Yes No Maybe So: "Suicide Squad"
Monday, July 13, 2015 at 7:45PM Angelica returning to see how DC Comics' cinematic universe is finally shaping up.
I may be the one of the few at The Film Experience who is completely sold on Batman vs Superman and extremely curious about their upcoming films. But I have been most interested to see how they would pull off Suicide Squad which brings to the screen an odd, wildly bonkers corner of DC's comic book history. If DC pulls off Suicide Squad we will be getting something unlike anything else on the very crowded superhero playing field we find ourselves in. The Comic-Con first look footage has now been released by Warner Brothers.
Let's Yes/No and Maybe So it, and see if DC is upping their game, after the jump...
YES
(L to R) Boomerang, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Katana, Rick Flag, Killer Croc, and El Diablo. I think I see Scott Eastwood in the back too.
The casting is killer if only for the fact it brings to light DC Comics characters we haven't seen on film and that I have loved for years in an unexpected way. I'm loving the energy of this group shot. Also, isn't it nice to see a superhero film with several people of color and women in major roles? For such a saturated superhero market it is depressing how little we see of those who aren't white dudes.
The tone, humor, and oddness seems to be hitting the right notes. I'm glad that this first look doesn't give much away in terms of plot. But it gives viewers who know nothing about the Suicide Squad enough of an idea to get them interested without overexplaining things.
Are finally going to get the Amanda Waller we deserve?
Viola Davis has a lot to live up to. Even if she doesn't look like Amanda Waller I think she has the gravitas, presence, and forcefulness to pull her off. You have to understand Waller is one of the few people to stand up to Batman unafraid. She's just a highly intelligent, gruff black woman with a moral compass askew enough to get the kind of work done she feels helps the greater good.
"Because getting people to act against their own self interest is what I do for a living." These are exactly the kind of lines I want to hear from Waller.
YES YES YES
The best part of the trailer? Harley Quinn! Since her creation for Batman the Animated Series, Harley Quinn has become one of the most popular (and best selling) characters for DC Comics. She's very complicated especially when it comes to her relationship with the Joker. But it looks like Margot Robbie has nailed it and brought her own flair to the character by dropping the iconic high pitched voice of the character.
Childlike wonder? Check.
Acrobatics? Check.
Mixing violence with a sense of play? Check.
There's more to the character than that but I am so here for everything I am seeing thus far. If DC pulls off Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn I will probably cry.
NO
I am still not sold on Ben Affleck as Batman so I hope he isn't in the film for that long. But if we see Amanda Waller tell him off then I'll mark this done as a yes instead.
Well Jai Courtney looks really unattractive. Congrats?
I am not feeling many of these costumes and character designs. Unlike a lot of people I am totally fine with Harley Quinn having a different costume than the one she is most associated with when she first hit the scene in Batman the Animated Series. She's the kind of character who would change her look up a lot, I'm excited to see what other outfits we'll see her in.
MAYBE SO
We don't see enough of Katana and the Enchantress (which Cara Delevingne will be portraying) for me to make too much of a judgement. I dig Katana's look though.
How will Will Smith pull off deadshot? He's a very interesting choice for the character and one I would have never dreamed up. I was afraid with his casting other characters wouldn't get enough shine but this seems like a true ensemble.
Jared Leto has the enormous task of creating a version of the Joker that steps out of the shadow Heath Ledger created in The Dark Knight. The good thing about characters like the Joker is that even if the new version doesn't amaze you we'll see another actor in the role in about 10 years (if that). I don't like the look of his Joker but Leto looks like he's having a lot of fun and is going to bring exactly the kind of zany energy DC Comics needs.
I put him in the Maybe So column because of this...
Is it Harley Quinn he's going to torture off screen at the end of the trailer? The abusive relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn is a very thorny issue to say the least. This could end up being really messy.
Overall, I am a HELL YES for Suicide Squad. I am loving the energy, humor, acting, and look of the film from what this trailer shows.
I'm so here for this!
What do y'all think about Suicide Squad and DC Comics' expanding cinematic universe?
Reader Comments (26)
I was highly skeptical at the prospect of a "David Ayer Harley Quinn", almost entirely because of how much of a "man's man" director Ayer has seemed up to this point (the two women in Fury, anyone?), but this leak has got me hooked, especially since the music is CLEARLY wrong for the material. (I know, based on the lyrics, they were clearly aiming for "Think of this as Harley's movie".) Maybe Dragonforce would have fit the overall effect more?
well, Affleck is only having a cameo in this, so no worries for you
and HELL YEAH, this trailer sold the movie to me. Robbie looks like the MVP along with Leto, but of course, there might be another trailer in the next months and we could get to see more of the rest of the cast
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn looks awesome. I will see it because of her. Jai Courtney, BOO!!!!!!!
Steven: He seems slightly more interesting and charismatic being allowed to use his natural accent, though. Sam Worthington: Take notes.
VIOLAAAAAAAAAAA.
Margot Robbie is aces and if she gets as much screen time as they're hinting I will be most pleased.
