The Mosley Review: The Suicide Squad

There's only 1 of 2 ways this film could've gone. It could've gone the easy route and maybe killed off 2 or 3 characters, tell a decent action story that's blinded by the butter glazed popcorn shaped glasses OR go balls to the wall with the amount of gruesome violence the DC villains are known for, have a balanced story that’s full of comedy, heart and will leave you with a satisfying film that defies the norm. What I love about all the DC films is that they don't pull their punches in delivering grittier and more violent stories that fit the DC Comics brand and gives them a unique signature. The past Suicide Squad film had the framework, but really didn't hit the mark since it was a poor plot that was shackled inside a PG-13 cage. This film was not and we finally get to see villains do what they do best and I loved that each one had a chance to shine before their painful and surpising demise. The action in the film was executed in gloriously violent set pieces. You are not supposed to be rooting for these people, but you do because they are you heroic villains for the time being. I can't tell you how much fun I had watching these characters in a story that reminded me of the original 1978 version of The Inglorious Bastards. The slogan is true though, don't get too attached because a lot of these characters die.

There are a bunch of characters and they’re all great, but I'm only gonna focus on the main cast. Viola Davis returns as Amanda Waller and she is even colder and more sadistic than ever. Viola scratched the surface of the character before, but this time we really get to see Waller become unhinged and I loved it! Joel Kinnaman returns as Rick Flag and I loved him more this time because of his natural leadership presence. Flag gets alot more to do here and he shows that he is more of a hero than villain. Idris Elba delivers an excellent performance as Robert DuBois / Bloodsport and even though his story is pretty much the same as Deadshot's from the past film, there was enough of a difference. His motivation was pure and I loved that he cared about his team. Margot Robbie returns as Harley Quinn and she delivers yet again. I liked that she was more violent and you see her moral code in a dark and yet poignant scene. She kicks ass in the film and it was fun to see her do it. David Dastmalchian is a fantastic actor and he was no different as Abner Krill / Polka-Dot Man. I really loved his arc from being the quiet one to a full on hero by the end of the film. He has some psychological issues that are twisted in origin, but are used to hilarious extents. John Cena steals almost all the scenes as Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. Although he was one of the most violent characters in the film, he has some great chemistry and comedic moments with Bloodsport. This character was tailor made for Cena and he was so much fun to watch. Sylvestor Stallone was great and fun as Nanaue / King Shark. He may be a bloodthirsty shark that rips people apart and eats them whole, but he has a sweet and lovable side to him. I liked Peter Capaldi as the Thinker and his version was a bit more under powered this time and I found it refreshing. He was probably the most grounded amongst all of them. Now the real heart of the film was brought to life by Daniela Melchior as Cleo Cazo / Ratcatcher 2. She keeps the group humble at times and I loved her brighter side at looking at the world. She was not afraid to show how much she cares for the team and her chemistry between Bloodsport and King Shark was perfect. I really loved her rat companion Sebastian and he gets to shine in many cute and funny scenes.

The bombastic and badass score by John Murphy was outstanding and introduced a fun theme for Task Force X. The soundtrack of the film was excellent as well and plays over some truly beautiful and gloriously gory scenes. The main big bad of the film is a DC Comics fan favorite and it was perfectly brought to real life. Writer and Director has made a magnificent successor to the first film that is completely unhinged and free of all constraints. I truly loved this action comic book epic and this is definitely top tier DCEU and one of the best action films of the year. There is one mid credits scene that you'll either love or hate for its weirdness and I loved it. This is a must see on the big screen but if you can't make it out, it's also currently streaming on HBO Max. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!