I fucking loved The Suicide Squad. I had avoided Suicide Squad because it just didn’t look like it was something that I would enjoy. I did watch Birds of Prey…and I enjoyed it. This being a James Gunn movie also made it likely be something that I would enjoy. With having recently watched the first movie he had ever written, The Specials, I can see how much he has grown as writer. While he can still write oddball characters they aren’t nearly as crass as they used to be. This is what you want from a movie with a premise like this.
The Suicide Squad was written and directed by James Gunn. It stars Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Daniela Melchoir, David Dastmalchian, and Viola Davis. That’s just a smattering of the people that are in The Suicide Squad both starring and cameos. A cameo I always enjoy spotting in James Gunn’s big budget movies is Lloyd Kaufman from Troma. I’m always like the Leo meme where he’s pointing whenever I see Uncle Lloyd. I fully expect David Dastmalchian to blow up after this. He’s been in some big stuff before but he has never been such a big part of any of them. Viola Davis is fucking terrifying as Amanda Waller. Like you just know that she would just as easily shoot you herself as have someone else do it. I really hope that the characters that survive the movie are brought back again for more movies, or TV shows.
The plot centers on Task Force X, super villains that were in Belle Reve prison. After an ambush that wipes out most of Rick Flag’s team, you learn that there’s a separate team. Both teams were sent to Corto Maltese after a military coupe. The previous regime was pro-American while the new regime is staunchly anti-American and Waller wants to make sure the experimental “Project Starfish” doesn’t fall into the hands that would use it against America. There are a lot of deaths, like you would expect with a movie called The Suicide Squad. I’m not going to really go into anymore spoilers or the plot.
I want to mention the costumes first. Each of the characters have a very specific feel. The goes especially with the many members of Task Force X. Each character has at least two costumes and they really play into the character’s personality. The production design helps you get the different between all of the settings. Everything that has a hint of “civilization” is kind of washed out. The prison is incredibly stark and harsh looking. The effects are breathtaking. The CG creature effects are great. Weasel is so incredibly unnerving that you can’t help but gawk at him. King Shark or Nanaue looks amazing and whenever he interacts with anyone or anything it doesn’t look bad and it’s all lit really well. Starro is just not something you want to look at, the effects on it are just that damn good. The stunt team just knocked it out of the park. I want to mention the Harley Quinn action set piece. It just looks great, the action is fantastic, and the visuals are breathtaking.
I watched The Suicide Squad on HBO Max. I full plan on watching it in theaters within the next week. I am looking forward to Peacemaker the TV show as well as whatever James Gunn makes next.
SplatterPunkReviews 