It’s the golden age of comic book movies, thanks largely in part to Marvel Studios.
With WB finally starting a cinematic universe and after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice fell short of expectations, there were many questions and concerns going into Suicide Squad . With a rating of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, the early reviews have sentenced the film to death, but is it really that bad?
Let’s answer that question right away, the film does not deserve that rating. Does it have flaws? Sure, but not enough to warrant a rating that bad. You can definitely see where David Ayer’s vision was interrupted by the studio but, overall, the film is actually very good. You can check out my thoughts on the actual film and it’s redemption story on our YouTube page.
For this segment, I want to highlight the characters that really made the film great. There are some that were forgetful (Captain Boomerang), some who were cheesy (Killer Croc), but, in a film like this, you need to the stars to stand out and Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Viola Davis did exactly that.
SOME SPOILERS
Deadshot (Will Smith)
Deadshot is clearly the unofficial leader of this ragtag group. Forced to do what they don’t want to do, he has the one thing no one else has — the determination to stay alive in hopes of seeing his daughter again. As bad as he is, Deadshot seems to do all the wrong things for the right reasons. Will Smith does a good job portraying this character where you genuinely see his heart throughout the film, even though what he does is wrong. While he only looks out for either himself or his little girl, this mission brings out more from him. You really see him evolve from not just a deadly hitman rotting away in a jail to a leader amongst thieves. He stands out and really shoulders the burden of not just staying alive, but keeping those around him alive. (And can I just say…the scene where he takes the lead on top of a car, fires off round after round and takes out Enchantress’ creepy army was downright amazing.)
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie)
The true star of the film. I had many reservations going into the film regarding this character but she nailed it. She captured the sillyness, craziness, and deadliness of Harley Quinn. Every scene she was in she stood out above the rest, giving you the right moments of laughter when needed. You get enough of her background and her love for th e Joker yet you are left wanting more. (For what it’s worth, that is a great thing to have.) Harley Quinn has become such a popular character since she first appeared on Batman: The Animated Series and, for her first time in a live action role, Robbie really nailed the part. She brings crazy to a new level, yet you see that deep inside there is a soul searching for love in all the wrong places. To be able to balance that in a character is an amazing feat.
Amanda Waller (Viola Davis)
Could there have been any greater person for this role?
Not a chance.
One can argue that Amanda Waller is the real villain of this movie. She neither a hero nor someone you want to cross. In the comics, Waller is ruthless with absolutely no heart. She only cares about doing her job and it doesn’t matter who gets in her way as long as the job is done. Viola Davis nails this role, showing us just how bad and evil Waller can be, even if she is on the good team. (For instance, this was evident when she shoots and kills FBI agents that were serving under her watch just because they never had the clearance to be part of the operation of Task Force X/Suicide Squad.) Who in their right mind would come up with the idea of putting nano-chip bombs in peoples heads in order for them to do what you want them to do? Not only that, these are lunatics! Waller has no friends and only sees others as leverage. For a woman who carried a heart for most of the film, it is the one thing she is lacking and why she is so dangerous. (It makes me wonder if maybe it isn’t the Squad that should be locked away.)
Overall I believe this film had enough value to warrant it a ‘screen it’ tag. There are flaws and some forgettable moments but where the film shines is in it’s characters and these really make it worth the watch.
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