The Suicide Squad: When people are left to do their work, IT WORKS!
***Ok, blokes...First of all: I do not write a full text in english for a long time - I am brazilian-, I hope you understand if there are grotescs mistakes here***
How can I start with this? Maybe from the beginning.
When this movie was announced I thought: "That is foolish and outrageous. There is already a Suicide Squad. And a Marvel guy to direct it? Is it to humiliate Ayer even more? The man is already down, stop kicking him!" -
And yes, I am still pro #ReleaseTheAyerCut in the HBO MAX as they did with Zack Snyder's Justice League. It's there, it's harmless to the DCU, and it allows the director and the fans sleep at night. So, c'mon, put it there, Warner. It's not going to hurt.
But after a while I started to see that maybe it might not be a bad idea after all to have a reboot, a reimagination of the team commanded by Amanda Waller. I only wished they had the same good will with another productions (and gave the same freedom to work in peace to others directors as they gave to James Gunn).
But, let's stop the yada, yada, yada, and go to the review:
I heard so much about how great, amazing and insanelly good this movie was that I could not avoid a tip of disappointment.
So, as the start is really electrifying but not so tremendously new as claimed.
Still, to a hero movie (and sadly to movies in general too) may sound innovating.
The profusion of blood and guts is at the same time heavy and light. Sometimes is almost disgusting, others is almost funny. The same duality we find in the production's tone: starting with silly jokes and "shocking also funny" moments going to deep, emotional, personal conflicts to (again) deep, political seriousness and then turning back to a goofy childish stupidity.
Right, Carol, right, but does it affect the rhythm of the movie?
No, my hypothetical reader...I mean, not really. To a more sensitive (or critical) viewer these changes of humor and turnings may have some bumps on the way, but nothing that really ruin the journey.
There are many good things to say that I didn't really like something. Yes, there were a little thing about a certain male character that I prefered they did not have done, and some other stuff involving a rescue that demanded a little too much effort of my suspension of disbelief but the experience in a whole was worthy.
One of the majors aspects that Gunn nailed with this movie was to please both the people who grew up reading comics and the regular public, who just go to the cinema to relax and never even heard about nothing nerd universe.
In this case, in particular, I am in the second group. As you realized if you walked through the blog, I am a geek/nerd. Batman, DC and Marvel fan (a slight more to DC) but my knowledge about The Suicide Squad is almost none. Except for Harley, Amanda Waller, and someone here and there (like the villain), I have no idea about what was accurate to the comics and what was not. And I liked it a lot! My friends who know the comics by heart loved it too. Even more than me (but not necessarilly because of the comics, it is just that I am more critic...or captious). So, just for giving these totally different groups the same good time, James Gunn and his crew deserves all applause they are getting.
Oh, I got it! The director, the rhythm is fine, but what about the performances?
One of the reasons that made me really start to believe this movie might not be a complete waste of time was the replacement of Will Smith by Idris Elba. From my perspective it is like changing a Ferrari to a Roll's Royce.
Everybody loves a Ferrari, it's beautiful and dashing. But when it comes to really good work, Roll's Royce gives more, is more sincere and also...elegant? Classic? I don't know the word that would at the same time express what I think but still not irritate Will Smith's fans.
All of you understood I thought it was a great trade, right? And as I imagined, it was indeed. Idris, as usual, gave form, heart and soul to a character that could possibly pass unnoticed, because Bloodsport is the king of generic.
We could say the same about the development of Daniela Melchior's Ratcatcher 2. Nothing there, specially her connection with DuBois is groundbreaking but it's told without any artifice and pretension. It is legit, as her acting during the whole movie. I need to see more of this portuguese woman soon. And, OH MY GOD! I loved Sebastian! Cannot believe I am found of a rat!
Joel Kinnaman is another one that is obviously having fun. His Rick Flag is now so like the one in the comics that caused emotion to my friends, and I know this kind of satisfaction because I felt the same with Christopher Reeve's Superman (and some others) that felt like I was watching the comics become alive.
Joel is a great actor (if you didn't see the series House of Cards, The Killing, Altered Carbon, Hanna or the movie The Informer, please, do it. He is amazing in all of them and these are mesmerizing works) but seems not having the recognition deserved.
Polka-Dot Man stupendously played by David Dastmalchian, was another surprise. He is definetly the one I never would imagine to care so much about (but, I have to be honest, when I saw him in the beginning of the movie I said to myself: "I will probably love him with all my heart or hate him with a burning, vicious, scarlet hate).
Sadly, I cannot say the same about John Cena, (Peacemaker) and Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang). Both "actors" I don't quite understand why Hollywood still forces them like good ones. [let me be clear: I understand as forcing only giving them roles. For me, that's enough].
Margot Robbie (did you seriously think I wouldn't talk about her?!) is a shinning star as always! Again, perfectly captured the Harley Quinn's persona and knew how to make it like the character was jumping from some episode of Batman, The Animated Series where she was originally created.
There's another name who I need to speak about: The Thinker.
Peter Capaldi that I love immensely, beyond words, given his magnificent work as the Doctor in Doctor Who (if you've never watched this series, please do it today. It's just the best thing ever done. It doesn't matter where you start. Just get started!) is once again wonderful, and I wanted to see more of his performance as The Thinker. The character had much still to be explored, and needed more screen time just like the actor. It left me with the sensation of just scratched a surface that contained a very promising, complex and substancial personality and storyline. He should have a series (and Polka-Dot Man, Bloodsport and Ratcatcher 2 should too, but all three together - "the outlaws", maybe?!).
The technical part is impressive too. The editing is really good, close to perfection, so as the sound editing, the photography.
All in all: Within a couple hours, The Suicide Squad brings fun, a story with at least three levels of depth, wich makes it pleasant to almost everyone, fidelity to comics, and still amuses the family. Strongly recommended.
Oh! Yes, last but not least: if you are afraid to find a sort of Guardians of the Galaxy of DC, go in peace. It has nothing to do with that. Trust me.
Last but not least 2: if you are brazilian, was raised in Brazil, have family here/there, or whatever, there are brazilian songs in the production ("Samba na Sola" by Céu, "Meu Tambor" by Marcelo D2 feat Zuzuka Poderosa and "Quem tem joga" by Drik Barbosa feat Gloria Groove and Karol Conká), and Alice Braga makes a participation.
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Very detailed information about the movie, thank you for this blog. please do more.
ResponderExcluirJ.M