The DCEU's tenth (and arguably the best) film to date is a violently fun spectable that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find.
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A superhero film more bloated than the Avengers or Justice League ever was when it comes to assembling a team, so much so that director James Gunn sent out a clear message early days to “not get too attached”. And rightfully so, this is the Suicide Squad after all.
It’s fast-paced from the get-go. Viola Davis’ scary ARGUS director Amanda Waller recruits her first villain - Savant (Gunn’s frequent collaborator Michael Rooker) - and summarises the concept of the squad in two sentences, no further questions.
We meet the rest of the team he’s forced to join - returning members Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney); and new additions Blackguard (Pete Davidson), TDK (Nathan Fillion), Javelin (Flula Borg), Mongal (Mayling Ng) and Weasel (Sean Gunn).
But wait! There’s more of them (Team B as Waller calls them): Idris Elba’s skilled and well-equipped marksman Bloodsport, Ratcatcher 2 (a very endearing Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), Peacemaker (John Cena at his finest) and last but definitely not least – the ever-hungry, dangerous yet lovable, very memeable King Shark (voiced by a spot-on Sylvester Stallone).
Despite having an ensemble cast with such high caliber, Gunn still somehow manages to provide a window for each and every one of his cast to shine. Who would've thought a character named King Shark would be as funny and lovable as he was in this? Or Melchior's Ratcatcher 2 who – contributes to the squad by summoning rats, has an adorable sidekick named Sebastian, is not only vulnerable but also the butt of millennial insults – is also easily the heart of the squad? Even Taika Waititi's Ratcatcher 1 in flashback scenes alone leaves a lasting impression!
I can't/won't dive into every single one of them so I'll just mention the main two that really stuck out at me.
First up, spotlight on John Cena, a professional wrestler turned actor who has proven to be a solid comedic actor with the built of an action star, add those together and The Suicide Squad is the perfect match for him as much as he is for it. He may have starred in over two dozen films by now but not since Blockers (2018) has he really shined. It’s no wonder Peacemaker is getting his own tv series.
And while the spotlight may not be on her as much as her first outing, Robbie returns for a record third time to portray Harley Quinn - a character so beloved since her first appearance that the studio behind these films are treating her like the Wonder Woman of the squad. Who’s to say she’s not? Her take on the character gets better with each film.
I won’t spoil anything by giving too much away but I will say this much: there hasn't been a comic book film as violently fun since 2010's Kick-Ass. There's action, there's comedy, there's violence, there's love – what more could you ask for?
Gunn – who’s made a name for himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for delivering 2014’s most successful film, Guardians of the Galaxy – clearly has a knack for injecting the right amount of fun and humour into his action-heavy source material, complete with a catchy soundtrack (albeit less iconic than that of GotG’s). The Squad couldn’t have been in better hands. Sorry, David Ayer.
This is the DC Extended Universe (DCEU)’s tenth film and without a doubt its best by far. Hopefully this means it’s all up hill from here!
P/S: There are two post-credit scenes so don’t walk away just yet if you don’t want to miss anything.
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