The original Suicide Squad was a huge disappointment. Due to the fight between the creator and the studios, it ended up being a Frankenstein‘s monster of a film that made no one happy and should serve as a warning to movie execs to stay out of the creative process. Hence, many were overjoyed when it was announced that James Gunn of Guardians fame was taking the reins for the reboot/sequel, but was he able to continue his trend and this time catch DC lightning in a bottle? Yes, he most certainly did – for the right audience, though, as The Suicide Squad is drenched in more blood, gore, and adult themes than any superhero movie ever made.
The Suicide Squad tells a similar story as the original with Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) once again assembling a team of F-list villains to do her dirty work in exchange for reducing their prison sentences. This time Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is joined by assassin Bloodsport (Idris Elba), the strangely patriotic Peacemaker (John Cena), sweet Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), and a host of other misfits to perform a covert op in the country of Corto Maltese. Their goal is to infiltrate an ex-Nazi prison, Jotunheim, and destroy it, but of course, nothing is at it seems. As our antiheroes begin to peel back Waller’s layers of lies and intrigue, they discover there is a lot more to their mission than the simple run-and-gun caper they were expecting.
Let’s get the big question out of the way – is this one any good and/or better than the first? Absolutely as it’s well thought out, fun, and wildly entertaining. Gunn brings the humor and banter he has become known for but then taps into his Troma roots and ratchets it up to 11 with over-the-top violence and gore. And speaking of that, do not take your kids to see this film. It has an extremely hard R (nearly NC-17) rating and is enough to make even the writers of John Wick grimace.
Blood and guts don’t fully make a movie however, and it’s Gunn’s script that really brings it to life. As much as these characters are all unknown deep cuts, each is given the time to make an impact and have their moment before meeting their untimely ends. Harley is wisely not the main character which allows most everyone to shine and have true character development and arcs. This isn’t to say she doesn’t spend a fair amount of time on screen just that she is only part of the squad and not the focus so the spotlight can shine on more interesting characters. Ratcatcher 2 and Bloodsport, for instance, are truly the heart and soul of the film, and the emotional impact each of them have would have been undercut had they been merely relegated to Harley’s backup.
What was more surprising were some of the underlying themes that go much deeper than an action film normally does. Buried beneath the blood and guts are commentaries on imperialism, justice, and whether the ends ever truly justify the means. It’s presented so perfectly that the audience gets the point without having to be whacked on the head with it.
The Suicide Squad was everything we were hoping for and more from the original film. It’s funny, violent, and full of heart which one wouldn’t expect from this kind of summer blockbuster. If you’re comfortable going out in a crowd, it’s an easy recommend skipping HBO Max and seeing it in all its glory in a theater. Just remember this is not for the kids or your grandma who fell in love with Groot. A better idea would be to leave them at home with Guardians of the Galaxy and head out for a night of mayhem and laughs. Oh, and stay through the credits for a fun little teaser that sets up what’s to come for our new favorite antiheroes.