One of the top summer films I was looking forward to was released a few weeks ago and with along with rumors of cut scenes, supposed multiple cuts, and early bad reviews, reception has become pretty mixed. If you were to ask me though, despite some flaws, this film did a good job at what I was hoping the film would do. Present these known baddies in as more than just criminals and use there known tropes and quirks as a means to separate itself from other superhero films.
These characters have a heart(well not all of them)
It can be argued that after the series Seinfeld, jerk ass characters became the norm for a lot of characters. several series and characters such as Archer, Deadpool, and even Rick and Morty have became popular for their use of characters that aren't the typical good guys that you see such action series and instead people who love to break the rules, swear, and show us how great it is to be a jerk. As interesting as these kind of characters were when I first discovered them, I got bored of it really fast. Eventually it just felt like all they had to make a jerk-ass anti-hero was kill a guy, make a vulgar pun or joke, and people loved it. Either that or make the jerk characters have so much insecurities and inner turmoil that they become a bummer like Bojack Horseman. Which is why it became a concern with me when it came to this movie. After all, a movie involving DC's most well known and popular villains for a wide audience was DC chance to cash in on this trope. Fortunately, that wasn't so much the case with Suicide Squad. While the beginning of the film and even trailers focused on the snarky and humor side of these characters, by the time they entered Mid Way City for their first mission became a different story. As the story goes on, the fast-like humor is drop as the characters start to warm up to each other and even visibly show actual. The film also makes an attempt to show that these guys don't necessary want to or even like to be villains but are because of bad choices leading them to a dark hole that is hard to get out of or because society treating them like such outsiders to a point that the feel that their purpose in life is to be the bad guy.
With several other that would rather glamorizing jerk like tendencies, it was nice and even a bit heartwarming to see characters to show that they have a heart that slowly grows throughout the film.
Magick
The Number one thing that got me looking forward to this movie and is still my number one thing about it was the use of the supernatural and magick. When it comes to a lot of superhero movies, heroes are mostly pit against adversary that are basically their superpower doppelganger. Krptonian vs Kryptonian, Super Soldier vs Super Soldier, Iron Man vs yet another business man in a tech suit. Even when we get villain that is different from the hero it tends to be someone who's powers are either otherworldly or science based. It seems that a lot of superheroes films tend to shy away from using elements that are fantasy based. Things such as the Mandarin rings are non-existence in his film debut and even Thor's magic aesthetic in films has been changed to have more of a sci-fi feel to it. This is probably the first movie since Hellboy that I have seen a comic book movie use occult magic played straight within a film and not only that have it faced against characters who have no real experience with the supernatural. It is this that makes the movie stand out pretty well against most superhero films as of late.(At least until Dr Strange comes out I'm sure)
Harley Quinn
I was never a huge fan of Harley Quinn. For the longest time and kinda even now she is just known for being the Joker's girlfriend which can make her feel like a one note character. It's because of that I really had no interest in attempting to see more of here out side of here debut in Batman: The Animated Series. Since she was included in this movie, I had no choice but to see this character again. But to be honest I'm glad they included her because I felt this was a good opportunity to see the character in a different light and not tied too much to the Joker. In the end I think it work out well. As many can tell she no longer has too much of here clown aesthetic and to extent neither does the Joker. I think this was a good way to have two characters who are a couple able to two still be recognize as different people, similar to how parents stop dressing their set of twins in the same clothes.
Also I may be one of the few that is glad that the alleged extended Joker scenes were cut. While I understand that the Joker should be in the film due the fact that he is responsible for the creation of Harley's path to villainy, I don't think we need to be reminded that the two are in an on-off relationship in great detail yet again . And I said before, the less Joker, the more Harley has the chance to shine and develop into someone that is more than just girl-Joker.
Expectations
Is seems that the theme of this movie was expectations, Society of this films world only expect the worst of the Squad the same way some expected the worst from this film because of how different they are. But both the characters and this film showed that they there differences is what made them stand out from the rest and became the strong point for the film and characters.
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