The Suicide Squad (2021) Review by someone who hates comic book movies

It's no secret to anyone that I harbour a hatred towards comic book films. The MCU is my version of Hell and the DCEU is just Marvel after dark. However, if you had a gun to my head and asked me to decide which one I preferred, I would have to say DC as it at least tries to break the mould of saccharine superhero simplicity, but that doesn't really mean much as my expectations for both companies are non-existent when it comes to judging the quality of their films (Although, I will say that Into the Spider-Verse was my favourite film of 2018). That said, while I find watching superhero films an exercise in torture, I fully understand why people enjoy them; they're pure escapist nonsense and that's fine. I'm just not one of those people but I wish I was.

Like almost everyone else, I was aware of the backlash that Suicide Squad (2016) had. I only ever saw segments of it with my dad, who's a fan of the superhero genre, and it looked pretty awful. Stylish but empty; a pretty common theme when it comes to films in the DC canon. On top of that, I remember how Harley Quinn became a marketer's dream, and everyone's number one gal and the go-to for Halloween and Comic-Con costumes, relationship goal comparisons, and someone that edgy teens could relate to and self-diagnose their own psychopathy. I did watch 2020's Birds of Prey and while it was a pleasant surprise, it bombed at the box office to the point where they had to change the title to feature Quinn's name so people would actually recognise the brand.

With all the hype behind Margot Robbie's quirky character, I expected The Suicide Squad (2021) to be two hours of Harley Quinn worship and a prime opportunity to market her further. However, it wasn't. Like, at all. I expected her to be the focus of every scene but she doesn't even feature in the film properly until the second half. Director James Gunn could have easily thrown her into every shot to please fans and push marketability but she's integrated into the cast of fellow fiends as an equal and Robbie delivers a performance that's quirky and fun, and hardly ever borders onto obnoxious or annoying.

The rest of the cast include Idris Elba as Bloodsport, John Cena as Peacemaker, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, David Dastmalchian as Polka Dot Man, and Sylvester Stallone providing the voice King Shark (also known as Nanaue throughout the film). All of the characters work together well and everyone gets their turn. Each has likeable traits and King Shark is just adorable (when he's not devouring people whole). Elba is a great protagonist with a surprising funny bone. His utilitarian methods contrast well with the chaotic energy of the rest of the cast. The film is also really funny. The comedy isn't out of place and it's integrated well into the dialogue. Its humour is very dark and different to the usual witty one-liners and pop culture references seen in the likes of most Marvel flicks. Like any film that features comedy, some jokes do fall flat but that's just whatever.

Visually, the film is on par with most other superhero films, or maybe just a step down with a more cartoonish style for the CGI, but the film is still very stylish. I think a lot of the budget for the visual effects went into creating the ultraviolent combat, as well as the fully CGI King Shark and some disgusting weasel character that also appears and seeing it made me want to pour bleach into my eyes because of how hideous it was. The cinematography was great with quite a few inventive shots during fight scenes. I also enjoyed the creative use of title cards built into the environment, introducing each section of the film like chapters in a book.

My biggest surprise about the whole film is how it managed to pass as a 15+. This film is violent as hell. Bodies exploding, melting, burning, limbs being torn off, decapitations, among other inventive ways the film plays with almost Mortal Kombat-esque deaths akin to the likes of Kill Bill and a rapid fire version of Saw. The film never strays away from the violence either, everything is shown with gore and viscera on full display. Don't get me wrong, it's exciting as hell and jaw-dropping at times, and as someone who isn't easily squeamish, there were parts that made even my stomach turn. It's arguable that the film goes a little too hard with the violence and I only very slightly agree as it's just excessively violent for the sake of it, but it's also hard to tear your eyes away from it all.

The plot is pretty basic: a group of imprisoned villains are tasked with helping the Government eliminate an apocalyptic threat in return for reduced jail sentences. There's not much to say about it. It doesn't reinvent the wheel and that's fine. It's serves more of a backdrop to the action scenes and character interactions. The villains of the villains are pretty uninteresting with basic motives of world domination via a supernatural being known as Project Starfish (which is a horrifying creature that makes me incredibly uncomfortable to even think about despite it looking strangely goofy and out of place).

The music is a mix of the the usual superhero orchestral pieces and pre-existing pop and rock songs. They set the tone and there's not much more to say about it.

Overall, I actually enjoyed the film quite a lot. It was paced at a breakneck speed from the beginning and didn't let up the whole way through. If you're not a fan of excessive violence or gore, don't even watch five minutes of this film. It's just pure over-the-top and twisted fun. Turn off your brain, don't expect masterful filmmaking and hold onto your seats 'cause it's a wild ride.

Rating: 7.7/10 (struggling whether to give it a 7.5 or an 8)