10 Reasons The Haters Should Lay Off Suicide Squad

9. With David Ayer, The Film Is (Probably) In Safe Hands

David Ayer has been hit-and-miss throughout his career. He wrote U-571 (a film he's since basically disowned) in 2000, the electrifying Training Day in 2001, and the less electrifying S.W.A.T. in 2003. He then turned to a career as writer-director, knocking out the underrated character study Harsh Times in 2005 and the acclaimed End Of Watch in 2012, before he lost a few fans with pretty widely derided Ahnuld actioner Sabotage in 2014. But despite his ups and downs, Ayer has come to writing and directing Suicide Squad off the back of his biggest and best film to date: 2014's Fury. Fury was one of the undersung casualties of 2014/2015's crowded awards season (it was pitifully nominated for zero Oscars), a muscular, brutal WWII action movie about damaged antiheroes carrying out a life-threatening mission. Sound familiar? Replace WWII with 'modern day' and you have the basic premise for Suicide Squad, a comic book project grittier than the norm that should benefit from the mix of tough guy action, witty tough guy banter and surprising tough guy vulnerability Ayer usually brings. Just pray he's on-form; when he is, Ayer can be outstanding.