Suicide Squad Film Review
For non-comic book readers, or any of the uninitiated into the storied history of the DC Universe, I’ll explain what the Suicide Squad is for reviewing purposes. Debuting in The Brave & The Bold #25 (1959) and popularized by writer John Ostrander in 1987, the Suicide Squad initiative functions as something of a very unorthodox work release program. If loosely compared to a military sector, the Suicide Squad is very much like the SEAL team, except these are high-risk super-villains that were apprehended and incarcerated. The squad undertakes high-risk, black-ops missions (similar to that of a SEAL team) in exchange for commuted prison sentences. The Suicide Squad are considered deniable, covert assets of the United States government, meaning if they screw up, the government can easily deny knowledge of or responsibility for any damnable actions committed by others (usually subordinates in an organizational hierarchy) because of a lack of evidence that can confirm their participation, even if they were personally involved in or at least willfully ignorant of the actions. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is in charge of this undeniably rag-tag team and acts as the liaison for the United States government and the members of the Squad. Combined with Waller’s Machiavellian tendencies and the tenacious and erratic personalities of these villains, we have one of the most interesting (albeit disposable) teams in comics.
Many people would say that DC usually have the coolest villains and I would agree with that. So it’s only sensible that they’re finally being placed front and center in their own titular movie. This movie is filled with previously unseen antagonists in other DC films and that’s a great addition to the rapidly forming and highly controversial DC Cinematic Universe. If the other company (you know who I’m referring to) can have a rag-tag superhero movie with a “dance-off” for the final act of the film and have it be successful, then I’m sure movie-goers can also enjoy a movie based on super-villains instead of a superheroes.
The film is set directly after the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Superman’s death left the world in shock. This is what pushed Amanda Waller to attempt something insane, which is assemble these metahuman villains who have nothing left to lose and form a strike team headed by Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) to combat a bigger, looming threat. The film’s opening 20 minutes is almost entirely introductory sequences for each villain and I’ll say that it was a pleasure to see that. We get to see a few of the big DC superheroes show up but I won’t really spoil exactly who and what they do. Keep in mind this is a movie on the villains, not the heroes. These characters are completely rotten despite their attempt on trying to live a different life.
It’s clear from the promos and trailers that Deadshot and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) are the main attractions here, as they were the only ones who receive adequate characterization. However, I was pleasantly surprised how important Diablo (Jay Hernandez) was to the film. I’m a longtime comic book fan and even I wasn’t familiar with Diablo’s storyline. Hernandez’s performance as Diablo will definitely be the underrated act of the film and his inner struggle to live a different life is all too familiar, despite all the unforgivable wrong he’s done in his lifetime. The viewers will come in expecting to see the characters genuinely struggling with their nature and using this chance to do some good for the world but this is not that kind of perfect movie. Director David Ayers knows this is a trainwreck of a team and he knows they won’t be easily rehabilitated and we clearly see that. Harley Quinn, for example, is not interested in reforming her ways at all and is happily content with being the Joker’s “girlfriend”. Her portrayal is reminiscent of the quintessential mobster girlfriend trope of “Mafia-style” films.
And of course, the probable main reason why people want to see this movie aside from Harley Quinn. We have a new Joker (Jared Leto). But he’s barely in this movie. It actually disappointed me but this gets me more excited to see more of him. He’s already controversial as controversial the Joker can be. Leto’s performance proves he is the wild card of the film, occasionally popping in and out of the main plot and his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime is essentially a welcomed addition of the storied live action history of the character. Whereas Heath Ledger’s legendary performance was the scarred, countercultural anarchist, Jared Leto’s Joker is the smooth, conniving psychopathic gangster which is a modern take on the way the original comic book creation was on 1930’s mobsters. It’s not his almost jarringly elegant movement and cacophonic laugh that gets you hooked on his Joker, it’s actually seeing the Joker in “love”. Puke. Joker and Harley’s relationship in the comics and other media is so unsettling and compelling that people are actually referencing it as “relationship goals” to which I roll my eyes because abuse is definitely nothing to be considered as desirable. However, Leto’s Joker is actually incapable of anything slightly resembling love. It appears that he does care for her but he doesn’t love Harley, in fact he needs her to present his frame of this maniacal individual to the world. He is the pure act of impulse; seedy and revolting which was a delight to see to finally see Joker as the disgusting human being that he truly is. His performance will definitely be a point of interest for everyone.
Being incredibly familiar to the source material, I enjoyed Suicide Squad despite the many flaws that it had. The movie’s plot was unfortunately sub-par but the characters working together as a unit proved to be the strongest point of the film. Margot Robbie’s performance as Harley Quinn definitely got me stoked for her inclusion in any future films. As usual, Viola Davis was phenomenal and pretty much nailed the role of Amanda Waller (this is a character that even Batman fears) and Will Smith’s Deadshot was definitely fun if not tragic. It doesn’t deliver the blow that will end this whole “DC vs Marvel” rivalry that so many impassioned fans seem to want but nothing will. What it does though is actually show how fun this universe can be when the characters are given a chance to grow (or degenerate, up to you) and seeing David Ayers excited and proud of his work, we get a better example of what the DC Cinematic Universe can be. It definitely got me excited for the upcoming DC movies and what’s in store for us fans and casual movie-goers alike. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, don’t forget to stay once the credits start rolling, it’s a quite a treat.
