Synopsis:
From writer/director James Gunn comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “The Suicide Squad,” featuring a collection of the most degenerate delinquents in the DC lineup.
Welcome to hell—a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out—even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave…and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them—all of them.
Directed by: James Gunn
Screenplay by: James Gunn
Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion
My Edition:
HBO Max
My Thoughts:
I’m not going to lie to you, I was very cautiously optimistic about this movie. In the end, knowing it was helmed by James Gunn was the thing that decided it for me. James Gunn knows how to shoot a comic book movie. Especially a comic book movie starring characters as patently ridiculous as many members of the Suicide Squad. Where as I found the 2016 David Ayers-helmed Suicide Squad completely unwatchable, I couldn’t look away from Gunn’s version.
You won’t find any attempts at grim and gritty here. No muted color palettes either. The Suicide Squad is unabashadly fun, hyper-violent, surprisingly bloody and riotously colorful. Oh, and there are sooo many swears. I haven’t had this much fun in a comic book movie since Deadpool (2016).
But even if movies based on comics/comic characters aren’t really your cup of tea, fear not! Because The Suicide Squad is also a raucous action comedy. So you can just ignore the whole comic angle and just bask in its violent silliness. It’s like a 90’s direct-to-video action movie, but written, shot, and performed admirably. So I guess they’re not really the same at all. But here’s why I didn’t delete most of what I just wrote: because like a 90’s direct to video action movie, The Suicide Squad is 100% fucking bonkerballs. This story almost certainly should. not. work. But it really, really does.
I should also add that after seeing 2016’s Suicide Squad I was 99% sure I believed Harley Quinn was not a character that could be translated to live action in a way that was not infuriating. Between this and Birds of Prey, I stand 200% corrected. I fucking ADORE Margot Robbie’s Harley. I just really, really did not enjoy Suicide Squad’s portrayal of her. For a super-smart lady, that one sure didn’t want her to be anything more than a hyper-sexualized psychopath. And there is a *little* more to her than that. Come on, now.
Ok, I’m probably done ragging on the 2016 film (no promises, but I’ll try).
Bloodsport: We’re all going to die.
Polka-Dot Man: I hope so.
Bloodsport: Oh, for fuck’s sake…
If you want cheeky, entertaining banter, a fully realized storyline, some truly outlandish and less well-known characters, a bunch of fun cameos, tons of blood, and to just otherwise enjoy yourself way more than you expected to going into a DC movie (why are so many of them so fucking doom and gloom serious?!) – look no further. This is a “Hard R” action movie, and I promise it is well worth your 2 hours.
Rating:
Honestly, during this shit-crazy-stupid pandemic I think this made me laugh more than anything else I’ve seen for the first time.
The Suicide Squad Directed by: James Gunn US Release Date: August 6, 2021 Warner Brothers Rated R 132 Minutes Official Website
