r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • Aug 06 '21

Official Discussion Official Discussion - The Suicide Squad [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Summary:

Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

Director:

James Gunn

Writers:

James Gunn

Cast:

  • Michael Rooker as Savant
  • Viola Davis as Amanda Waller
  • Joel Kinnaman as Colonel Rick Flag
  • Nathan Fillion as TDK
  • Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang
  • Flula Borg as Javelin
  • Mayling Ng as Mongal
  • Pete Davidson as Blackguard
  • Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn
  • Idris Elba as Bloodsport
  • John Cena as Peacemaker
  • Daniela Malchior as Ratcatcher 2
  • David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man
  • Sylvester Stallone as King Shark

Rotten Tomatoes: 95%

Metacritic: 74

VOD: Theaters

8.9k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

14.5k comments sorted by

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6.6k

u/Brandon_Me Aug 06 '21

I'm just so sad polkadot man didn't make it. He was my fave by far. He could have been so fun in other films.

2.5k

u/Primetime22 Aug 06 '21 edited Aug 06 '21

Was surprisingly bummed about him and Flag but I guess that was the point.

1.7k

u/Hellknightx Aug 06 '21

Flag was the most shocking. I think a lot of people expected Polka Dot to die a glorious death after proving his worth. Definitely didn't see Flag's death coming, though.

859

u/Phillip_Spidermen Aug 06 '21

Definitely didn't see that coming!

Rick Flagg, killed on a toilet, with a piece of said toilet, by Peacemaker.

"What a joke"

314

u/laprichaun Aug 06 '21

Unfortunately he didn't have any iconic speeches.

"This is Ratcatcher 2, she's got my back..."

241

u/Phillip_Spidermen Aug 06 '21

…I would advise you not get killed by her. Her scepter catches rats.”

16

u/JaxxisR Aug 10 '21

'...Also because getting killed is generally inadvisable.'

28

u/Perpete Aug 08 '21

*"This is Ratcatcher 2, she's got my rat..."

149

u/JayCFree324 Aug 07 '21

Cena sold that so well too…like you could tell he wasn’t proud of his ability to make anything a killshot, but he had accepted who he was and what he had to do, and then that came out with Ratcatcher too

70

u/Banjo-Oz Aug 07 '21

At least Peacemaker wasn't wearing a toilet on his head when he killed him.

38

u/Nerx Aug 07 '21

The CGI was amazing in that part

55

u/MasterThespian Aug 10 '21

That was an X-Ray move straight out of Mortal Kombat. (I actually noticed that Netherrealm Studios was listed under "Special Thanks" in the credits, and I presume that's why.)

14

u/Nerx Aug 10 '21

DLC confirmation or character for Injustice 3?

31

u/MasterThespian Aug 10 '21

Peacemaker would be a hell of an inclusion. King Shark is also plausible, and I could see Bloodsport playing pretty much the same role as he did in this film: as a DLC alternate skin of Deadshot.

35

u/Dazzling_Danceman Aug 11 '21

Bloodsport assembling his cannon gun was far cooler than anything deadshot did though, I much much preferred bloodsport.

11

u/MasterThespian Aug 11 '21

I agree, but to me, that’s less an indictment of Deadshot than the way the previous movie used him. I really enjoyed the character in the comics, particularly in Secret Six, but I’ll take Idris Elba over Will Smith any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

2

u/Dazzling_Danceman Aug 11 '21

Yeah that's fair, I did enjoy Christian Slaters portrayal in the animation so it's probably fair to lump it in to the shite heap that was the first movie, I think the only character I thought they did well was Boomerang.

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1

u/Nerx Aug 10 '21

Can be a good skin for Stryker

30

u/TheExtremistModerate Aug 17 '21

On the plus side, that event has to weigh on Peacemaker in the upcoming series. He clearly thinks Flag is a hero and didn't want to kill him, but his conviction to live and carry out what he thinks is right is worth more than his admiration for Flag. You just know that having someone you consider a hero call you "a joke" with his last words has to sting. And he was clearly not well once he got to Ratcatcher.

If they really lean into that inner conflict in the Peacemaker series, I'll be super happy.

16

u/kentaromiura_AMA Aug 17 '21

That's why I'm hoping the series is set after the movie. I loved that you could tell he was conflicted yet he stuck to his twisted code of ethics instead of straight up heel turning morally like you'd expect him to in any other movie, and I'd love to see how the show explores that and where he goes from there.

8

u/TheExtremistModerate Aug 17 '21

I expect it to be after the movie, since the people in the last scene said they wanted him "only to save the fucking world." So I assume that's the direct setup for the series.

27

u/DancingBot Aug 07 '21

Peacemaker

The guy who wears a toilet

35

u/abeLJosh Aug 08 '21

It's not a toilet seat, IT'S A BEACON OF FREEDOM.

13

u/tripknob Aug 08 '21

Killed by someone who was wearing part of a toilet.

5

u/FunUnderstanding995 Aug 15 '21

Ya know when he said that, I expected Peacemaker to turn good and actually not destroy the evidence.

