Peter James Mann
Task Force X Goes to Work this Weekend
This weekend, The Suicide Squad comes out in theaters and HBO Max. There’s a big cast and even bigger action. But it’s peppered with the humor and dramatic weight James Gunn has become so known for. So I’ve whittled Task Force X down to which members I think are in the top five.
Let’s jump right in!
[5] Peacemaker
First up is Peacemaker. The exact same backstory as Bloodsport, but with more U.S. Agent vibes. His potty humor-style lines don’t exactly land, but Peacemaker is a complete madman. His shining helmet, while the focal point of many jokes, is also central to a key shot in the film during an amazing fight sequence. And those fight sequences are where Cena shines.
One of my favorite scenes with this character includes Bloodsport and a “friendly” competition to see who can kill more with subtle nods to Predator, Deadpool 2 and maybe Hot Shots Part Due.
He loves peace with all of his heart, and he doesn’t care how many men, women and children he needs to kill to get it.
[4] Rick Flag
One of the OG’s of The Suicide Squad, Flag feels more evolved than the last time we met him and a little happier. Maybe it’s the comic accurate yellow t-shirt, maybe it was off-screen therapy, but he was just a little brighter overall.
And he truly is the heart of the team. Where everyone can still be a villain, Flag feels like a true hero. He’s willing to do anything to save members of the team and make sure no one gets left behind. He also has a bit of a history with Bloodsport and they both seem to have mutual respect for each other.
The best Flag moments are all in the third act of this film, but my absolute favorite involves a fight amongst the rubble.
Flag goes the distance in this film and has a lot of heart. Like a lot. You’ll see.
[3] Polka-Dot Man
Yeah, I’m surprised too. But I’m watching a James Gunn movie with a giant Kaiju starfish monster. Why wouldn’t I root for a man who throws polka dots out of himself? The man does this to me all the time. Monster.
At first, I was laughing alongside the other characters. But when you hear how it works, with a little Easter Egg for future DC films, you realize how serious it actually is.
It’s also a great way for Gunn to juxtapose between cute and horrific, which he does many, many more times in this film.
My favorite scene with Polka-Dot Man involves a sweet, sweet man named Milton. And you really see how empathetic he can be and how thoughtful. That’s genuinely impressive, especially given how Coo-Coo for Cocoa Puffs this guy can get.
You did it, Polka-Dot Man, you’re a real hero now!
[2] Harley Quinn
Harley, in many ways, has her own film within this one. While The Suicide Squad is definitely a mix of sequel and reboot, much like Evil Dead 2, it takes from both Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey in brilliant measure, making her story feel like the end of a trilogy more than another one- off story about Harley.
And it’s brilliant.
She shows not only how capable she is, but how loveable and sweet and kind of a soul she really is underneath all the madness and mayhem Mr. J put her through.
There is a sequence where she is singing “I Ain’t Got Nobody” by David Lee Roth, and it’s done as though it’s a mantra to get her through tough times. At the end of it, we get to see what she sees, much like other characters in the film in a very Mr. Saturday Night meets Birds of Prey kind of way. It’s gorgeous.
I always wanted to go back to Harley, I wanted her to make it again, I want Harley Quinn in everything.
But there’s one more on this list that I think really stole the show.
[1] Bloodsport
The character I thought was just a cheap replacement for Deadshot turns out to be as cool, if not more so, than Will Smith’s character (who was one of the shining moments of the original Suicide Squad). Bloodsport has somewhat of a similar story, but this time he wants no part of being a father, or a good man, or redemption.
But when his daughter is put in danger, something in him wakes up. Something more human.
Equal parts Iron Man and The Punisher, he has more gadgets than I could count with as much malice. He’s a great leader of the group and I can see why we focus a majority of the time on him.
He also has a complete hero’s journey character arc in this film, ending on a very sweet moment for him.
But my favorite scene involving him is very, very far in the beginning. He is still in prison, and his daughter comes to visit him. There, they shout at each other in some of the best acting I’ve seen since The Wire. That’s not hyperbole, that’s not exaggerated, this scene should be nominated for something.
Overall, The Suicide Squad is a great ode to comic book films and shows like Deadpool 2 and The Boys, and not so much its less gritty Marvel counterparts. James Gunn said he intended this to be his ode, or farewell, to the Comic Book Genre.
And it shows everything the writer/director has become known for: it’s wacky, fun, smart, jumps the shark so hard it’s a starfish, and you’re still on board for the ride the whole time! You’ve got to watch this however you can!
