Film: The Suicide Squad
Cast: Viola Davis, Margot Robbie, Steve Agee, Sylvester Stallone, Jai Courtney, David Dastmalchian, Sean Gunn, Idris Elba, Joel Kinnaman, John Cena, Mayling Ng, Nathan Fillion, Flula Borg, Peter Davidson, Michael Rooker, Daniela Melchior, Alice Braga, Joaquín Cosio, Juan Diego Botto, Storm Reid, Jennifer Holland, Tinashe Kajese
Director: James Gunn
OTT: HBO Max
Rating: 3.5 Moons
James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad borrows a little from David Ayers’ Suicide Squad that presented an anarchic rebuttal to The Avengers with a group of supervillains instead of superheroes but largely playing by the same formula. However, he shows Ayer how it should be done, ramping up the gore, anarchy and mayhem in this delicious superhero (or, villain) film.
The film opens with merry nihilism with guns blaring everywhere and its eager cartoonish violence. The film does not mince minutes in killing off some of the well-known actors which we thought we would get to see them in the entire film. However, The Suicide Squad drops F-bombs with regularity and Gunn makes the violence appear in a placid and common occurrence and a bloody joke.
The Suicide Squad is clever and sordid and unlike the humdrum affair that was Ayers’ directorial. The film is scrappier with funny dialogues, cute portrayals and over-the-top characters. The film seems to be a sequel rather than a reboot as it follows from the previous film. However, the film does not bother about establishing any franchise hopes and it remains to be seen whether it will remain a stand-alone film or will have subsequent flicks from the studio.
Margot Robbie reprises her role of Harley Quinn for the third time but plays a watchful observer in a way in this film. She gets a lot of screen space with her own defining action sequences but she seems to be drifting as compared to the other characters that seem more in the now. Idris Elba, as Bloodsport, is the lead, not because of the screen time but the best character arc of the ensemble. He does an impeccable job and it is difficult to tear your eyes away from him. Viola Davis as the shady government agent Amanda Waller does a swell job indeed. She deliciously abuses her power in the film. John Cena and Joel Kinnamon unleash a hilarious banter that deserves laughs.
The Suicide Squad has an airtight script with crisp editing and funny one-liners. The film is basically set across three days but moves back and forth with alacrity, always keeping the audience’s interest intact. The film is massively entertaining and Gunn happily shakes up the sandbox. We are thankful he chose to revisit The Suicide Squad, it can’t sustain the pose for long but still is a massively entertaining flick.
PeepingMoon.com gives The Suicide Squad 3.5 Moons.
