Here's What Critics Are Saying About The Suicide Squad

The first reactions to James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" are finally live. Though the film is officially set to premiere on August 6 on both HBO Max and in theaters, several critics have had the privilege of seeing it ahead of its premiere date — and their reactions are getting fans even more excited. The upcoming superhero action flick will follow a team of supervillains who are recruited to join the mysterious Task Force X and their super-dangerous mission to defeat monsters and enemies on the fictional island of Corto Maltese.

Fans of the original "Suicide Squad" will enjoy seeing some of their favorite characters return for the newest iteration, including Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). This new take on the story will also feature several new characters, such as Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Sol Soria (Alice Braga), Blackguard (Pete Davidson), and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone).

The excitement for "The Suicide Squad" has only grown with every new trailer drop and leaked set photo. As the premiere date quickly approaches, fans are eager for updates on the upcoming film — and the first reviews are sure to get fans pumped for the August 6 premiere.

Though the original "Suicide Squad" received lackluster reviews, it looks like the James Gunn-led version is everything critics could've hoped for. Steven Weintraub of Collider tweeted that he "Absolutely loved #thesuicidesquad. The movie is super violent, extremely funny, and a huge home [run] for @JamesGunn and #DC. Tons of surprises and things I wasn't expecting. Just a great movie."

Umberto Gonzalez of The Wrap also had positive things to say about the film, tweeting, "#TheSuicideSquad is absolutely BUCK WILD! I enjoyed the hell out of it. James Gunn has easily made DC's most enjoyable movie to date. Visually stunning, action packed and full of swagger."

One of the criticisms of 2016's "Suicide Squad" was that fans felt it could've gone further with the action, violence, and overall villainous content — and Gunn has made it clear that he wasn't planning to hold back for his crack at the supervillain franchise, realizing that an R-rating gave him more freedom than in previous films like "Guardians of the Galaxy." Kirsten Acuna of Insider praised Gunn's direction with a tweet that said "#TheSuicideSquad is probably the wildest, wackiest, bloodiest comic book movie I've ever seen. Very clear they let James Gunn run wild and not hold back. Definitely gives Harley one of her best scenes period."

Not every film critic is an automatic fan of any given movie, so "The Suicide Squad" has its fair share of doubters. Nonetheless, even admitted skeptics conceded that "The Suicide Squad" surpassed their expectations. Kara Warner of People tweeted, "So this skeptic loved #TheSuicideSquad. It is balls to the wall *bonkers* in very entertaining ways. i.e. If you're wondering whether James Gunn and that super rad @SuicideSquadWB cast would truly go there w/ the material & the R-rating, indeed they DO."

Ian Sandwell of Digital Spy also tweeted a message to naysayers, writing, "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."

Film critic Drew Taylor echoed Sandwell's comment, writing, "@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," adding a dolphin emoji to his tweet.

"The Suicide Squad" is getting an overwhelming amount of praise for its violent material, along with its humor, heart, and plenty of amazing visual effects. Critic Brandon Davis's enthusiasm for "The Suicide Squad" was obvious in his tweet full of praise for the film: "#TheSuicideSquad is absolutely insane. Violent as hell, raunchy, unforgiving. James Gunn is fully unleashed. It's sometimes overwhelming. It has moments of heart, humor, action, emotion... all of it. Relentless. There's nothing like it. Damn!"

Similarly, Fico Cangiano tweeted that "#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." 

Erik Davis of Rotten Tomatoes also noted the stunning visuals of "The Suicide Squad," tweeting that he "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."

"The Suicide Squad" hits HBO Max and theaters on August 6, so prepare yourself for some epic butt-kicking, killer cinematography, and James Gunn's signature sense of humor and style.