Suicide Squad Blu-ray Review

David Ayer's "Suicide Squad" benefits greatly from the expertise of cinematographer Roman Vasyanov, capturing the film's gritty and often dark atmosphere with precision. The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encoded Blu-ray, covering both the theatrical and extended cuts, ensures excellent black levels, crucial for the numerous night scenes and dimly-lit interiors. Warner has mastered both discs with an average bitrate of just under 25 Mbps, contributing to a detailed and interference-free visual presentation. Occasional splashes of vibrant, saturated color punctuate the predominantly monochromatic visuals, such as Harley Quinn's colorful attire and Joker's flashy appearance. These elements add a layer of dynamism to the otherwise gritty aesthetic.

The Blu-ray maintains a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, preserving the original cinematic feel with a finely retained layer of grain that enhances the overall texture. The combination of traditional 35mm film and digital 4K cameras used for certain sequences enriches the visual depth, delivering detailed renditions of character outfits and environmental elements. The clarity extends to specific details like the threading in Deadshot's costume or the intricate scaly texture of Killer Croc's face. Facial complexions are presented accurately with natural textures that reveal fine details such as wrinkles and pores.

However, there are some segments where the video appears softer and blurrier, most notably during CGI-heavy sequences. Despite this minor drawback, the overall high-definition presentation is robust, with excellent brightness levels that manage to capture deep blacks in night scenes and more nuanced daytime lighting. This meticulous attention to detail makes the Blu-ray a visual treat for fans, providing an immersive and aesthetically faithful rendition of the film's unique style.

The Suicide Squad’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack delivers an immersive auditory experience replete with gunfire, vehicular chaos, and explosions, all amplified through a wide dynamic range. The numerous rear-channel effects and immersive soundscapes are immediately noticeable, although the soundtrack doesn’t fully exploit Atmos' potential for spatial placement of specific sounds, including overhead effects. This can be attributed to the director's penchant for overlaying key sequences with songs from an extensive jukebox, which often drown out the sonic subtleties. Dialogue, however, remains clear and well-prioritized, ensuring that character interactions are not lost amidst the action. Steven Price’s score further complements the mix with heroic musical cues.

The soundtrack defaults to a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track for those without Atmos capability, providing a robust experience nonetheless. The action sequences pan smoothly between channels, delivering precise directional cues—helicopters hover overhead and debris cascades from above. The inclusion of rain effects immerses listeners in a panoramic sound stage. Music selection capitalizes on the object-based format, subtly integrating into the height channels to enhance depth and immersion. In quieter, dialogue-heavy scenes, the mix shifts focus, ensuring crystal-clear articulation of every word while maintaining a spacious presence across the front soundstage.

The low-end offers a tangible punch, accentuating gunshots, explosions, and combats with potent mid-bass energy. Although instances diving below 30Hz are sparse, they add impactful wall-rattling moments during the more intense sequences. Overall, the mix excels in generating an engaging auditory environment with detailed mid-range separation and convincing off-screen effects. While it may not stand among the pinnacle of Atmos soundtracks in its full utilization of the format’s capabilities, it remains a highly enjoyable and dynamic listening experience for fans of high-octane audio landscapes.

The Blu-ray extras for "Suicide Squad" provide a comprehensive, engaging exploration into the film's creation, offering insights on character development, special effects, and fight choreography. The featurettes include detailed interviews with the filmmakers and cast, including discussions on David Ayer's direction, Jared Leto’s method acting, and Margot Robbie's embodiment of Harley Quinn. Each segment balances interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and practical demonstrations effectively. Emphasis is placed on the film’s blend of realism with comic book fantasy, highlighting technical aspects such as the rigorous stunt training and the intricate weapon designs. This collection delivers an in-depth look at the production while maintaining an entertaining tone for viewers.

Extras included in this disc:

• Task Force X: One Team, One Mission: History of Suicide Squad in comics and its transition to film.
• Chasing the Real: Exploration of the balance between realism and fantasy.
• Joker & Harley: It Couple of the Underworld: Discussion on the reinvention of Joker and Harley Quinn.
• Squad Strength and Skills: Training and stunt sequences.
• Armed to the Teeth: Overview of weapons and props.
• This Is Gonna Get Loud: The Epic Battles of Suicide Squad: Choreography and shooting of fight scenes.
• The Squad Declassified: Promo showcasing each squad member's skills.
• Gag Reel: Blown lines and prop malfunctions.
• Introductory Trailers: Trailers for other DC films.

"Suicide Squad" aims to reinject life into the DC Universe with a fresh ensemble of anti-heroes, but ultimately stumbles in several key areas. Directed and penned by David Ayer, this adaptation follows Amanda Waller's (Viola Davis) plan to use imprisoned supervillains as a counter-terrorist strike force. The narrative is marred by repetitious exposition and disjointed character backstories. Will Smith's Deadshot and Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn are given more attention, but even their compelling personas are hindered by the film's choppy storytelling and lack of depth. The nominal villain, Incubus, and the overarching threat posed by Waller herself, serve to complicate rather than clarify the plot, leading to a cluttered and chaotic finale.

The film's darker tone is frequently disrupted by forced attempts at humor and chaotic narrative choices. Jared Leto's portrayal of the Joker falls flat, missing the menace exhibited by predecessors like Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson. Meanwhile, characters like Killer Croc and Captain Boomerang receive minimal development, while new additions like Katana and Slipknot feel tacked on. The extended cut adds about 11 minutes, primarily featuring Harley Quinn and Joker flashbacks and a brief appearance by the Flash (Ezra Miller), which provide little improvement over the theatrical version.

Ultimately, "Suicide Squad" tries to emulate Marvel’s successful formula with titles like "Guardians of the Galaxy," but falls short in execution. The production feels rushed and piecemeal, perhaps due to last-minute reshoots intended to inject humor. Despite some standout performances and notable special effects, the film lacks cohesion and fails to deliver a satisfying narrative. For dedicated DC fans, it offers moments of intrigue but does not live up to its potential as the game-changer Warner Bros. and DC aimed for.

"Suicide Squad" on Blu-ray arrives with technical proficiency and an appealing presentation. The video transfer is excellent, showcasing the film’s vibrant and often chaotic aesthetic with sharp clarity. Colors are bold and dynamic, contributing to the overall immersive experience. The high definition format delivers a clean and detailed picture, with precise image quality that fans of the genre will appreciate.

The audio track is equally noteworthy, offering a robust and immersive experience. Dialogue is clear, and the soundtrack effectively makes use of surround channels to create an engaging auditory environment. The balance between action scene intensity and quieter moments is well managed, providing an enveloping sound experience that complements the visual spectacle.

As with "Batman v Superman," I am under no illusion that yet another review of "Suicide Squad" will in any way alter the opinions of either fans or detractors. Both should be forewarned that the ten minutes of added scenes in the extended cut do not significantly modify the plot or fill in any gaps. For those who enjoyed the movie, the additional character beats will probably be entertaining; for those who didn't, they'll just slow it down. Warner's presentation is technically proficient, and fans should enjoy it.