Something is being developed in secret on the island of Corto Maltese that the US government wants buried, but can't be involved in destroying. Task Force X (aka The Suicide Squad) is given a new leader, some familiar faces and bunch of whole new ones and is sent onto the island to destroy whatever is being developed, going up against a well-armed militia willing to kill them all. Not everyone's going to be coming home.

When Disney fired James Gunn from the Marvel Cinematic Universe over historical tweets, it was not the ill-wind that did nobody any good. He was soon hired by the DC Extended Universe to try and blow some life back into their almost moribund superhero franchise. This was the man who took a bunch of nothing heroes that nobody had ever heard of and created two of the most entertaining MCU entries with GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. If anyone could take the mismatched villains on a mission franchise and kick it into gear again, he was the man. Or so the DCEU hoped.

Now the film is finally here and it's time to see if James Gunn delivered. The good news is, for the most part, he did. The bad news is, it will depend entirely on your outlook regarding James Gunn's film-making style. If you are a supporter of the grey-hued bombast that typifies the so-called Snyderverse then perhaps this is not for you. If you like your heroes clean cut and square-jawed, then this is probably not for you. If you like your action on a huge scale, but largely blood-free, then this is not for you. That is all the things THE SUICIDE SQUAD is not. There is only one word that truly describes it.

Bonkers.

What other word is there for a film where the main characters face off against a giant starfish (yes, that's a spoiler, but it appears in the trailers, so not much of one). What other word adequately defines a film where a major characters kills people by throwing polka dots at them and has some very serious mother issues? What other word could be used in conjunction with a film featuring an ambulatory shark that likes to rip people in half? No, we'll settle for bonkers.

Not that we're doing down the film for being bonkers. If you happen to like bonkers, then THE SUICIDE SQUAD is right up your street. There's lots of comedy and most of the gags land squarely, whether visual, character-driven or verbal in nature. Killer Shark's main presence is there as comic relief, but every character gets a turn in the spotlight. True, the main ones get a lot more time in the spotlight than most of the cast, but therein lies another spoiler. Idris Elba is the stand-in for Will Smith, effectively playing the exact same character only with a different name. It's the kind of role he can carry off with his eyes closed, but he also shows himself to be adept at comedy eye-rolling and the well-timed expletive. Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is the second star of the show and possibly the only member of the squad who can't possibly be killed off, such is her popularity with the DC crowd. A lack of further films about this character would be the DCEU's greatest failing. John Cena makes a great impact as one of the new faces, Peacekeeper, a man who is fanatical about peace and doesn't care who he has to kill to get it. He also shows a flair for comedy, and tighty-whitey wearing. Daniela Melchior and David Dalmachian, add unexpected depth to their Ratcatcher 2 and Polka Dot Man personas and a CGI sharkman with Rocky's voice is the surprise breakout star. Only the giant monster at the end fails to impress, looking far too cartoony for the rest of the film, which is a pity.

The plot is simplicity itself; the squad must blow up a single high-security building, but when things go sideways they have to resort to a series of rescues and escapes and lots and lots of explosions before finally taking on the big monster in the all-destruction final reel that is now mandatory for all comic book movies. Nobody's brain is going to be strained by any of this.

The action is slick and spectacular, but also bloody and messy and it's in full swing right from the start. Gory death is used for both its shock and comedy value. Characters both new and established don't make it to the final credits, but it's to the film's credit that most of them make an impact.

THE SUICIDE SQUAD doesn't play into the greater fabric of the DCEU and is all the better for it. The whole of the planet isn't at risk, just one small island, but the stakes still feel high and the villains once again feel the pull of being heroes at the very end.

THE SUICIDE SQUAD is bonkers and bloody and brilliant. It's funny and it's spectacular, it's well acted and never for one moment even remotely believable. It's a very specific kind of rollercoaster ride, so if you like cheap thrills you'll have a blast. If you don't you might want to pick another ride.