The Suicide Squad Review

One thing is certain: I thoroughly enjoyed The Suicide Squad. The puzzles filling my head have nothing to do with the quality, style, and sheer wonder of it all, but I have to question: Is it the funniest gory movie I’ve seen, or is it the goriest funny movie I’ve seen? Is it a super-hero movie or something else? Is it a reboot or sequel? If it’s a sequel, why isn’t it called “Suicide Squad 2?”

Background: The Suicide Squad (2021) picks up an ambiguous amount of time after Suicide Squad (2016) and features the shady Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) assembling another “Task Force X” squad of super-villains, including Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), to take on a new suicide mission, led again by Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman). For all intents and purposes, this is a sequel, but the creators consider it a “soft reboot,” and recalling the production problems and uneven tone of the 2016 movie, that seems like a good answer.

Under the direction of James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2), The Suicide Squad explodes off the screen with chaotic energy, mixing irreverent humor, ultra-violence, heart, and just the right amount of self-awareness, to feel entirely fresh and new. Other movies would likely fall under the weight of featuring over 20 characters, let alone the pressures to reboot the previous SS movie and somehow fit into the DCEU (don’t worry, it doesn’t really need to), but Gunn handles it all, effortlessly. Idris Alba rises above the all-star cast of misfits and miscreants as the deadly “Bloodsport,” John Cena surprises with his stand-out debut of the off-kilter “Peacemaker,” Daniela Melchior and David Dastmalchian endears as the unlikely heroes “Ratcatcher 2” and the “Polka-Dot Man,” and Margot Robbie presents her best performance of Harley Quinn yet, reminding us why we adore such an insane protagonist. (Oh yeah, there is also the walking, talking “King Shark,” brought to life by a stealth performance from Sylvester Stallone!)

DavPoint: I couldn’t believe it when I heard about it previously, but having seen John Cena’s wild character in action, I’m now looking forward to his standalone HBO Peacemaker series!

My Experience: Thanks to HBO Max streaming The Suicide Squad at the same time as its theatrical release, I was able to watch it last night, and I’m looking forward to watching this madcap adventure again and again! Although I don’t have the same level of confidence in the DCEU as I do for the MCU, I had complete confidence in James Gunn, and I was not disappointed! It is almost as if he overheard a conversation praising the ambitious balancing act of 20+ heroes in Avengers: Infinity War and End Game, and said “hold my beer,” followed up with “I’ll use C and D list supervillains,” and “I’m going to add five more characters, just because I can!”

It appears that DC and WB shared that confidence, because The Suicide Squad embraces the challenges I mentioned before, and excels because of them. It probably helps that it also embraces its “R” rating and delivers a non-stop thrill ride of ultra-violence and rolling on the floor comedy. There is a danger of taking the “anything goes” mantra too far, but Gunn wisely pushes the boundaries just far enough to seem out of control and still delivers a near perfect production. Honestly, the only projects I can think of that could top the over-the-top antics of The Suicide Squad in the future are Thor: Love and Thunder, from Taika Waititi, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, from James Gunn himself.

DavPoint: Don’t miss the end-credit scene!

Conclusion: If I had to weigh any criticisms against all my praise for The Suicide Squad, I’d have to say that its main antagonists are relatively forgettable, and it doesn’t match the emotional roller-coaster of one of my most favorite movies of all time, Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2. To answer my own criticisms, though, The Suicide Squad features a LOT of super-villains that are really only challenged by each other, and as much as I love GotG:V2, not every movie has to cram as much emotional content in to still be a top tier piece of entertainment. I can appreciate that a stylized movie like this might not be for everyone, and I may feel differently watching the movie again after the shock-and-awe has worn off some, so time will tell. For now, allow me to congratulate Gunn, and all the actors, crew, and everyone responsible, for delivering such an outstanding work of art!

• Director: James Gunn
• Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
• Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Alba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, with Sylvester Stallone and Viola Davis
• Rating: R for strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use, and brief graphic nudity
• Release Dates: July 30, 2021 (UK) and August 6, 2021 in theaters and HBO Max (United States)