Movie Thoughts: The Suicide Squad

This was better than the other two Suicide Squad movies, but we all know that’s not saying much. James Gunn doesn’t quite capture the light-hearted soul he did with the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but he does elevate the material from crap to decent enough.

It’s a shame — Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn could’ve been as iconic as Downey Jr’s Iron Man had she been given something better to work with. She clearly loves playing the role and is perfectly cast. Her Brooklyn accent is finally nailed down on her third try. Idris Elba is great, bringing all the likable alpha energy he’s known for. He’s in Pacific Rim mode here, playful and using his gorgeous OG Brit accent. He had me all, “Will who?” Everyone else is present and doing their jobs and for the most part it all works — David Dastmalchian in particular was a highlight for me. The girl who played Ratcatcher made a good first impression, too. Nearly everyone turns their roles, which could’ve been utterly ridiculous, into something resembling substance. Only Viola Davis looks like she’s done with this shit.

There is actual character development here; arcs, a couple twists, setup and payoff. It’s is a competent movie. It deserved better than the lousy box office returns it got at the beginning of the month. Maybe it’ll be a cult hit on streaming. Idk.

Takes all the liberties you’d expect with its R rating. Gore out the ass. Some genuinely funny lines and scenarios and a lot more immature and stupid lines and scenarios (“Haha they said fuck again, haha a beach full of dicks, whoa someone got their face blown off”). There’s nothing really stylish or original here.

I was lucky in that I got to experience the film’s target audience in person. Besides me, there were four nerdy guys in the theater, all in their late teens/early twenties. Two were obese, one overweight, and the final one quiet and skinny and small and nervous looking, like Polka Dot Man. They all chattered throughout and exclaimed with glee at the violence and laughed raucously at the swearing. This is a movie that does its job. Overall I left the theater jazzed and entertained, and so did they.

Has any other movie had three separate shots like this? Given the sad Delta-variant-caused box office opening, I think this is the last we’ll see of the Suicide Squad for a long while, if ever again. Too bad, seems like they’re just hitting their stride.

3/5