SUICIDE SQUAD

US, 2016, 123 minutes, Colour.

Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Viola Davis, Ezra Miller, Jai Courtenay, Common, Jay Hernandez, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnaman, Adam Beach, Adewale Akinnuoye Agabje, David Harbour.
Directed by David Ayer.

An enthusiast for Suicide Squad noted that it is a movie for those who are fans of DC Comics and are familiar with the characters, especially when they enjoy them. The enthusiast then noted that it was probably not a film for the casual movie viewer. Very true indeed!

While this reviewer has seen the Superman films and the Batman films and so has some esteem for DC Comics, this one was too much. For much of the running time, there was the temptation to label the film as absurd. As it went on, the temptation was to label it as bizarre. Then the realisation came that it was not a matter of either/or but of both/and, absurd and bizarre.

A lot of this was the intention of the writer-director, David Ayer, noted for some strong, muscular dramas in the past, like the World War II film, Fury. Actually, World War II stories led to an inspiration for this screenplay, a 50 years-on reinterpretation of the basic plot of The Dirty Dozen.

An American city is under siege from strange creatures and a powerful political/police chief, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has the idea that to deal with the threats to the population who are fleeing in fear is to round up a group of criminals with aggressive talents and set them on to the enemy.

It should be mentioned that the DC connection is there insofar as Batman has been instrumental in the imprisoning of some of the criminals – and, for those who are patient to wait during the credits at the end, there is a conversation between Bruce Wayne and Amanda Waller, the powerful woman in charge, which indicates that this bizarre, non-suicidal half-dozen will be back again.

In setting the scene, the film introduces us to a range of these villains who are now in prison. There is Deadshot, played by Will Smith as Will Smith, an assassin with a deadly target success and a range of weapons which enables him later to be gun over-crazy. Then there is Harley Quinn whom we discover was a psychologist treating the Joker, falling in love with him, taunted by him to dive into a vat and then rescued by him – and the film has intermittent flashbacks to her memories of him as well as his coming to rescue her at the end. There has been a lot of publicity about Jared Leto as The Joker, a rather gaunt Joker, quite manic but different from Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger.

Amongst the other members of the suicide squad are The Crocodile Killer, The Flash, Boomerang, an Australian robber, and several minor characters who are led by Rick Flag, played by Joel Kinnaman. While he is appointed by Amanda Waller, he and she have a personal interest in the enemy, especially his girlfriend June, Cara Delevingne, who is transformed into The Enchantress, working with her sinister brother to take over the city.

The film relies a great deal on stunts and action, lots of fighting, lots. The film also relies on the make up of several of the characters, the tantalising girlie look and behaviour of Harley Quinn, the scales of the Crocodile Killer, and a moment of fire display from The Flash. As to be expected, there is a lot of deadpan dialogue.

Which means that Viola Davis as Amanda Waller is a very serious presence in what is often very flip film.

The big box office success reminds us that there are a lot of fans out there while the non-fans are going to see something else.

1. The popularity of DC comics? The characters, situations, superheroes, villains? Batman and Superman?

2. The idea for this story, a Dirty Dozen collaboration, a mission, to destroy the enemy?

3. The work of the writer-director, interest in tough characters, conflicts? The idea for the story, the city, the attack, the threat to the population, the need for confrontation? The role of Batman with the villains? Amanda Waller in charge? Her idea? The threats, her encounters with the Enchantress? Her brother? Bound for destruction?

4. The visuals, the characters, make up, locations, dark and bizarre?

5. The action, gunwielding, the collaboration in fights, strategies? The enemies?

6. Amanda Waller, her official advisors, the dangers, her idea, the meetings, the discussions with the villains? Stances? Promises? The deals? Their working together, his supervising? Her reliance on Rick Flag? His relationship with the Enchantress? His needs? Her being overcome, the surviving – in the final meeting and the fulfilment of the deals?

7. Rick Flag, his background, leader, military, as a person, his relationship with June, the collaboration with the villains? Decision-making?

8. Will Smith as Deadshot, his background, assassinations, his guns and accuracy? Arrested, exercising and boxing, in the cell, the taunting of the guards, his memories, his love for his daughter, his being taken? The deal to be with his daughter?

9. Harley Quinn, Margot Robbie, in prison, her bizarre behaviour, manner of speaking, appearance? Her flashbacks, as a psychologist, the encounters with the Joker, their sessions, falling in love, diving into the vat, his rescuing her, her transformation? Girly and giggling, flirtatious? Her look, talk, memories of the Joker? Her involvement, disappearance and reappearance?

10. The Joker, audience knowledge of him from previous films, his appearance, Jared Leto and his presence, gaunt, clothes, face and make up, laugh? His associates? The experience with the psychologist, rescuing her, transforming her to Harley Quinn? His activities, hostility, coming to the rescue? His future with her?

11. The Crocodile Man, his appearance, reticent, going into action?

12. Boomerang, Australian background, robbing the banks, the diamonds, his arrest, his accent, his skills, cheeky?

13. The Flash, age, experience, with the group, his activities, reticence, his fire exhibition and contribution to the attack?

14. The Asian girl, her activities, collaboration? The other creatures in villains and their activities?

15. June, transformed into the Enchantress, her brother, seeming normal, his transformation?

16. The Enchantress, June taken over, two persons, confrontation, Rick Flag, for destruction – and June reappearing?

17. The focus on the population, their fears, escaping, the dangers? The role of the mission?

18. The credit sequence – in the future discussions, Batman and Amanda Waller?