Early press reactions to The Suicide Squad appear in a new TV spot, and so far they look very positive. James Gunn’s R-rated sequel/reboot is scheduled to release in the U.S. on August 6, bringing Gunn’s signature style and a menagerie of obscure DC characters to the big screen. The Suicide Squad features a star-studded ensemble cast including Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and Peter Capaldi.

Gunn’s strong critical track record may look like enough on paper to guarantee success for The Suicide Squad, but the film has still had its share of doubters. That’s mainly due to how poorly David Ayer’s Suicide Squad was received upon its release - an issue that’s largely been attributed to the same sort of studio meddling from Warner Bros. that led to the panned theatrical cut of Justice League. The DCEU has also been pretty inconsistent over the past few years, making it hard to predict which projects will win high praise, and which will fall short.

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According to a couple of early critical reactions, The Suicide Squad looks like it may be trending in the right direction. A new trailer for the film aired during the half-time show of the Euro 2020 semi-final, England v Denmark, and included reactions from BBC Radio 1’s Ali Plumb, who called the movie “a jaw-dropping spectacle,” and Digital Spy, who gave the film 4/5 stars. Of course, since those reactions were selected by Warner Bros. specifically for the purposes of the TV spot, they may not be indicative of the overall critical sentiment towards the film. The studio would obviously be ill-advised to share unfavorable thoughts on The Suicide Squad, and no other reactions or reviews have been made public at this time.

So far, The Suicide Squad certainly looks like it has a lot going for it. The film is bringing back some of the most popular characters from Ayer’s film, such as Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Davis’ Amanda Waller, Kinnaman’s Rick Flag, and Cortney’s Captain Boomerang, while also bringing in exciting additions like Elba’s Bloodsport and Cena’s Peacemaker. Gunn’s had great success with comic book ensembles before in his Guardians of the Galaxy films, and the trailers for The Suicide Squad have teased a great blend of those movies’ colorful style and a new, darker tone.

Leading up to The Suicide Squad’s release, Gunn has also stated repeatedly that the film is one of his favorites he’s ever made. The DCEU has been on a bit of a hot streak lately with Wonder Woman 1984 and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. If The Suicide Squad can effectively balance Gunn’s flamboyant style with more grounded action and practical effects, it could be the franchise’s most jaw-dropping spectacle yet.

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Source: Ali Plumb, BBC Radio 1 / Digital Spy

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