The Suicide Squad might be the most fun DCEU film, oozing with James Gunn’s style nonstop. This is what should have been released in 2016, it cleans up the paper-thin squad member issue to provide more depth to these characters. A bonkers, hilarious, blood-drenched experience that doesn’t let up and provides tremendous action sequences. Audiences who were disappointed in Suicide Squad will be more than pleased with this impressive follow-up.
Recognizing that the first film occurred, The Suicide Squad stands on its own without being destroyed by the bad taste the original left. This team has more chemistry, which allows different personalities to come together in the best way. Suicide Squad suffered from many shortcomings, such as being tonally uneven, but that is corrected with this superior standalone story. Directed and written by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad stars Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Sylvester Stallone, John Cena, Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Alice Braga, David Dastmalchian, Joel Kinnaman, and Pete Davidson. Following its predecessor, the film centers on a crew of supervillains locked up at Belle Reve prison. When selected by Amanda Waller (Davis), these villains join Task Force X and are dropped off at Corto Maltese, an island that houses a threatening secret facility named Jotunheim.
Gunn’s genius just can’t be dismissed, he has provided a film that surpasses and improves where Warner Bros. went wrong last time. Character development was a major issue with Suicide Squad, so it’s refreshing to have a follow-up that attempts to allow audiences to learn about all the squad members. Harley Quinn (Robbie) and Deadshot felt like they outshined everyone else before, but now there’s an even playing field. Harley Quinn is joined by Peacemaker (Cena), Bloodsport (Elba), Rick Flag (Kinnaman), Ratcatcher 2 (Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (Dastmalchian), and King Shark (Stallone). Ratcatcher 2 is the heart of the film, as she brings this heartwarming charm to the group. The relationship that builds between her and King Shark is done so well. By the end, the once friendless King Shark now has one of the best friends around.
Humor and gore go together just fine with Gunn overseeing it all, but some jokes could have been left out. Harley Quinn is just as unhinged as ever, there is a moment in the film where she seemingly does this good deed, but audiences are reminded how crazy the character can get. Polka-Dot Man offers more humorous moments, such as his hatred towards his mother being used to create laughable visuals that resemble Godzilla terrorizing a town. These character details allow The Suicide Squad to flourish when it gets more emotional with its storytelling. It’s also not afraid to kill anyone, so the added depth to the characters justifies a feeling of worry when they are in deadly scenarios.
Gunn keeps The Suicide Squad fast-paced, only letting up to allow the core team of characters to spend time with each other. Audiences will be bombarded with visually satisfying head explosions, breathtaking stunt work, and gorgeous cinematography. Gunn’s style isn’t without minor flaws, but the vast majority of The Suicide Squad is executed so well that those flaws are forgettable. Popular songs don’t overflood this film, but John Murphy’s score keeps the emotions high. It elevates Ratcatcher’s heartwarming presence, especially when she uses her power to save the island. The entire cast plays their roles wonderfully, but Melchior’s performance as Ratcatcher is truly stellar. Cena has given one of his best performances as Peacemaker. Who spends the majority of the film trying to outshine Bloodsport. Robbie brings Harley Quinn to life with ease at this point, she balances sanity and unhinged so well that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role right now.
The Suicide Squad gets right to the point and doesn’t get held back by the flaws of its predecessor. Gunn provides a gory comic book film that DC fans will enjoy revisiting on numerous occasions. It’s as action-packed as those familiar with Gunn’s style would expect and proves there is hope for The Suicide Squad to thrive on the big screen with great storytelling.
