The Suicide Squad - A Spoiler Free Review

 Hey guys!

It's been a while since I've had one of these. So I went back to the theatre for the first time in about six months, and the film I chose was James Gunn's Suicide Squad. On social media, many people were lauding it for being one of the best comic book films ever made, and many were even calling it the best film in the DCEU. Well, I'm here to give my two pennies' worth on the film!

PLOT:

Amanda Waller puts together a "Suicide Squad", consisting of convicts, each with their very own special set of skills, to pull off an impossibly dangerous mission that affects the power of dynamics of the whole world.

CAST:

Bloodsport: Idris Elba

Peacemaker: John Cena

Ratcatcher 2: Daniela Melchior

Harley Quinn: Margot Robbie

Amanda Waller: Viola Davis

REVIEW:

 James Gunn has the sense of humour of a fourteen-year old edgelord. He does not do dark comedy like Edgar Wright or The Coens, he prefers the 'oh look there's blood and guts everywhere', brand of dark humour; and it works here. This film is funny. It's violent, gross, dark, and I'd even go so far as to say it's smart, but above all that, it's funny. The chemistry between the characters feels genuine and the screen pairings of Idris Elba and John Cena works spectacularly well. A few of the jokes don't land with me, but by and large I found myself chuckling along at the right moments.

Giving the film an R-rating was appropriate because I don't think Gunn would be able to tell such a dark story with the constraints of a PG-13 film. From the opening action sequence, the film lets you know that there will be a large shower of blood, guts, and body parts, combined with violent character deaths and brutalities that will all (save for one) be played for laughs. This would never have worked in a PG-13 film. Yet, when the violence hits, it explodes in a beautiful cacophany of red that makes the scenes seem strangely magnetic. Many of the scenes in the final battle had me get a bit squeamish in my seat, but I enjoyed the feeling of being grossed out. It served the film's pupose.

There are many standout performances throughout the film and some that quite actually surprised me for I was not expecting them to be as good as they turned out. A special mention goes to Daniela Melchior (Ratcatcher 2), and John Cena (Peacemaker). Melchior approached her character with a certain grace and eloquence where she plays a hard-edged, strong superhero, but also someone who isn't afraid to give in to her emotional side of things. She becomes a strong emotional anchor for the film obsessed with violence and comedy. Her scene with Idris Elba is one of thew few emotional moments that actually hits home. John Cena on the other hand, plays an askewed version of Captain America. He plays Peacemaker, a character who is so obsessed with keeping America the greatest nation in the world that he puts it above his moral compass. He plays his character with the faux sense of sincerity, letting the audience in on the joke that he's playing an askewed version of his character on WWE. His ferocity and intensity in his dialogue delivery is perfectly judged for the tone of the film.

Gunn's writing and direction are on spectacular display. I mentioned before about how his sense of humour is akin to an edgelord teenager, but that is not to say that it dumbs down any of themore serious moments in the film. Some of them are undercut by poorly judged humour, but mostly, Gunn handles the more emotion heavy moments and comic moments with a careful balance to make sure they don't cancel each other out. His dialogue is sharp, witty, comedic, and fun. His camera work is beautiful too, Some of the scenes in the film display a certain beauty, even though what may be happening is disturbingly violent. Gunn has already proved his knack for action cinematography involving impressive colour palettes and inventive designs in the two Guardians films, pairing that with his R-rating here seems to let him explore this same talent with no limits. This is a beautiful looking film too. 

However, the film isn't just a 2 hour summer blockbuster romp, it excels in its themes of the idea of American exceptionalism and how flawed the concept is. I might explore the theme in another post because to explain it fully, I may have to delve into spoilers of the film and I would like to keep this review relatively spoiler free because I want more people to watch this movie.

To sum up the review, James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is a vast improvement on its 2016 predecessor, keeping the elements from that film that worked (Harley Quinn, and Amanda Waller), and dropping everything that didn't. The gags in the film hit, some of the emotional beats are perfect, the characters are brilliant and James Gunn's writing and direction are on excellent display. His ode to classic ensemble action flicks works in its brand of over the top action, violence and humour. It will make you laugh, and revel in its madness and subvert your expectations in the best way possible. I give the film a solid 4/5.

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