While critics and audiences tend to agree on films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fare from the DC Extended Universe tends to be more contentious. The 2016 release “Suicide Squad” was particularly controversial, with overenthusiastic fans clashing with stern critics over its reviews.
DC must have been scratching its head about a sequel when an unexpected boon fell into their lap – James Gunn, director of Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”, was available for the director’s seat in 2018.
Given his creative and colourful style of directing, DC wagered he would make something both critics and fans could love. But were they right?
After three long years and a pandemic to boot, the answer, thankfully, is a resounding “yes”.
“The Suicide Squad” follows the titular group of hardened criminals on their next top-secret mission to a hostile island nation, to infiltrate and destroy a laboratory housing a deadly secret unbeknownst to them.
Closer to the likes of “Shazam” and “Aquaman” than the bore that was “Batman v Superman”, this movie knows the silliness of its source material and revels in it.
Superhero comics are inherently inane – capes and all – and Gunn acknowledges this by embracing everything people love about them. Take note, however, that this does not necessarily mean it is safe for kids to watch. On the contrary, heads and limbs are hacked off in visceral scenes with gusto.
It is, of course, in the nature of the squad to complete their mission through any means necessary, dismemberment included.
Leading the team this time is Bloodsport, played by Idris Elba, who commands the screen. In place of Will Smith’s Deadshot, Elba plays his role immaculately as the unwitting team leader who looks out for his fellow convicts despite their constant shenanigans.
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag, and Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang are the other members of the 2016 squad to reprise their roles.
Robbie, one of the previous film’s saving graces, is given a lot more independence to embrace her character’s insanity, much to the movie’s benefit.
This time around, several new members join the squad. John Cena’s Peacemaker is patriotic to a fault, and the professional wrestler is commendable in a role that requires him to look and behave ridiculously.
Eagle-eyed viewers might remember David Dastmalchian from Marvel’s Ant-Man, where he played Scott Lang’s eastern European colleague. While not given as much time in the spotlight as the others, he still leaves an impact as a hapless yet sympathetic character with silly powers and quirks.
Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher and Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark round up the newcomers. Yes, Rambo himself plays an anthropomorphic shark mutant whose entire vocabulary fits on the side of a cereal box. It is as hilarious as it sounds.
The strength of this movie is not so much in its plot, which is engaging, as much as in the character interactions. Each has his or her distinct personality, some conflicting with others, yet they work off each other well.
Going in, it might be good to know that main characters are disposable. While this is infuriating for some, the fact that the characters are vulnerable drastically raises the stakes. Place your bets on who will go first, and in what gory fashion.
At the end of the day, it is the innate ridiculousness of comics and superheroes that keeps bringing people back to them. “The Suicide Squad” is a silly film with silly characters that deserves a watch, if only to remind audiences what made them fall in love with comic books in the first place.
‘The Suicide Squad’ will be released theatrically in the UK tomorrow, and in the US and on HBO Max on Aug 6. It will play in Malaysian cinemas when they reopen according to government guidelines.