It’s no surprise critics and audiences don’t see eye to eye on Suicide Squad.
Suicide Squad was never going to be the movie to save the DC slate, but that doesn’t make it a bad film. There’s been more than a bit of disappointment surrounding the DC cinematic universe, and Suicide Squad is just a first step in putting together a slightly better movie.
Check out the strengths and weaknesses that I saw in Suicide Squad, and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Strengths
Will Smith as Deadshot
If you only take one thing away from this movie, it’s that Will Smith has definitely still got it. Seeing Deadshot and Rick Flagg time and time again quickly became one of my favorite parts of Suicide Squad. The dynamic interplay between a trained assassin and a career soldier showcases a different kind of storyline in-between all the structured jokes and ass-kicking scenes.
Smith takes on the sarcastic and dry-witted sharpshooter with renewed energy and quickly becomes the defacto leader. For a group of misfit villains to look to you for leadership definitely says something, and Will Smith’s Deadshot definitely earned the respect that an effective leader can command without words.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for Suicide Squad is almost a character all its own. When you least expect it, the perfect tune comes cranking out of the sound system and has you properly amped up for the otherworldly ass-kicking that this band of miscreants is about to dish out.
From a classic Eminem tune to some bits scored just for the film, the music that makes Suicide Squad an immersive experience is definitely one of its most easily notable strengths.
Styling
Love it or hate it, Suicide Squad has a style, an attitude, and a distinct voice. The bleeding rainbow of colors that we’re so familiar with was not just a marketing scheme. That kaleidoscope of hues is worked into the film in some very interesting ways.
In addition to the wonky rainbow theme, the overall look and feel of Suicide Squad fits into WB’s dark and gritty stark realism that the DC movies have all had since they re-envisioned Superman a few years ago. For once, though, that dark and gritty quality was a strength rather than a hindrance. These characters are actually dark and twisted, so the styling didn’t seem as out of place as it did in Man of Steel.
Amanda Waller
The strongest and most interesting factor in Suicide Squad is proving that Amanda Waller is just as bad as the rest of her Task Force X puppets. She may be developing this team for semi-noble reasons, but her methods are just as dark as those of Deadshot, Croc, or any of the others. She may even be the most dangerous person in the movie, as she believes that she’s doing good at the end of the day. Viola Davis plays her with the finesse we’ve come to expect from the Academy Award nominee, and we would not be against seeing her pop up again in the DC universe.
Weaknesses
Who’s that guy?
We understand that the Suicide Squad is made up of more than just Harley Quinn and Deadshot, but it seemed like more than half of the team was just there to bulk up the numbers. While we got a bit of Diablo’s backstory, Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc, and Slipknot are clearly just side characters there to fill out the squad. I couldn’t tell you what Boomerang’s motivations in life were, let alone why he’s hanging out with this rag tag group. His skills are poorly defined, and it is just hard to see why you should care about his character.
It’s hard to tell a story about an entire group of villains in a single movie like this one, but if you’re going to try, find a way to make each and every character indispensable.
Why reign in Harley Quinn?
Harley Quinn is the ultimate wild card, and it feels like Suicide Squad tries too hard to reign her in. Sure, she has jokes and schtick for miles, but it was so delicately crafted that you lost some of her chaotic, feral charm. It seemed that while the performance was there on Margot Robbie’s part, the iconic character’s spirit didn’t entirely translate on screen like we all had hoped it would.
The Joker
Was it just too soon for me to look past the genius performance of Joker from Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight? Maybe, but I just couldn’t get on board with Jared Leto’s Joker in Suicide Squad. Compared to the expert in creating chaos that we saw in Nolan’s Batman series, Jared Leto’s Joker just doesn’t add up. His relationship with Harley doesn’t have the effect we were hoping for, and his brand of villainy seems too over the top and cartoon-ish for such a dark film. Would Suicide Squad have been a much stronger movie without him? I’m not saying no.
Ultimately
This movie is crazy. It’s over the top, and chock full of ridiculous baddie fun. Harley Quinn might be reigned in, but what we do get from her is fun and silly and as evil as they come. Deadshot is every bit the sarcastic, droll presence we want him to be. Rick Flagg is a surprisingly layered character whose interactions with the team bring out different sides to them.
There’s a lot to love, and a lot to find mediocre in Suicide Squad. It’s not the blockbuster of the summer. It’s not the worst movie to ever grace cinemas. It’s a solid, fun, ridiculous romp through a magical minefield created by the Enchantress. See it or don’t see it, it’s entirely up to you.
This film should and could be a little funnier, a little darker, with a little more violence from the most violent characters in the DC universe. Unfortunately, Suicide Squad tries too hard to be better than the violent, funny romp that Deadpool was. By trying to hold themselves to the PG-13 rating, they lost a bit of the magic that could have made Suicide Squad true entertainment.