boomer gets it at the very beginning of the movie, and I'm a big Captain Boomerang fan, but I'm ok with it because it was bold and sets the tone for the movie, and because Jai Courtney already killed it as Boomer in the first one. Plus Boomerang is an opportunistic scumbag so he kinda had it coming. Plus I couldn't help but notice his boomerang appeared to be glowing which I like to think is a reference to Brightest Day where he came back to life with the power to shoot energy boomerangs out of his hands.

And yes, Rick Flag is used better in this. In the first one, he didn't seem to care much when Waller wastes an entire room full of her own people, but in this he's dead set on leaking info to the press when he finds out the Americans were behind the whole situation and he gets killed by Peacemaker for it.

It's full of R-rated violence and dark comedy, but I see a lot of that James Gunn Guardians DNA in here - cute animal characters that are actually useful, and goofy characters like Ratcatcher and Polka-Dot Man are actually really useful and well thought out characters. Harley Quinn obsessively carrying an object without knowing exactly what it's for has a really nice payoff.

Idris Elba and Margot Robbie kill it in this movie, but they're consistently great, so it's not really surprising. John Cena's pretty great in this too. As a Doctor Who fan, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker made me happy. 

[Tomato]

I just watched it, i thoroughly enjoyed it. I would probably not enjoy it if this was the tone of, say, a Justice League film, but it works perfectly well for the SS.

Definitely not for kids.

[HarryTrotter]

Great movie. It has

Spoiler

Starro

and Pete Davidson dying horribly. What more do you need, really?

[GhostMachine]

Nathan Fillion's character was created for the movie, but is based on a rather lame Legion of Super-Heroes character.

And Margot Robbie did Harley's escape stunt herself, rather than a stunt double being used.

On a scale of 5, I gave the first SS movie a 3.75, while this one is close to a 4.5.

Spoiler

The cutscene at the end did not make me happy at all.