Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) have gotten the Belle Reve inmates together to recreate The Suicide Squad, a group of assholes who are willing to put their lives on the line in order to shorten their prison sentences. In typical anti-hero fashion, however, this group, now calling themselves Task Force X, finds themselves in quite the pickle. On the island of Corto Maltese the team will face their greatest threat yet. Some will live, some will die, but each and every one of them is an idiot...and this group of idiots doesn’t necessarily mix well.
Suicide Squad (2016)--make sure you pay attention to the names--and Birds of Prey were highly anticipated films in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), but both failed to live up to the hype that Warner Bros. had provided fans. With the inclusion of comedy and downright gorey aspects, these two films promised to be better than anything that DC had done since the success of the Dark Knight series. Again, they failed. James Gunn, however, the mastermind behind the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy films, is given full freedom to create a film full of blood, gore, and raunchy comedy; the DC film that everyone had wanted, but no one was able to deliver, is finally born.
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is back with new superhero bad guys like Peacemaker (John Cena), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior). The team is crazier than ever, and their mission is far more entertaining than before. The characters alone outshine those from the previous installment, as they are equipped with genuine humor and the freedom to do whatever the f**k Gunn wants them to. With the exception of Shazam, the DCEU films have struggled with including comedy and allowing viewers to relate to the characters on screen, hindering their overall performances, and seeing the DCEU face severe backlash. Gunn is a unique master of comedy who pulls no punches and creates humor seemingly out of thin air, leaving viewers in stitches and allowing them to find merit in nearly everything the characters say throughout. I felt immersed in this world of nonsense and heartfelt (but odd) companionship, as each and every character in the film delivers beautifully.
That takes me to my next point: the acting is impeccable. Cena’s not usually superb, Kinnaman felt constricted throughout the course of Suicide Squad, and, well, actors like Melchior and Jennifer Holland (Emilia Harcourt) haven’t had much exposure, which can be worrying. However, each and every one of these actors takes their game to the next level and prepares to veritably f**k s**t up and help to create one of the greatest superhero spectacles of all time. Never for a minute did I question these actors’ abilities or worry that they would be unable to hold their own in a film of this magnitude, because from the opening moments Gunn provides each of them the opportunity to shine.
Rarely do you find a film with literally no dull moments, but The Suicide Squad manages to do just that, entertain viewers through every single second. The film, as a whole, and in the grand scheme of cinema, is massive. It presents the world with all that superhero films can be. Yes, films like Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Ragnarok are still the best that superhero cinema has to offer, but The Suicide Squad is something of its own. It promises that the future of superhero-related entertainment is bright, and that, especially with individuals like Gunn at the helm, there’s no stopping this genre. This is not only the best movie I’ve seen this year, but the best superhero film I’ve seen since Avengers: Endgame.
The Suicide Squad has breathed new life into the DCEU and sent that film universe on a trajectory toward genuine success. The cinematography, writing, directing, editing, and very literally everything in between is near perfect, and that all stems from Gunn’s genius. Once again he develops a wonderfully exciting soundtrack, a killer superhero team, and comedy as incredible as anything we’ve seen before. The Suicide Squad is entertaining from the opening moment until the credit’s come to an end. There’s so much to take in after seeing this film, but the following is the most important: it’s time that Gunn be included in the discussion with the best writers and directors of our time.
Written & Directed by James Gunn.
Starring Michael Rooker, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman, Nathan Fillion, Jai Courtney, Flula Borg, Mayling Ng, Pete Davidson, Sean Gunn, Margot Robbie, Stephen Blackehart, Steve Agee, Tinashe Kajese, Jennifer Holland, Idris Elba, John Cena, Daniela Melchior, Dee Bradley Baker, Jaws, Crisp Ratt, David Dastmalchian, Sylvester Stallone, Storm Reid, Peter Capaldi, Juan Diego Botto, Joaquín Cosio, Lynn Ashe, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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