Spoilers will not be volunteering.

Yes, I’m late to the party. This movie was an added perk to the Fantasia 2021 line-up having a premiere the day before Fantasia officially begun. I’d love to see it with a Fantasia crowd but places were limited and there’s this global pandemic thing. I can now confirm the wait was worth it. Even better than that, it’s not a style that will remind you of Marvel whatsoever. This is insolent, this is crude, this is fun. Go see it.

(Credit: Warner Bros.)

The Suicide Squad (2021) is director and writer James Gunn at his best. He’s not pulling any punches and he’s not afraid to make you laugh as blood and guts get spilled. This movie introduces the entire concept and dynamic of the Suicide Squad and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) well before we get introduced to our main cast. Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) joins the squad headed by Colonel Flag (Joel Kinnaman) in an earlier iteration of the team. Then it’s up to Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian) and King Shark (the voice of Sylvester Stallone) to join in the fun.

I love this film for several reasons. You will see and hear several of the superhero tropes of any other film being setup and then promptly subverted, sometimes very quickly before you realize that was not the way that superhero films turn out. And yes, other times everything is setup just so we can have that “superhero moment” in the movie, but at the same time there’s a complete lack of insolence – which somehow still pays homage to the superhero genre. I say insolence and not disrespect because the audience is actually in on the joke. We’re talking about supervillains, but they do have a strange sense of moral values after all.

I also commend the balance that the movie has for its breakthrough star. Harley Quinn shines, without outshining her co-stars. The movie has achieved that balance between all its main cast to carefully making sure they all get their moment to shine as well as making each a team player. Idris Elba, Margot Robbie and John Cena deliver strong performances but I also think Daniela Melchior made quite an impact with her role.

Extremely recommended. I would say this movie might have one reservation in the sense it’s a superhero film that does not need to be a family film and ergo, it is not a family film. There’s carnage, there’s violence and there’s just too much death for anything warm and fuzzy to happen. Yes, there’s some humanity in the film but don’t expect any of the squad to show remorse or do a face turn. Well worth a watch.

That will do for now.