The Suicide Squad

I've been doing Rath's Reviews for over 10 years now. 

There's only a handful of films that have ever scored less than a 5 from me (generally because I've grown more selective over the years) and of those, most I'm willing to write a rant/review laced with some anger and let it go. 

But not 2016's Suicide Squad. Ohhhh no. I originally gave it a 4.5/10 - a rating much too high - and ever since I feel a vivid pulse of anger through my bloodstream when I think about it.

The trailers had been masterful. 

The cast was stacked. 

The director was [supposedly] edgy. 

The DCEU hadn't yet crumbled underneath itself. 

It was/is probably the single most disappointing film I've ever reviewed simply because of how high my expectations were and how awful of a film it was. 

So when Warner Brothers announced they wanted a sequel that wasn't really a sequel, but it would keep some of the same characters, but it was losing Will Smith, and gaining a Disney-dumped James Gunn, I honestly thought it was one of the dumber ideas I'd heard from the "DCEU" for a while and believed it would be an unmitigated disaster. Number 2!

I'm happy to report that Warner Brothers and James Gunn (more the latter) have proved me wrong with The Suicide Squad. In a lot of ways it just pretends the first film didn't even exist so perhaps that makes it Hollywood's first ever "re-do"? It's neither a sequel or a reboot or a remake, but instead its own unique, delightful monster. And perhaps, just maybe, we can finally start to believe that Warner Brothers executives have learned their lesson with just letting directors bring their vision and execute (they're on a good roll for now). 

If there's any issues I have with The Suicide Squad, they're all fairly minor. While starting off with a twinkle in its eye and the makings of a classic, it doesn't necessarily end as one from a couple pacing issues around the middle along with falling into the trap of an exaggerated "big battle" ending that - while still very entertaining - is becoming somewhat stale. That the film can't always be blisteringly funny, violent, gory, or awesome is a high expectation to have, but I found that in the "in between" moments, sometimes [not all] felt just okay. 

Somehow, even a giant starfish is better than the first film's villain

With James Gunn at the helm however, this group - newbies and oldies - transforms into something memorable, fun, and worth following. If you eerily get Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, it's because the same effect is at play here. For Gunn to make us care about, much less want to see in action, heroes like Polka Dot Man or Ratcatcher 2 or King Shark (yes, these are their real names) is astronomical. Even better is that it's clear Gunn was giving full room to play here, much to the benefit of the film (but not so much to the benefit of certain heroes). Broken from the chains of Disney - for now - he's able to dispose of some heroes in hyperviolent, hyper-gory ways that earn the R-rating. An "unleashed" James Gunn is a wild ride and he does damn near everything he can think of without it ever feeling like he's shoehorning things in. His touch on the film is its "secret" sauce from the comedy, the action, to some well-earned heartwarming moments between characters you'd never thought end up in a film. 

And, not to belittle other films this year (though it's only been an "ok" year for blockbusters thus far to be honest), but The Suicide Squad has probably the best laughs and the best action of the year. Particularly in the film's first half, I was laughing consistently and even in the second half as the one-liners die out, there's still some funny bits. From an action perspective, this film absolutely s**ts on the original because there's actually some creativity, good editing, gore, and even humor within the violence. This is very good for DC overall because it's where they've struggled a lot in earlier films (aside from No Man's Land in Wonder Woman which still may be the best superhero scene ever) and having a film that feels as unique as this - particularly with its action - is a step in the right direction from the punch!smash!punch!smash! we usually get and whatever the f**k we got in the first film. 

As James Gunn usually does, the film is able to craft memorable characters too, even among a stacked cast (although many of them don't stick around long). Idris Elba as Bloodsport is someone that I demand to see get their own film because he's perfect for the role and the version we get is awesome. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn continues to be pitch-perfect casting and although her arc here is kind of buried, it's still her most nuanced performance in the role. John Cena as Peacemaker was my other highlight mainly because of Cena's emerging knack for comedic timing and one-liner-delivery. Then there's Sylvester Stallone (King Shark), Daniela Melchior (Ratcatcher 2), and David Dastmalchian (Polka-Dot Man) who comprise the main heart of the film, balancing their characters' zaniness with some satisfying arcs and interactions with each other and other heroes. Again, the fact that Gunn is able to do that with these "no-name" heroes still blows me away. 

Look at this rag-tag band of a**holes!

The Suicide Squad is likely a film that will grow on me over time and I could see myself looking back at my current score and wondering why it wasn't higher. It's immensely rewatchable (I plan on checking it out on HBO Max again after seeing it in theaters first), has humor, heart, violence, and a well-earned R rating. It sits among the top tier of DC films which is a triumph not only for this franchise to basically go from worst to first-ish, but also for Gunn to prove that Guardians was no fluke (obviously) and when he's given full control, he's a talented, entertaining director. Disney would do well to remember this for Guardians Vol. 3...

CONS

• Probably could have used a trim in the middle and end
• Parts in the middle feel mediocre when compared to better parts of the rest of the film and the pacing feels ever-so-slightly off
• The ending is exaggerated and, while fun, starts to wear in the same way a lot of superhero big battles will
• Harley Quinn's arc feels a little buried (and almost out of place) but is still satisfying

PROS

• James Gunn's direction, creativity, and ability to form characters worth caring about is on full display here. It's rather incredible
• Earns the R-rating. The most violent, bloody, gory DC film yet (ever?)
• Lots of laughs, especially in that first half
• Elba's Bloodsport, Robbie's Quinn, and Cena's Peacemaker were my action highlights
• Stallone's King Shark, Melchior's Ratcatcher, and Dastmalchian's Polka-Dot Man were my heartwarming highlights
• Fitting soundtrack which isn't surprising coming from Gunn
• Inventive action that's filmed, edited, and choreographed well. Night and day between this film and the previous
• Highly entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny, and genuinely awesome. This is what redemption looks like

Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10