Ahhh, but a blast of what exactly? Suicide Squad is fun, scrambled, and contains an excellent cast. But why all the salty reviews? Why the edgy and upset headlines? Several critics hate Suicide Squad with the intensity of an angry toddler, which isn’t unexpected since the DC cinematic universe seems to be their favorite punching bag. First thing you have to understand is that there is a character named Captain Boomerang in the film, so calm down your expectations of seeing something remotely rational. I’ve read the comics for Suicide Squad on and off again for years and David Ayer blew me away with his surprisingly faithful adaptations of the characters and by capturing the feel of the comics. Suicide Squad isn’t the grim, dark Batman V Superman, and it isn’t the silly heart of gold criminal group from Guardians of The Galaxy. These are hardened homicidal criminals in a world of flying aliens and a rich guy who likes to dress up like a bat – so buckle up and expect things to get super weird and disjointed.
Jared Leto’s Joker took me a while to warm up to but by the end of the movie I loved this new version of The Joker. Leto’s performance is intense, uncomfortable and you don’t doubt for a second that The Joker is a real, unhinged psychopath. His chemistry with Margot Robbie who plays Harley Quinn is undeniable, which is a good thing because she steals the show. Margot Robbie’s Harley is twisted, nuanced and delightful. She captures all of the character’s broken logic and conflicting ideologies. Harley is fiercely capable and independent but not when faced with her paramour, The Joker. They are both slaves to each other, and it is clear The Joker can’t not love Harley, which is an intriguing performance decision because ultimately despite all of his evil, this relationship is the one thing that humanizes him and the one thing that dehumanizes her. Harley convinces herself that she is okay with this clearly unhealthy life, but deep down she just wants to have a “normal” relationship which is also still slightly off and absolutely dated. Harley is not a hero, not a role model, not a healthy example of who a woman, or who any person should be and you have to be okay with understanding that a character’s existence and actions in a film do not condone those things.
Will Smith is fantastic as Deadshot, blending a heavy mix of comedy and drama into almost every moment for the character. On several occasions Deadshot got a round of applause from the audience after some exceptionally epic and jaw dropping moments. Viola Davis is amazing as Amanda Waller in this movie; she walks in and owns the world with such cold-blooded detachment that it makes you realign your idea of what a villain is. This is a movie that relies less on the plot line and the main villain than on the performances of a nearly perfectly-cast film. The main threat in the movie goes from Ghostbuster-style campy to uber creepy several times, this defines the movie itself because it does feel like a film that has been second guessed by the studio. Oddly, the inconsistent style of Suicide Squad works for it because of the instability of the characters and the diverse range of backgrounds they all come from in the comics.
Amazon unveiled the track listing for Suicide Squad: The Album [h/t ComicBook.com], which is currently available for pre-order with the expected release date the same as the film’s. The soundtrack includes eight original songs from artists like twenty one pilots, Kehlani, Grimes, and Skylar Grey – as well as the song for which Skrillex and Rick Ross recorded a music video with Jared Leto dressed as the Joker: “Purple Lamborghini.”
Take a look at the full track listing
Purple Lamborghini [Explicit] by Skrillex & Rick Ross
Sucker For Pain (with Logic, Ty Dolla $ign & X Ambassadors) [Explicit] by Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons
Heathens by twenty one pilots
Standing In The Rain (feat. Mark Ronson) [Explicit] by Action Bronson & Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys)
Gangsta [Explicit] by Kehlani
Know Better [Explicit] by Kevin Gates
You Don’t Own Me (feat. G-Eazy) by Grace
Without Me by Eminem
Wreak Havoc by Skylar Grey
Medieval Warfare by Grimes
Bohemian Rhapsody by Panic! At The Disco
Slippin’ Into Darkness by War
Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival
I Started a Joke (feat. Becky Hanson) by ConfidentialMX
Suicide Squad very much serves as the narrative and likely tonal connective tissue between Batman V Superman and Justice League with some brief cameos and a touch of extra world building for the DCU. Is this a perfect film? No, but it is a fun film that is getting raked over the coals while movies like The Avengers: Age of Ultron are for the most part immune, despite similar problems in plot, studio meddling, tone, agency, too many characters and a portrayal of a villain that definitely missed the mark.
Suicide Squad – Official Trailer 1 [HD] Watch on Youtube
Santosh Kumar Jha is editor and writer. He is an undergrad engineering student and love to write on technology, lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, political and social issues.
