After his firing from Marvel Studios back in late 2018, many fans were wondering what James Gunn’s next great comic blockbuster would be. With hits like “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Brightburn” under his belt, fans were excited when he announced he would take the helm of the sequel to David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad.”
His direction for “The Suicide Squad” was an immediate difference from what Ayer did with the team, but in the end, it worked out. The movie was a smashing success, and fans loved everything about it.
The movie is about the DC Comics’ group of the same name and their missions under the direction of Amanda Waller. This movie featured the team going to the fictional nation of Corto Maltese to battle their government, find and destroy “Project: Starfish” and even fight an alien conqueror.
The movie had an ensemble cast, led by Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, John Cena as Peacemaker, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Joining the cast are Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Sylvester Stallone as King Shark, David Dastmalchian as the Polka-Dot Man and Alice Braga as Sol Soria.
It also featured Sean Gunn as Weasel, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Flula Borg as Javelin, Peter Capaldi as the Thinker and Mayling Ng as Mongal.
The movie was a dramatic shift from Ayer’s cut. While Ayer’s cut was dark and edgy with some comedic elements thrown in, “The Suicide Squad” by Gunn was a comedic thrill ride with introspective moments and insane comedy thrown in. Everything about the movie was a hit and featured a diverse and wonderfully chosen cast of characters.
One of the great things about the film was the moments it took for each character. Everyone had a spotlight, from Quinn taking on mercenaries to the quiet moment between Ratcatcher and Peacemaker after significant character death before Bloodsport arrived to defeat the former.
Some highlights of the film include the main cast of characters performing as the best versions of themselves. Elba’s Bloodsport was a reluctant leader but an all–around insanely awesome character to which Elba brought an impressive amount of strength and authenticity.
Cena’s Peacemaker was an intense warrior. His stalwart demeanor was a standout to the audiences who loved to hate him.
Quinn was everything we knew her to be in this film, and Robbie delivered an icon in her third role as the Maid of Mischief.
Another actor who did a good job was the interestingly funny Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man. From the start, he was a tragic character; and Dastmalchian’s comedic timing and portrayal brought a heart to what Gunn has called the “dumbest DC character of all time.”
However, the film’s main stars had to be two of the lesser-known characters: Ratcatcher and King Shark. Their dynamic was very intriguing to see, and each one had its standout moments.
Melchior’s Ratcatcher was an unsung hero and deserved even more attention. Her role felt as authentic as the rats she controlled. She brought a very wanted opinion to a team of criminals that were very different from her.
On the other hand, Stallone’s King Shark was pure joy. He is a chaotic character, and Stallone brought comedy and power to him in the film. The two together were an unstoppable force of comedy and drama and made this movie a standout.
Overall, the movie was a smash hit. The actors brought life to a chaotic and dysfunctional team, and everyone served their purpose. Gunn’s unique vision made it even more special and felt like a comic book coming to life before our very eyes.
No matter what happens, “The Suicide Squad” will be a standout among DC’s pantheon of iconic movies like “Man of Steel” and “Wonder Woman.”
“The Suicide Squad” will return to HBO Max later this year and will currently be released in theaters for the foreseeable future.
