After the catastrophic Batman Vs Superman, Suicide Squad was supposed to be DC’s redemption.
Most of the reviews of the film are fighting to make a point about just how horrible it is. But is it really that bad?
Granted, a lot of expectations were piled on it, given their excellent marketing team that kept fans on their toes for a year, and yes, it doesn’t deliver like one imagined, but right now, it is one of the better films that DC has churned out in the last few years.
The premise of the movie is a philosophical question that has been resounding in comic worlds again and again – what happens when the powerful protector turns against its people?
Lord knows vigilantism is a constant threat and even government sanctioned superheroes can cause a lot of damage.
So DC’s stern antagonist, Amanda Weller collects a bunch of outcasts, thieves, crazies and criminals to create an army to counter the threat of Great Power.
The common perception – that the Suicide Squad is too lousy to stand up against a superhero as strong as Superman (Waller’s specific concern is that the next Superman could be a terrorist), is only a concern technically, and not as big a deal as people make it out to be.
If Batman has taught its fans anything at all, it’s that Superman can be defeated with finer tactics rather than brute strength.
The weaker point of the movie was perhaps its witch mumbo jumbo (you’ll know if you’ve watched it) with an ambitious but uninteresting plan that prevented the plot from laying out effortlessly.
The Enchantress brought back memories of the Apocalyse and his ego. Perhaps, it was too soon to bring back a similar villain?
But the film has great dialogue and an impressively matched soundtrack.
Why Suicide Squad fares better than Batman Vs Superman (won’t even care to compare with Deadpool) is because the plot doesn’t attempt to contextualise itself within international politics like a few ambitious superhero movies, who then do a shoddy job of it. It stays within its limits: DC’s villains making a living, fighting American security and finding brotherhood within their kind.
The characters don’t evolve into sympathetic saints suddenly (thankfully!) and save the world from the Enchantress’ domination; they do it for their personal gratification.
The one big flaw that cost the film a lot of accolades was the attempt at garnering the profits Warner Bros couldn’t make with Batman Vs Superman.
David Ayer’s initial direction resulted in a much darker plot line, but the cuts Warner Bros made to make it light and appeal to the audience are visible, not smooth and very upsetting.
That being said, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn makes one think she was born to play the role. Jared Leto as the Joker was menacing, despite his limited on-screen time.
As for Will Smith, after the gazillion years of being MIA in Hollywood, Suicide Squad was a good re-entry for his black man sass.
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