Opened on Aug. 5, 2016, Suicide Squad, based on the DC Comics and directed by David Ayer has done amazing at the box office. In just the first day, it earned a staggering $65.125 million, the third biggest opening of the year, behind Batman vs. Superman ($81 million) and Captain America: Civil War ($75 million) according to Forbes: Media and Entertainment. Also, according to Hollywood Deadline the movie broke August opening weekend records with $133.6 million at the end of its opening weekend.
The two things that make a movie commendable and enjoyable to those watching are the plot and the characters that drive it forward. For comic book movies, more specifically, the riveting, action-pact plots and the conflicted good guys with harrowing pasts and skeletons in their closets that make the reader wonder if they really are “good,” are what make the stories so loved. Suicide Squad does all this and more with the unique and enticing nature of the movie and the original comics it was based upon.
Suicide Squad follows a story in which the “good guys” actually are bad guys forced to do good. The story begins with U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) arguing to use a group of already detained supervillains with immense power and skill for what she calls “Task Force X” to fight meta-humans and be used for the governments other top-secret missions.
This squad includes Deadshot (Will Smith), an assassin dubbed “The Man Who Never Misses,” Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), the Queen to the Joker’s King of Gotham City, Australian bank robber Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and June Moone, or Enchantress (Cara Delavigne). Col. Rick Flag, who is in love with June, leads this group with feverence and Japanese swordsman Katana (Karen Fukuraha) aids him.
What makes this movie special is the characters, no doubt- more specifically, Harley Quinn and Deadshot. Harley Quinn is by far the most memorable character, due to her eccentric and cheerleader-like wardrobe; her insane and hilarious demeanor that adds so much needed flare to each scene, and her emotional diversity throughout the movie. Robbie’s ability to make Quinn seem deranged and indifferent in one scene, while vulnerable and impassioned in the next, is a skill that makes her one of the most likable parts of the film.
Deadshot also acts as a very likable and fervent leader of the villainous “Suicide Squad.” His love for his daughter allows the viewer to see the depth of his caring characterization, and allows him to be viewed as more of a human than a villain. He, like Quinn, also shows a diverse emotional palette, going from killing with intensity, to wholeheartedly loving, to dropping witty and jocular lines in unlikely situations, all in one movie-sometimes all in one scene.
The soundtrack of the movie also served as a fan favorite not only while watching, but also in the weeks before hand. These iconic songs, including Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Eminem’s “Without Me,” and Twenty One Pilot’s “Heathens,” added intensity and appeal to many of the movie’s most important scenes. After it’s release on the same day as Suicide Squad’s release, it debuted number 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart. Also, according to Billboard, “The album’s streaming equivalent album unit total for the week on the Billboard 200 was nearly 22,000 units, which equates to 32.6 million streams for the album’s tracks. That’s the largest streaming week for a soundtrack album, ever, on the chart,” showing the anticipation and significance of the soundtrack in both the movie and the music industry.
Click here to buy the Suicide Squad’s soundtrack
While these characters leave a lasting, pleasant impression on viewers, there are also problems with the incoherent and somewhat confusing plot, and the other less developed characters. For example, the characters Killer Croc, Katana, and Captain Boomerang all find themselves falling into stereotypical warriors and thieves archetypes.
“Wishes that director David Ayer focused on more than just three characters considering it is an ensemble cast,” sophomore Cameron Kasky said.
Also some found that the Joker’s appearance in the movie was underwhelming, and furthermore a confusing addition to the plot.
“There were times when I just thought that the Joker was just confusing me and adding a weird side-plot that I didn’t understand. The plot itself was confusing enough without him there,” sophomore Caroline Haight said.
Overall, though, with intense action, loyal and likable main characters with riveting and powerful personalities, this movie is pact with fun and energetic components that make this movie lovable and enjoyable throughout.
