Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/714702
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST 2016 This Week 33 IN CINEMAS TODAY Embassy Cinemas Valletta Tel. 21 227436, 21 245818 Finding Dory (U) 10:00, 12:15, 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 21:15 The Shallows (12) 10:00, 12:10, 14:30, 16:45, 19:00, 20:50 Star Trek Beyond (12A) 15:55, 18:30, 21:10 Suicide Squad (15) 10:30, 14:15, 18:05, 20:50 Ghostbusters (12) 10:25, 13:30, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Jason Bourne (12A) 10:15, 13:15, 15:55, 18:30, 21:10 Valletta Living History (U) 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:30, 15:15 Eden Cinemas St Julian's Tel. 23 710400 Nerve (15) 14:00, 16:10, 18:20, 20:50, 23:00 The BFG (PG) 14:00, 16:25, 18:50, 23:40 The Carer (15) 14:00, 18:10, 23:00 Finding Dory (U) 14:00, 16:20, 18:35, 20:50, 23:10 Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (15) 14:05, 16:15, 18:30, 21:00, 23:15 The Legend of Tarzan (12A) 14:05, 16:30, 18:50, 21:10, 23:30 Ice Age: Collision Course (U) 14:10, 16:15 The Shallows (12) 14:15, 16:20, 18:20, 20:45, 22:45 The Secret Life of Pets (PG) 14:15, 16:20, 18:30, 20:40 Now You See Me 2 (12A) 14:20, 18:05, 20:45, 23:25 Jason Bourne (12A) 14:25, 18:15, 20:55, 23:35 Ghostbusters (12A) 14:25, 18:15, 21:00, 23:30 Suicide Squad (15) 14:30, 18:00, 21:15 Wiener-Dog (TBA) 16:10, 20:45 Central Intelligence (12A) 18:20, 20:45, 23:10 The BFG (PG) 21:15 Empire Cinemas Bugibba Tel. 21 581787, 21 581909 Star Trek Beyond (12A) 10:40, 13:15, 15:55, 18:30, 21:05 Jason Bourne (12A) 10:30, 13:05, 15:40, 18:15, 21:00 Suicide Squad (15) 10:40, 13:15, 15:55, 18:30, 21:05 Finding Dory (U) 11:05, 14:00, 16:15, 18:30, 20:45 The BFG (PG) 10:40, 13:15, 16:00, 18:30, 21:00 Now You See Me 2 (12A) 21:05 The Secret Life of Pets (PG) 11:00, 13:45, 15:55, 18:00 Ghostbusters (12A) 11:00, 13:35, 16:05, 18:35, 21:05 RUMOUR has it that Suicide Squad had to endure rushed cuts after early responses to its initial trailer weren't all that great. With a heavy heart, it must be said that the results of such a desperate move are very much in evidence in this choppy and muddled attempt by DC Entertainment to continue to establish their own cinematic universe – based, in turn, on the same comic book universe that gave us Batman and Superman. But while the rat race between Marvel and DC continues (with Marvel continuing a winning streak at a confident clip) it's the cinemagoer who remains the ul- timate loser. Worried that the appearance of 'metahumans' like Superman on the scene has escalated the level of national security to new heights, calculating government official Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) decides to – in her own words – "fight fire with fire" by assembling a team of super- powered (or just super-talented) criminals to keep on standby in the event of another attack. Kept in check by military hero Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) – who also controls the grenades strapped to the back of their necks – the group comprises of hitman Deadshot (Will Smith), literal firecracker El Diablo (Jay Her- nandez), cannibalistic human- crocodile mutant Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), the Aussie bank robber Boomer- ang (Jai Courtney) and expert climber Slipknot (Adam Beach). However, it's love that might actually complicate the mission for these killers and their gov- ernment watchdogs. Flag him- self is in love with archeologist June Moon (Cara Delevingne), who is cursed to share a body with an ancient with called En- chantress, and who ensures that the 'suicide squad' get their first mission straight away by un- leashing havoc across the city. And one of the squad's key members just so happens to be Harley Quinn (Margot Rob- bie), whose beloved just so hap- pens to be The Clown Prince of Crime – the infamous Joker (Jared Leto) himself. For a while, it looked as though this could work. An anarchic set of characters embodied by some of the hottest Hollywood play- ers of the moment and a direc- tor who's more than proven his mettle with gritty subject matter and ensemble casts? Check. However, we can also check off DC's panicked approach to their own material, as it feels as though Ayer's film – he also wrote the screenplay – was put through the most violent and misguided studio wringer of all time. The basic mistakes are the biggest giveaway. The incident that sets the main plot in mo- tion is just a puzzling, lazy move – with Jane Moon summoning the Enchantress for no reason at all… right after we're shown just how much she hates doing so. Next, it's the obscenely slop- py approach to the characters. We know that orchestrating such a big ensemble is a chal- lenge, but Ayer (though more likely the studio) feel the need to both 'introduce' certain char- acters more than once, while at the same time not giving nearly enough room to others. The eclectic 'greatest hits' soundtrack is also a grating, em- barrassing move. Woven in so beautifully in Guardians of the Galaxy – another film 'Squad' emulates to jarring effect – here it just comes across as yet an- other attempt to breathe some life into the mess. Still, there's some fun to be had, and career-best perfor- mances by both Robbie and Courtney to be enjoyed (in the case of the latter, it's damning with faint praise – but still). The repartee between Smith and Kinnaman is a joy to savour, and hints at good cast chemistry and a director who has an idea about what works and what doesn't. Sadly, much like Leto's over- hyped but underused Joker, the film flounders under the weight of its burden as yet another franchise-propping placeholder. Orchestrated anarchy at its worst ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ BAD TO THE BONE ★ ★ ★ ★ I'M BAD, YOU KNOW IT ★ ★ ★ SO BAD IT'S GOOD ★ ★ NO GOOD ★ GONE BAD FILM By Teodor Reljic SUICIDE SQUAD (15) ★ ★ Jared Leto takes on the iconic role of The Joker Suicide Squad (clockwise from left): Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Deadshot (Will Smith), Boomerang (Jai Courtney) and Katana (Karen Fukuhara)