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Suicide Squad

Saving DC (and it’s Extended Universe)

February 23, 2017 by Arnaldo Reyes 2 Comments

Before we get started, let me assure you… I already know what you’re going to say.

Over the last year, there has been plenty of articles written about the DC Entertainment Universe (DCEU) helmed by Warner Bros., but I want to take a different approach. Instead of merely looking at what is wrong and highlighting it, I want to offer my take on a solution.

Numbers can be deceiving and, frankly, that is the number one problem with Warner Bros. While their films have seen massive worldwide ticket sales, does that really mean they’ve been a success? Their films have made so much from name recognition alone but fall short in quality, especially considering their competition. For instance, while Batman v Superman made a good chunk of change at the global box office, comparing it to a film like Deadpool shows that it missed expectations exponentially. Even though the film featured arguably the two most iconic superheroes ever for the first time ever in the same film (not to mention the first live action film version of Wonder Woman), and the film should have grossed well over 1 billion worldwide yet it fell far short. The success of a character like Deadpool should never compare to a film featuring Batman and Superman, but it shows you the difference between mere name recognition and a quality script that carries all the best elements of the character. (In fact, Suicide Squad suffered similar problems, by offering a film that made money from name recognition but not from the quality of the film itself.

Now I know, there are some reading that actually like these films, and that’s fine. This isn’t an article to bash DC or even compare them to their more successful counterpart led by the House of Mouse. Rather, this is an article of a comic book fan who wants to see sustained success–and, based on all the recent news, sustained success seems like a farfetched idea at the moment. I won’t link articles because I take rumors with a grain of salt, but with the confirmation that Ben Affleck won’t direct a solo Batman film; the script being thrown out and redone; and even some rumors that Affleck is trying to find a way to no longer play Batman, the state of the DCEU remains a giant question mark.  (Though today’s news that Matt Reeves has confirmed his role as director is, finally, some good news related to the film…). In three months, we will find out if there’s some hope (and again, don’t let initial numbers deceive you) but it could also completely bury the DCEU for quite some time.

With all that being said, let’s offer up some solutions.

My first piece of advice for Warner Bros. is kind of an oxymoron when you first hear it. I want them to both emulate Marvel Studios and also stop emulating Marvel.

Let me explain.

When it comes to emulating, the WB must stop pretending like they don’t care what Marvel is doing.  (Let’s be serious… you do.)  So, emulate the planning process. So far, it seems like the list of DCEU films are based on reaction and “catching up” rather than coming across as piece of a clearly laid out plan. Through their use of their ‘Phase 1-3’ idea, Marvel Studios has come off as a company that had an overall story to tell, rather than just movie titles. This interlocking shared universe paid off and WB would be smart to copy that same formula. This means that you shouldn’t make a film that spends more time trying to set up another film then actually tell a good story on its own. By leaving the interlocking parts for the end credits where the main film can breathe on its own with a few easter eggs, the fans realize in the end credits that it is part of something greater. These are things that Marvel has made successful and definitely should be emulated.

Now to the stop emulating part…

One of the more consistent things we’ve heard about is the constant butting of heads idea that DCEU films aren’t good because tell less jokes than Marvel and aren’t as ‘light hearted’.

But that’s far from the truth.

DCEU films don’t need to be light hearted to be good. They don’t need to follow that Marvel formula. The Dark Knight remains arguably the greatest comic book film of all time, and that’s what DCEU should be leaning on. BvS didn’t fail (critically speaking) because there wasn’t enough humor. Suicide Squad wasn’t viewed as a mess because they didn’t get the humor right. Humor has nothing to do with it, and the execs at WB need to realize that. Suicide Squad should have been dark and stayed with the feel of a black ops film rather than interjecting a supernatural element that simply didn’t make sense in that particular world. It felt like two different stories were trying to be told. Instead, Warner Bros. needs to focus more on storytelling and not just the name recognition (that goes for both characters and the actors picked to play the characters). If you are a fan like me, you probably have watched many of the animated movies that have come out in recent years. When I compare those movies to the live action, it is night and day. Now, we can talk about the differences in filmmaking stylistically, but good storytelling is good storytelling. There are a plethora of stories and ideas to pull from directly from their own umbrella that can be adapted correctly. Whether its Justice League, or Batman, or Suicide Squad, they all have been done extremely well in a film feature on the animated side because they have the freedom to stay true to the characters and the DC formula. If the biggest criticism DCEU films have is story, why continue to revert back to the same screenwriters?

