Warner Brothers and DC Films are set to make their way back into the headlines yet again, preparing to drop their second film of the year when Suicide Squad debuts this week (Aug. 5). With the growing buzz surrounding the film, it is set to become perhaps the franchise’s biggest gamble for DC’s Extended Universe.
But many viewers who have not been exposed to the team through television or the comic books might be wondering just what this film is about. The Suicide Squad, or Task Force X, is a black ops crew consisting of major villains throughout the DC Universe put together by director Amanda Waller (played by Viola Davis) for the purpose of highly covert operations. The team is under direct orders from Waller and the government, established to carry out secretive, dangerous missions away from the watchful eyes of heroes like Superman and Batman.
In exchange for their services on the team, members of the Squad often have their heavy prison sentences commuted or lessened dramatically. In television and comics, the villains were often outfitted with explosive chips or materials that allowed Waller to kill them on the spot should they disobey orders. A big stipulation of being part of the team is that, should the mission fail or something go wrong, the government has the ability to claim deniability of any involvement. After all, who can tie a secret black ops task force made up of supervillains back to the government?
The roster of the Suicide Squad has always rotated through a number of villains, with Waller often making use of whichever top of the line villains were locked up in maximum security. Some notable villains to spend extended time as members include Floyd Lawton (better known as Deadshot) and Harley Quinn, who will be played by Will Smith and Margot Robbie, respectively. Outside of the Joker (Jared Leto), all eyes will no doubt be on these two characters the most, who are among the most well-regarded villains in the DC Universe. Their performances will no doubt play a part in how well this film is received by both fans and critics alike.
Featuring villains in a movie should be a refreshing change of pace for superhero films in general. This is especially true for DC Films, which has been outdone compared to Marvel in regards to building its cinematic universe, having struggled to recapture the excitement of the Christopher Nolan-directed Batman trilogy. After both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman failed to meet fan and critic expectations, many are rightfully concerned about the direction of Warner Brothers’ superhero films, especially with director Zack Snyder presiding over the Justice League movie.
But if there is one movie that has the potential to keep faith in the DC Extended Universe, it’s Suicide Squad, especially with Smith, Robbie, Davis and Leto being the big-name draws to the film.
A big problem superhero films have had despite their surge in popularity has been its villains, which are often criticized as bland, generic, and largely uninteresting. But one of the unique things about the Suicide Squad is not only the concept of uniting a group of villains, but the blending of personalities, how much more fleshed out the characters become and their overall dynamic as a group. What’s most different is that these villains don’t have righteous intentions behind their actions like a Justice League or Avengers. They are solely working together for their own benefit. They lack heroic motivations and certainly won’t hesitate to kill or pull any triggers.
During their nearly 30-year run through various DC Comics series, the ability to rampage freely and have their sentences reduced is enough incentive for these villains to comply with these extremely dangerous missions. But the most intriguing aspect of the group is the name itself: Suicide Squad.
Just because these bad guys are uniting as a team doesn’t mean a happy ending awaits them. In fact, it is very possible that one or more of the members could die, especially considering the high-risk situations the team is sent into. Waller’s intentions aren’t to serve a greater good by protecting the people, nor does she care about reforming villains. She sees Task Force X as the best use of the talents and motivations that got these criminals locked up in the first place. They’re assets which prevent the government from getting its hands dirty.
As you might expect from ruthless criminals and assassins, the Suicide Squad has little regard for what’s right or wrong. Their only code is to follow orders, eliminate the assigned targets, and hope they survive to see freedom again outside of their prison cell. That’s very different from the responsibility someone like Superman feels to help because he can.
While it’s certainly not a given that Suicide Squad will live up to expectations (early reviews have not been kind), this is an attempt to provide a different experience for viewers who might be a bit tired of superhero blockbusters. Warner Brothers and DC Films are obviously hoping that audiences respond to what looks like a risky gamble. Ideally, this movie finally generates some positive excitement for the future of DC’s Extended Universe moving forward.
