Movie Reviews: Suicide Squad and Pete's Dragon

Suicide Squad:

I can’t say I know anything about the Suicide Squad comics, so I can only judge what this film presented. The idea was intriguing to me (a bunch of super villains being brought together for a task, and if it all goes wrong, they get the blame) and felt like it could set itself apart from other comic book films. The two characters that the film focused the most on were Deadshot (Will Smith, who brings some heart to the film) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), but the cast was quite large, with other big names including Viola Davis as Amanda Waller (who puts the villains together and is more villainous herself than some of the characters) and Jared Leto as The Joker (which was a very short and choppy role, ultimately making it an underwhelming performance). There are also a few brief appearances from the DC heroes, including Ben Affleck as Batman, and a super short cameo from Ezra Miller as The Flash. I would say that overall I was more entertained by this film than DC’s previous film, Batman V. Superman, but not by much (I gave that film 5 out of 10). The plot was just too all over the place, and the characters not fleshed out enough, to really care what happened to them or enjoy the story. The overall style of the film seemed like it had potential, but it just didn’t have enough to really work well. My biggest issue though was the oddness of Enchantress (the being that the villains have to take down) because of some strange dancing and very odd voice dubbing. Additionally, the music was something I thought was trying too hard to be cool and edgy, but just made it more eye-roll worthy. I left the theater not really caring if I saw these characters ever again.

Pete’s Dragon:

This was a perfect way to close out the summer movie season. It was just so magical, in a realistic and simple way. While I’m a huge Disney fan, I actually have never seen the original 1977 Pete’s Dragon. I can recognize images from that movie, and know that there is singing in it, but I have never put it on my list to see. Having seen this film though, I am a bit more curious to see just how different it is from the original. Based on what I do know about the first film, I would say that this is a rare occasion when a remake is actually a fine decision. The film stars Pete (played by Oakes Fegley) an orphan who is befriended and taken in by a dragon- a mystical creature only a few people in the area have seen. Six years elapse, and they live together and take care of each other, while living in the forests in the Northwest. The story isn’t overly exciting or splashy, but it is sweet and beautiful. It really felt like a story about a boy and his dog, as well as another example of  how humans can damage the lives of creatures and the beauty of nature with their interference. The CGI of Elliott the dragon was adorable, he had wonderful expressions and personality, and his design has come a long way from the original 2D rendering of him in the original. The cast is rounded out by Robert Redford, Bryce Dallas Howard, Oona Laurence, Wes Bentley, and Karl Urban. The film was charming because it was simple, white also being captivating. It will really make you want to have a dragon as your best friend!