DC comics have always been different from Marvel. Sure, over the years, characters have been created to ‘copy’ one from the other side but, even then, the characters and personalities remain completely different. The DCEU should follow suit and get writers that work within other factions of the DC world in order to craft stories that stay true to the characters. The WB execs should, like FOX did with Deadpool, take a step back and give them the freedom to do it their way. I don’t think all the turmoil surrounding The Batman film, and the lost hope from majority of fans would be an issue if these things were to happen. At the end of the day, we all want to see the films succeed and want to see the DCEU have a sustained success. But please WB, stop trying to take shortcuts and thinking that the names alone is all you need. Make a plan and be willing to let the characters develop and grow while staying true to their nature. Have a freedom and liberty with the characters but respect their foundation and ultimately let them breathe. Think outside of the box and don’t pigeonhole yourself to the same writers or ideas and dare to cast unknowns or non-A-list actors for iconic roles.

In the end, it doesn’t matter how dark or light the film is.  If the story is well put together, it will ultimately–finally?–lead to a sustained success.

Filed Under: Editorial, Film Tagged With: Batman, Ben Affleck, DC, DC Comics, DCEU, Deadpool, Joker, Justice League, Marvel, Matt Reeves, Suicide Squad, Superman, The Flash, Warner Bros.

Podcast: SUICIDE SQUAD(Goals)

August 17, 2016 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

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https://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2.23-Suicide-Squad.mp3

This week on the show, Steve assembles his own band of misfits by inviting comic aficionado Arnaldo Reyes and Greg Banik to do battle with the SUICIDE SQUAD! Are Deadshot, Harley Quinn and the rest really the ‘worst heroes ever’?  Is the film worth the 27% on Rotten Tomatoes?  All this and more, on ScreenFish.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

2.23 Suicide Squad

 

Filed Under: Podcast, Reviews Tagged With: Batman, David Ayer, DC Comics, DCEU, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Jared Leto, Joker, Margot Robbie, Suicide Squad, Will Smith

Suicide Squad: The Characters Who Make It Happen

August 5, 2016 by Arnaldo Reyes Leave a Comment

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)

deadshotDeadshot 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)

harleyThe 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)

wallerCould 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.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Amanda Waller, DC Comics, dc entertainment, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Suicide Squad, Warner Bros.

Joking Around – New Images from Set of Suicide Squad

May 28, 2015 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

The Squad is on the move.

In Suicide Squad, director David Ayer tells the story of a team of super villains, which includes DC characters Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), who are ordered by a government agency to work together or else. Of course, there is one character within the team that is making waves over the internet already–the iconic villain, The Joker (Jared Leto), returns to the screen. While not much is known about Squad’s story other than this context, filming of this highly-anticipated, action tentpole continues around the streets of Toronto.

And ScreenFish was there.

Taken last night, we have some clear views of the Joker’s new Lamborghini as the crew films some stunt work. While stars Jared Leto and Margo Robbie weren’t on the set, we did get some exclusive footage of their stunt team showing Joker’s escape through the streets of Gotham in his custom vehicle.

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Joker’s Lamborghini – Front
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Joker’s Lamborghini – Side
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Joker’s Lamborghini – Rear

Of course, if you’d like to see Joker’s vehicle more clearly in slow motion, you can do so at the following link.  IMG_0631

 

 

Suicide Squad will be released August 5, 2016 and is directed by David Ayer.

Filed Under: Film, News Tagged With: Batman, David Ayer, Jared Leto, Joker, Suicide Squad, Toronto

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