Smooth Criminals: Thoughts on Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad (2016)

Directed By David Ayer

Warning: Spoilers!

When Suicide Squad was released in theaters, I really wanted to watch it but I didn’t have the time to. Luckily, I have HBO, so I was able to see it and despite what critics say, I actually enjoyed it.

Suicide Squad is a band of highly dangerous criminals being forced to do a government task that could get them killed. The task is stopping The Enchantress from taking over the world.

The storyline for Suicide Squad is simple and formulaic. There was no added suspense or intensity that would grab the audiences’ attention.  However, the entertainment value was at an all-time high. The action sequences and the stunts were amazing. I really enjoyed the fight sequence between Diablo and Incubus. Diablo went full-on pyro and to be honest, he’s the real MVP of this mission because he sacrificed himself to stop The Enchantress. Also, I found his backstory to be quite sad. He lost his family because of his inability to control his rage, which sparked a house fire.  Once he lost his family, he lost his life’s purpose and vowed to never use his fire powers again. Yet when his criminal friends were in danger, he sacrificed himself to protect them and it is at this moment that his gift wasn’t a curse but a blessing.

Suicide Squad is focused on character development as it builds backstories for the supervillains/metahumans who will be used in future DC Universe movies. Through these background stories, we learn that the “bad guys” are more complex than they seem to be. In the beginning, Rick Flag assumed that Deadshot kills innocent people just for money and doesn’t care about human life. Yet, we soon learn that Deadshot is a family man: he cares about his daughter and would do anything in his power to protect her. In the scene, at the bar, Deadshot was asked if he killed any women and children and he replied no. Although he killed many individuals, he is selective in his killings which shows his moral and compassionate nature to the innocent.

Another example of complexity is Harley Quinn. We learn that she fell madly in love with the Joker and that her evil intentions and antics are driven by her love for him. In her backstory, we learn how much she was emotionally involved and also, we see how the Joker seems to feel the same way about her. One scene that suggests the Joker’s feelings is when he tries to convince her that they will never work out while at the tunnel and she stops him from driving away. I think the reason as to why the Joker refuses her feelings is because he knows a life of crime isn’t the life that she should have. Also, throughout the movie, the Joker was on a wild manhunt to find and rescue her from prison. So, you can see how much Harley Quinn means to the Joker in this twisted mad love for each other.

Suicide Squad makes these criminals “human” rather than monsters. This is clearly shown when we learn about their true dreams. For example, Harley Quinn’s lifelong dream is to be married to the Joker and have a “normal” life with him, but that’s impossible due to the criminal life they live. Yet, by showing these desires, these “criminals” are relatable. They have normal dreams of finding love and starting a family just like every average person. So to say that they are evil monsters is a misunderstood statement. Instead, these criminals are human but their means to obtain their desires is immoral and wrong.

I really enjoyed Suicide Squad and I’m actually excited for the spin-offs that they have for some of the characters. I will definitely check those out when they hit theaters.

4/5