The Suicide Squad (2021)

When I first started reading comic books as an early teen, one of the first books that grabbed my attention was The Suicide Squad. The original books written by John Ostrander offered something I didn't see in many other comics, what felt like more grown up action, morally ambiguous characters I wasn't sure I should be rooting for, and a never ending sense of dread as I realized I couldn't be sure which characters were going to make it to the end. Seeing this concept and many of the characters come to life on the big screen has brought a lot of that back for me. 

I enjoyed David Ayer's take on the story in the first film to have this title, even though now we know that what we saw wasn't really his vision. But it captured that feeling I missed from the series, especially the character of Amanda Waller and her ends-justifies-the-means ruthlessness which was never far off actual government actions on the global stage. His interpretations of characters I loved like Deadshot, Harley, and yes Boomerang (among others) were exciting to see realized. We now understand there is another version of the film out there, one that might be closer in line with what I might appreciate if we ever see it, but I still got what I needed out of the first film and this is the kind of concept which can just keep giving.

Then along comes James Gunn and we get a very different take for the second film with almost the same name, and something else for me to enjoy. The film delivers on what I expected from the trailer, that few if any of the characters make it to the end. I don't think I'm spoiling anything to say you can almost count the survivors of Task Force X on one hand. And some of those deaths come a lot earlier than I expected. There were a few shockers too, characters I thought they'd want to keep around. No one is safe and that's what you need from a Suicide Squad movie. 

I also knew the film would be even more irreverent than the first. Perhaps the Ayer Cut will give us the more dramatic Squad movie I crave. But I went into this expecting it to err on the side of silly. Gunn manages to strike the right tone for that adding just enough pathos to get me invested while he layers on the humour thick. He always seemed to just go to the line and then pull it back. So in the opening moments, as characters are dying left, right, and centre, he gives us just enough gravitas to make us feel the gravity of it while balancing that with making it funny. He wants to tell a fun story, but he gives us a little relationship building here, a little global political commentary there, a little gross-out eww factor sprinkled around, and surprisingly more male nudity than one would expect. Yet through it all he keeps the mood light enough that it ends up just being fun. 

But perhaps the movie is just a bit much. There are so many characters and only a handful get any amount of screen time. While for many they are on screen enough (Blackguard anyone??) but others like Storm Reid's angsty teen and Viola Davis' Amanda Waller get short changed. Waller, despite being played expertly again by Davis, just isn't the threat she was in the first film. I do appreciate the development they do on Peacemaker, Rat Catcher, and Bloodsport. There is almost too much going on to really make it all come together without certain parts feeling extraneous. I am conflicted about the film's use of Harley Quinn as she often feels tacked on, never quite seeming essential despite Gunn's best efforts. Yet she remains, as portrayed by Robbie, so fascinatingly watchable. I just wanted to see her every time she was on screen.  But maybe I was spoiled by Birds of Prey where she got to go through a character development arc. Here she just is, running around doing Harley shit. And while that's great to watch, it's not the same. On second viewing I appreciated her arc here more, truly the completion of a story that has been building over three films. We get to see her be true to herself and that is deligthful. 

I had fun! I got to watch a movie where Starro the Conquoror terrorized the world, and it was throughly as gross and disturbing as it should be. I got a great story arc about 5 or so characters. I got more Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. I got a film that made me laugh out loud and truly surprised me sometimes. And there were one or two character deaths which actually moved me. In the end it was solid entertainment. I do hope we get more Suicide Squad movies as I think there are other stories and other approaches that can work with this concept. Also I want to see Waller being the real threat she is. So bring it on!

The Suicide Squad

Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, Viola Davis, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stalone, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, Michael Rooker, Alica Braga, Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, Sean Gunn, Flula Borg, Mayling Ng, Taika Waititi

Writer/Director: James Gunn