Review: There's little question new The Suicide Squad better than 2016 film

In 2016, DC released its first Suicide Squad movie. It was bad, the critics and the fans for once united in their condemnation.

Now there's a new Suicide Squad, so does it fare any better?

For the uninitiated - well done - it means you didn't pay good money for the first Suicide Squad.

And now, from the horribly beautiful mind of filmmaker James Gunn - the man you have to thank for Guardians of the Galaxy, this fresh iteration of the squad is everything the former was not - fun.

The Suicide Squad follows a gang of dangerous supervillains forced to work for the US government. Their special sets of skills range from the sublime to the ridiculous, but they do all share one characteristic - they don't play well with others.

Shady government agent Waller (Viola Davis) once again leverages her Task Force X team with murderous intent, sending them all to an almost-certain death on the island of Cortes Maltese where of course all R-rated hell breaks loose.

Fan favourite Harley Quinn may be having the most fun of all as Margot Robbie once again brings the bonkers, escorting newbies Idris Elba and John Cena into the festive gore-soaked fray as Bloodsport and Peacemaker. Then there's a shark and maybe a weasel?

There's little question this entire escapade is so much better than the last one, hardly a high bar to hurdle, and I did have a pretty good time.

But at half an hour too long the gags lost their shine a little and the silliness was stretched too thinly, but hey, I suspect a tonne of you out there will strap yourselves in and enjoy the ridiculous ride.

Three stars.