Not every movie seems like it should have the potential to make or break a franchise, but that’s sort of the thin ice the DC Extended Universe has been on recently. With summer blockbuster season starting to wrap up, it was important to make an impact while the audience was primed. Heavily stylized and not afraid of its R-rating, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is incredibly colorful, chaotic, and super-violent but still finds ways to hit its character notes in a meaningful way and deliver laughs in the process.
The DCEU was (and probably still is) in desperate need of continuity and cohesion after the underwhelming Wonder Woman ’84, so it was a wise choice by Warner and DC not to start completely from scratch here. Returning Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jai Cortney, and Joel Kinnaman provided some much-needed connective tissue. Including Birds of Prey, there’s more material for this series, based primarily around Harley Quinn, than any of the other film properties. At least WB and DC know Harley is their star and they don’t want to waste Robbie while they have her.
Gunn stepping in to direct was a much-needed get for DC at the time as he’d been released from the Marvel franchise (Guardians of the Galaxy) that had made him so wildly popular. This marks his first film since 2017 and taking the PG-13 shackles off allowed Gunn’s humor to come through without holding back. The film is funny, of course, but it’s not without balance or context. The humor is mostly pretty dark, but it’s based on the real psychological space of its characters. In doing so, he gave his important characters enough heart to make the audience care. It is The Suicide Squad after all, so there are still some characters that serve mostly as punchlines but you’ll know the difference.
Gunn’s script does a lot for the characters but some very enjoyable performances drive it home. Idris Elba steps in to replace Will Smith as a different but very similar character, complete with a daughter on the outside that’s used as leverage. It’s a more paternal performance that fits great with the dysfunctional family vibe they have going on.
Robbie continues to be a fantastic Harley Quinn but John Cena kinda steals the show as Peacemaker (sort of a cross between Homelander and US Agent) and his spin-off show is already in the works. Viola Davis is a national treasure and she’s wonderfully loathsome as the ruthless head of Task Force X, Amanda Waller. This was also a breakout performance for Daniela Melchior as the sleepy but ultimately loveable Ratcatcher 2. She’s basically the little sister of the team but it’s her personality that starts to bring them all together as a team.
The cast is absolutely stacked from top to bottom. Gunn collaborator Michael Rooker joins the party along with Nathon Fillion, Flula Borg, Alice Braga, Pete Davidson, and Sylvester Stallone as the voice of King Shark. David Dastmalchian has been putting together a great resume and all that hard work landed him with a standout performance as the enigmatic Polka-Dot Man.
Gunn always includes a great soundtrack and this movie was no different, kicking things off with “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash and including tracks from The Decembrists, The Jim Carroll Band, The Pixies, and Jordan Benjamin. Between the style, the music, the humor, and the action, you’re bound to find a way to have a good time.
Recommendation: If you are a fan of Gunn’s work, this movie is right up there with Slither and Guardians of the Galaxy and, in some ways, a combination of both.
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