Haven’t watched Suicide Squad yet so no review (belated or not) to offer, just my observations regarding the reaction to the movie’s debut:

1. Critics hated the film, at least according to Rottentomatoes.com.  At this point, the film has a pretty terrible 26% approval overall from critics.
2. On the other hand, audiences like the film to the tune of 72%, again via Rottentomatoes.com.
3. The movie made a ton of money, breaking all records for a premiere at this particular time of the year…
4. On the other hand, there is some indication that the film may fall hard in its earnings after a very robust debut.
5. People appear to be divided into two camps: Those that enjoyed the film and can’t understand why all the hate is directed toward it and do not feel it deserves such a low overall critical rating.  There are others who feel the film is a big mess and is another huge DC disappointment.

No, you are not experiencing deja vu.

Each of these five points could -and have been!- applied to Batman v Superman.  The critics hated it?  Check.  Audiences liked it considerably more than the critics?  Check.  The movie made a ton of money?  Check.  Afterwards, the film lost steam, revenue-wise?  Check.  People dividing into two camps, one hating hating hating it while another defends the film?  Check.

I don’t know what to make of this.  I certainly don’t believe the whole “critics hate DC movies and love Marvel movies” some have professed yet I can’t quite understand the extreme differences in opinion.

I’ve stated before I really liked Batman v Superman and feel over time the film will be reassessed and recognized as a very ambitious work.  Did it succeed completely?  No.  Even in the “Ultimate Edition” there were a few things I felt the movie came up short on.  For example, I feel Bruce Wayne/Batman’s apocalypse dream sequence could and probably should have been removed from the film.  Mind you, there was nothing wrong with the sequence itself, it just didn’t much matter in the context of the story being told and had it been left on the cutting room floor (or presented as a bonus sequence on the DVD/BluRay) I don’t think anyone would have minded.

I will eventually catch Suicide Squad, though I don’t know if it will be while its still in the theaters.  Will my reaction to this movie mirror Batman v Superman?

Time will tell.