The Suicide Squad Reviews Call It Violent, Hilarious, and Full of Heart

With only weeks left before the premiere of The Suicide Squad both in theaters and on HBO Max, critical reactions have dropped regarding the upcoming DC antihero movie. The Suicide Squad will be released both in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6, with select theaters hosting early screenings a day prior.

Directed and written by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), The Suicide Squad picks up with our favorite band of misfit villains and miscreants as Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) tries to wrangle them for a new mission on the island of Corto Maltese only known as “Project Starfish.” Of course, putting Task Force X in any situation is going to lead to plenty of chaos, mayhem, and significant nom-nomming on the part of King Shark.

In addition to Davis, The Suicide Squad stars Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Sylvester Stallone as the voice of King Shark, John Cena as Peacemaker, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Peter Capaldi as the Thinker, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Michael Rooker as Savant, Alice Braga as Sol Soria, Pete Davidson as Richard “Dick” Hertz/Blackguard, Nathan Fillion as T.D.K., Sean Gunn as Weasel, Flula Borg as Javelin, and Mayling Ng as Mongal.

the-suicide-squad-cast-image-3 — Image via Warner Bros.

Now, with the movie primed for release in a matter of weeks, it’s time to find out what the critics thought. Is The Suicide Squad even more bonkers than its predecessor with Gunn at the helm, or did it not quite live up to all of the hype after all? Check out some of the early reactions below — we’ll keep updating as more continue to come in.

#TheSuicideSquad is fantastic! A no holds barred, superhero/comics bonanza. Unpredictable in story, unique in style & full of risks. It’s also violent & hilarious. Action set pieces are insane. Idris Elba, Margot Robbie & rest of cast are awesome. @JamesGunn has done it again. pic.twitter.com/7aLiMLPPf5

— Fico (@FicoCangiano) July 15, 2021

#TheSuicideSquad is a gory & explosive time that perfectly encaptures the chaos & violence of the source material. The cast is excellent together and there’s never a dull moment. Unexpected & fun, one of DC’s best. pic.twitter.com/4LXhNjBo7m

— Film Poser™️ Gabriela🌈 (@gaby_burgos27) July 15, 2021

A big consensus among early reactions is that the film delivered an equal amount on violence and humor, with plenty of larger-than-life moments that will look absolutely stunning on a big screen:

I had the BEST time watching #TheSuicideSquad — it is a swing-for-the-fences kind of comic book movie & I love that. It’s big, bold & visually stunning. You will see James Gunn’s horror roots splattered all over this thing. It’s violent, but hilarious. Angry, but also VERY sweet. pic.twitter.com/qUbXQ75abt

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 15, 2021

In fact, most people seemed to agree that this is going to be a wildly fun viewing experience, and one that audiences are going to want to return to over and over again:

Surprise, surprise: James Gunn knows how to assemble a team of badass idiots and make magic happen. #TheSuicideSquad brings equal measures of gore and F-bombs, all in the name of dumb juvenile entertainment. Easily the most fun I’ve had with any studio release this summer season.

— Mario Alegre (@MarioAlegre) July 15, 2021

Any doubts you might have over #TheSuicideSquad will vanish after the outrageous opening. It’s a violent, hilarious and unpredictable blockbuster, and everyone will have their own favourite from the terrific cast. It’s just so entertaining that you’ll want to see again instantly. pic.twitter.com/kI8YjqZdsw

— Ian Sandwell (@ian_sandwell) July 15, 2021

.@JamesGunn’s #TheSuicideSquad is gloriously insane and so, so fun. (After watching it, you’ll think you might have dreamed it.) Everyone is excellent and deeply committed to the material and its singular mood and wild ass aesthetic. Can’t wait to ride this rollercoaster again.🦈 pic.twitter.com/rRhvH3A75k

— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) July 15, 2021

KEEP READING: ‘The Suicide Squad’ Producer Explains How the Film Connects to ‘Suicide Squad’: “We Don’t Address It”