It looks way better than I anticipated and much more promising than Dawn of Justice. I'm still on the fence about Leto, but that has more to do with me thinking he's overrated as an actor and less to do with who played the character before him.
Meh. I don't need yet another phony Marvel film.
Tom Ford: Really? Even if it's funnier than the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer, you can't tell this and Marvel apart just on aesthetic grounds?
No. To me they are all very similar live-action cartoons designed for boys who play video games, and eventually they do become video games, happy meals and/or theme park rides. Completely forgettable and their budgets could support making several other smaller and better films for adults. My opinion only.
And get off my lawn!!
It's funny. I always find those types of comments snobby, slightly delusional but also very predictable (as if written from a handbook). That's just me, though. Anyway, the film looks fine, so I'm a yes.
Preach Tom Ford! I also think that you should make another mpbie after A Single Man. Lol
I'm intrigued by this one, so YES, especially for Margot Robbie.
Are finally going to get the Amanda Waller we deserve?
We already did with CCH Pounder's voice-over performance for the animated series.
"But it gives viewers who know nothing about the Suicide Squad enough of an idea to get them interested without overexplaining things. "
or less interested. hell no
I only wanted this film for Harley Quinn. She has been such a great presence in the DC universe especially lately and Robbie looks perfect for this role and unlike most in the trailer she looks to be having fun. I liked this trailer more then BVS.
Damn it VIOLA. I tend to see movies if Viola is in them and I love that she's boss lady here.
Tom - agreed on how some of this movie needs to be redirected toward adult movies. One of my favorite fantasies is Hollywood wising up and reusing their sets and budgetary efforts on small playful or cast/director driven films i.e. "here's tons of crazy sets and money we spent on a superhero picture. We're leaving it all up on soundstages for 1 month. do whatever you want with it and sent in an inexpensive writer/director with lots of ideas and cheaper but excellent actors and see what they come up with "found material" haha. Obviously with the right camera person and lighting designer and production designer and costume designer --who can make adjustments -- it wouldn't end up looking like the same material and you could get a bunch of little weird films for people who like to see actors and directors experiment on a shoestring.
Can we stop Cara Delewhatver Actress.Loving the trailer and Robbie WOW maybe we have our own Catwoman!!
I've been loving Robbie in this role since the first still. That said, those first few images suggested WAY more fun than seems to be on display in this trailer. I blame the song which I think tries to imitate the Avenger's 2 "no strings on me" theme/song in the trailer to similar SERIOUS!!! effect. But it seems forced here. Harley Quinn all the way!
No!! Bored with garbage cartoonish movies.
Heh.
I sorta get it, Daniel. But if you want a varied cinematic diet, you're not going to get it from Hollywood. And that's really rather depressing. I'd love to hear what you think is delusional about them, though. I think that would be a terrific conversation.
I hope Viola gets to utter Amanda's immortal line: "NOBODY FUCKS WITH THE WALL!"
Such a self-serious trailer for a supposedly fun film? More dark superhero dreck.
I will be sitting with Tom Ford, watching his lawn...which would be more exciting than watching Marvel- "inspired" movies.
I am a Maybe So-Margot and Viola kept me from saying No, but Will Smith as Will Smith saving the world (again?!?), darkness over Gotham with unlikely heroes, and Heath > Jared make me think that I won't see this without sparkling reviews.
I am a comic book geek from way back so it's a yes, but the dark tone has me wary. And Will Smith seems miscast. Deadshot is a humorless character and Will Smith a;ways adds humor to his roles.
Arkaan - To clarify, I did say slightly delusional but let me explain. There's this idea/dream among certain cinephiles that if superhero films - or blockbuster films in general, really - went away that studios would or should use all their money on smaller films. While it sucks that very few mainstream mid-range adult films are getting made, this idea is ridiculous for a number of reasons.
First, I just hate the idea that superhero films have been made the scapegoat for bringing about the impending doom of cinema. Cinema has survived wars, TV (its inception and "golden age"), video games and is still surviving VOD and mobile devices. Cinema has been around longer than most of us have been alive and will be here long after we're dust in a pine box.
Next, when the superhero phase subsides, it will be replaced by another trend. People will complain about that trend until it's done and the cycle will repeat again and again. Lastly, if studios suddenly stopped making superhero films - or big budget films in general - then the studios would start losing money pretty damn quickly... and then you wouldn't have any films being made or purchased (things like Birdman and Still Alice wouldn't be picked up if their respective studios didn't bring in blockbuster dollars because neither film was ever going to be a box office hit).
The fact of the matter is that films like Star Wars and Jaws changed the general audiences taste forever and while that hunger for blockbusters has increased dramatically over the years, it's a ball that started rolling along time ago. Do I think there should be more mid-range/adult fair out there? Sure but the idea that those pesky superheroes are the cause of their disappearance or are holding back their revival is just... delusional.
Added Note: I don't dislike the idea of someone hating a genre, I just dislike the idea of people putting down others for liking something they do not. Also, I'm fatigued on "superhero fatigue". There's been at least seven articles a year for three years now talking about it and they all hammer home the same point. Like what you like, dislike what you dislike. I'm just over it.