I saw DC’s “Suicide Squad” for the third time this afternoon, and let me tell you… I still don’t get it.

I don’t understand what exactly critics and fans alike have against the film, as well as the rest of DC’s fresh extended universe.

Don’t get me wrong—“Suicide Squad” was far from perfect. A sloppy editing job left many scenes looking choppy and jumpy, almost to the point where some moments were hard on the eyes because of how fast things seemed to be moving. On the other end, there were times where the dramatic slow motion was way too, well, slow.

And the overall story felt overloaded with subplots and details that left the film feeling cramped and stuffy, as though David Ayer, the film’s director and writer, couldn’t bear to part with excluding anything from his masterpiece (except for the multitude of deleted Joker scenes, which caused controversy after the film’s release).

But all flaws aside, “Suicide Squad” gave longtime fans of the DC Universe something we’ve been itching for for years: to see a large number of the baddest villains of all time in one movie, accurately portrayed by actors that brought life to some of the most iconic characters to have ever been written.

“Suicide Squad” marks the first cinematic appearances of Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), Floyd Lawton aka Deadshot (Will Smith), Chato Santana aka El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), June Moone aka the Enchantress (Cara Delevigne), and everyone’s absolute favorite, the infamous Dr. Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).

Margot Robbie deserves endless praise for bringing life to one of my all time favorite characters. Robbie balanced just the right amount of insanity and comedy with impish antics and beauty, refraining from becoming the annoying side character Harley Quinn is often reduced to. I laughed out loud almost every time she opened her mouth, and (though it’s quite embarrassing to admit) certain moments even brought tears to my eyes.

Though we’ve seen the Joker on screen before with Heath Ledger’s iconic portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in “The Dark Knight,” Jared Leto brought new life to the villain with an interpretation that is much more faithful to the original character.

Though his role in this film was minimal (and almost unnecessary), his quest to rescue Harley Quinn from her prison sentence provided the audience with a new dynamic to the classic romance: one that wasn’t based on abuse, superiority and manipulation, but rather actual love, affection and consent (this may change with the release of the DVD, where I'm sure the deleted scenes will contradict my very words, but for now, I’m gonna keep calling them #relationshipgoals because according solely to the film, they were).

Rotten Tomatoes’ current critical consensus for the film reads “‘Suicide Squad’ boasts a talented cast and a little more humor than previous DCEU efforts, but they aren't enough to save the disappointing end result from a muddled plot, thinly written characters, and choppy directing.” It’s certified “Rotten” at 26% positive reviews by critics. “Batman v Superman” sits just above it with a 27%.

While I understand these critics are paid to rip movies to shreds, it’s frustrating to see some of the most entertaining films of the year tank when (no shade... bu, shade!) Marvel releases the same movie sixteen different times and is lauded for it. The DCEU is frantically trying to play catch up to a franchise that has existed for five years now, so it’s to be expected that their first couple films are a little rough around the edges.

Take it from a hardcore DC fan with high standards and a low tolerance for mediocrity when it comes to these adaptations: “Batman v Superman” and “Suicide Squad” had me jumping up and down in my seat as I watched Batman, Joker, Harley Quinn and so many more zip around the big screen the same ways they have been for years in my video games, my novels, and on the pages of my comic books. That right there is enough to make me a happy camper when I rush to the theatre to see these films.

No matter the critical opinion of the DCEU’s valiant attempts at pleasing an entire fan base while simultaneously attempting to please the journalists just waiting for them to slip up, I will continuously support the DCEU in the coming years with the release of highly anticipated films like “Wonder Woman,” “Justice League,” and Ben Affleck’s standalone Batman films.

Thank you, DC, for being careful with my favorites as you transfer them to the screen. I can’t begin to express how great it was to watch Harley Quinn crush bad guys’ skulls with her bat and hear her say “puddin’!” in her iconic accent and voice.