James Gunn properly utilizes the wonderful source material by making the second Suicide Squad a bloody funny and action packed thrill ride. Thanks to some well-realized anti-heroes, gorgeous comic-book style violence, and more heart than I was expecting, The Suicide Squad is one of the best films of 2021. The DCU should be thanking their fearless leader James Gunn, along with the rest of this gloriously perfect cast.
James Gunn properly utilizes the wonderful source material by making the second Suicide Squad a bloody funny and action packed thrill ride. Thanks to some well-realized anti-heroes, gorgeous comic-book style violence, and more heart than I was expecting, The Suicide Squad is one of the best films of 2021. The DCU should be thanking their fearless leader James Gunn, along with the rest of this gloriously perfect cast.
Belle Reve not only has the highest mortality rate in the USA, but it’s also the place where the most notorious super-villains are kept. They are willing to do anything to get out of there. Including joining the super-secret and super-shady Task Force X, which includes Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Rick Flag, Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and the sweet but deadly psycho Harley Quinn. Once this eclectic group is assembled, they are dropped onto the remote, enemy infested island of Corto-Maltese and must complete a search and destroy mission.
Despite this being DC’s attempt to do away with the original Suicide Squad, I appreciate James Gunn acknowledging its predecessor right off the bat. It doesn’t waste any time explaining what happens when a villain misbehaves while being on Task Force X. He assumes that everyone who watches his movie very likely saw the other one. This kept the exposition to a minimum, which resulted in the fun beginning almost immediately. I was only about 25 minutes into The Suicide Squad and I was already in stiches and having the time of my life. I could immediately tell the director received no studio interference and was able to manifest his unique creativity. To say this movie is unpredictable would be an understatement. This is one of the first movies in a long time that had me on the edge of my seat due to me having absolutely no clue about what was going to happen next. There is no way to properly describe the joy this sensation brings me. So, when it happens, I take the time to appreciate it. The divine unpredictability made my cinema experience much more entertaining.
Long character introductions have been replaced with lots of action and wonderful dialogue. I found this to be rather pleasant because I was able to understand each and every single member of The Suicide Squad on a much more personal level. Speaking of our villains, every single actor in this film is perfectly casted and performs their parts majestically. Every character felt lived in and unique. Their fascinating backstories slowly revealed in the quieter and sometimes more action packed moments. Margot Robbie steals every scene that she’s in, solidifying her as the perfect live-action Harley Quinn. Idris Elba has never been better, Sylvester Stallone is clearly having the time of his life voicing King Shark, Viola Davis continues to demonstrate why she is one of the best actresses working today, John Cena proves that comedy is his forte, and some old favorites from the previous Suicide Squad; Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnerman, were also incredible as always. I want to give a special mention to Daniela Melchior as Ratcather 2 and David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man. They both did some exceptional work and turned bizarre villains into something special. I personally believe that when a stellar cast is paired up with a director they collectively trust and have faith in, the result is mostly positive and something to behold.
James Gunn’s script is uproariously funny. His zany and dark sense of humour landed about 90% of the time, causing me to have some nice belly laughs. Despite feeling bad at times for laughing at the devastatingly inappropriate and unethical jokes being presented to me, I thought everything was brilliant. I am so grateful that nobody held James Gunn back and he was allowed to really be himself when crafting this movie.
DC’s latest big budget flick features violence that is both bloody disgusting, yet breathtakingly beautiful. It never felt like it went too far and it was tastefully done, complimenting the film’s stunning cinematography. It was as if he brought a few things from Guardians of the Galaxy and applied them to The Suicide Squad. Despite all that, the film still had a very dark tone, but the flashes of vibrant colours served as a gentle reminder that even the darkest souls have some flecks of light. The action is both exhilarating and exhausting in the best way. Every hit felt super painful and every action scene was well lit and sensationally choreographed. It blended special and practical effects well, resulting in some hilarious and brutal fight scenes that satisfied my craving for over the top comic book style violence. I loved every minute of it, especially when it was done for laughs.
It exemplifies my feelings towards every character featured. This brings me to one of the very few flaws that I have with this film. The members of Task Force X are supposed to be some of the most ruthless supervillains on the face of the earth. However, rather than coming across as evil, they come off as anti-heroes. Part of me didn’t mind that too much because you end up loving so many of these characters, but it just feels a little perplexing. Especially when you consider Viola Davis’ character who is “technically” good in “The Suicide Squad”, comes off as the most evil.
The Suicide Squad is completely bonkers. Its darkly funny humour had me laughing out loud. Every character was memorable for all the right reasons, which made me care about every single member of Task Force X. James Gunn handled this surprisingly unpredictable property with respect and a great deal of heart, making this one of the best movies of 2021. I can’t get it off of my mind and I can see myself watching it many more times for years to come. This is what happens when you don’t restrain great directors.
CHILL AND WATCH
CHILL AND WATCH 