The Suicide Squad (2021) – Movie Review

The Suicide Squad was a hilarious and wacky adventure following some of DC’s lamest and most expendable villains. Gunn’s movie is unique in that it lies somewhere between a sequel and a reboot, with all the characters from the 2016 Suicide Squad being played by the same actors in the newer film. 

Following the disappointment of the 2016 film, I thought James Gunn’s 2021 reboot knocked it out of the park. I have no doubt that The Suicide Squad will be more successful, not only due to its unique characters played by an ensemble cast, but because Gunn’s style of humor is a perfect fit for a movie like this.

The 2016 film suffered from being too dark and serious, which is something that may work for Batman but not for wacky C-list villains. Gunn’s movie has a solid story and knows exactly what it wants to be, taking pride in not taking itself too seriously.

I enjoyed getting to see a good number of DC characters make their debut on the big screen. Villains like Peacemaker, Polka-Dot Man, Ratcatcher 2 and T.D.K. may never have made it due to the fact that they were too lame. In Gunn’s case, the lamer, the better. Another character I enjoyed seeing for the first time was Starro, who I thought was created and portrayed well. After talking with others though, I have to agree his motivation was weak. He said he would have been happy just floating in space, so why didn’t he just fly away after he broke free?

I also enjoyed John Cena’s Peacemaker much more than I thought I would. With the character’s dry humor and ironic motivation, (“I cherish peace with all my heart. I don’t care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it.”) he had me cracking up the entire movie. Which is good because of all the characters in The Suicide Squad, he is the character who is getting his own HBO Max show, which Gunn recently said in an interview with ET would have “more action scenes than in any superhero show ever.”

Overall, I enjoyed Gunn’s refreshing take The Suicide Squad and rate it 4/5 stars. Whether you’re a superhero fan, or someone looking for a fun movie filled with action and some emotion, I’d recommend checking this movie out. Plus, it’s available for streaming on HBO Max, so you could enjoy it from the comfort of your home.