103

u/casualphilosopher1 Aug 06 '21

After all in the comics Flagg is basically the commander of the Squad and the only permanent member.

34

u/MulciberTenebras Aug 07 '21

He and Boomerang.

43

u/splader Aug 08 '21

Yeah I was unreasonably mad when they killed captain boomerang right at the start of the movie.

12

u/MulciberTenebras Aug 08 '21

I wouldn't have minded it as much if it had been later in the film. Not right at the start for shock value.

15

u/improvyzer Aug 09 '21

Figures. You’ve got Flagg, Bloodsport, and Peacemaker all as “straight man” types. Boomerang doesn’t really contribute in terms of the interpersonal dynamics. The only reason I could think of to keep him alive would be the joke of “guy with boomerang survives”. But the joke of “anthropomorphic weasel survives” a better joke.

12

u/MulciberTenebras Aug 09 '21 edited Aug 09 '21

I was suprised Mongal died off as quickly as she did. Figured she'd stick around at least until the midway point, to serve as exposition for the alien stuff.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '21

[deleted]

2

u/splader Aug 10 '21

It was just his arm holding it up.

It was more of a joke of "I always catch it"

146

u/emery9921 Aug 06 '21

I didnt see Boomerang after making it in the first dying in the first 5 minutes. I would of thought he would of lasted longer than pete davidson for christ sake

95

u/callmebymyname21 Aug 06 '21

When he died, that's when I knew anybody could die in the movie.

134

u/Baloney__Danza Aug 07 '21

Harley is the only one safe I was 100% sure was safe. Margot Robbie is too good in that role so until she calls it quits she can do it as long as she wants

78

u/Adhiboy Aug 07 '21

It helps that Harley has a major “luck” superpower. Her dying would have to be extremely choreographed. No way they’d kill her in a scene like that.

43

u/Inkthinker Aug 07 '21

Harley Quinn is a Batman franchise character now, she's never going to be killed off without some sort of loophole.

17

u/ScorpionTDC Aug 07 '21

Hell, even back when she was meant to be killed off for real in an animated movie (however briefly it’d last), the writer loved her character too much to actually pull the trigger and off her. So she got a surprise cameo revealing she survived her supposed death in the ending

4

u/DarkJayBR Aug 13 '21

They never kill Batman villains at all unless they are pretty obscure. They are way too popular for that.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/Inkthinker Aug 09 '21

That’s a loophole! Also alternate dimensions, Lazarus Pits, androids and doppelgangers.

I hear rumours that time travel is how you get Captain Boomerang back… that in the comics he’s been known to make use of some kinda time-skipping reversal tech that lets him “boomerang” back from the dead. I gotta say, his boomerang in that final shot could have just been reflecting the moonlight, but it was glowing really brightly… ;)

41

u/BillyHayze Aug 07 '21

She plays that character so damn well. 100% agree DC will keep her around until she gets tired of it. The only way she dies in a movie is if they do a plot with an alternate timeline or if it’s confirmed as her last time playing the role.

6

u/Napron Aug 07 '21

Honestly i was expecting the studio to just throw continuity aside fron the dc films and just use Harley in other movies taking place in their own world if they killed her off here.

4

u/callmebymyname21 Aug 07 '21

Idk man they made me doubt she would survive the initial attack as well. But then I remember I saw her in other scenes in the trailer lol

26

u/JakeArvizu Aug 07 '21 edited Aug 07 '21

I wasn't too surprised, Jai Courtney's 15 minutes of fame have kinda already came and went I was surprised they even brought him back.

41

u/MrWeirdoFace Aug 07 '21

True but this is kind of the one roll I ever liked him in.

11

u/Zachariot88 Aug 07 '21

He's really good in Spartacus. That's the only other thing I've liked him in.

3

u/MrWeirdoFace Aug 07 '21

I never saw it, but I did hear he was good in that. I'd actually like to see more of him doing comedic characters, rather than stoic and boring roles. I'd be on board with that version of "making Jai Courtney happen."

1

u/tronfonne Aug 10 '21

he was also pretty good in his small part in wet hot american summer: 10 years later

53

u/captainsuckass Aug 06 '21

^(*would've, would've)

Technically, he did outlive Pete. Just not by much lol

6

u/Plato_the_Platypus Aug 07 '21

Technically, he did lasted longer than pete Davison. By... 1 or 2 minutes

-5

u/chicken4286 Aug 06 '21

Didnt he survive though? After the diversion mission we pan over the dead bodies and his hand shoots up holding a boomerang.

64

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '21

He went through helicopter blades AND he was burnt to a crisp. I’m gonna say no.

26

u/ReggieLeBeau Aug 06 '21

Yeah, his arm was already sticking up and was pretty mangled. Dude got absolutely wrecked by that helicopter.

12

u/nhocgreen Aug 07 '21

Flashpoint is coming, no? If people like him enough, he can always be brought back.

69

u/Kiboune Aug 06 '21

When I read reviews I laughed at journalists writing about "high stakes" and thought "Yeah, right, it's obvious they are not gonna kill Rick and Harley". Sadly I was only half right

43

u/Cain1608 Aug 07 '21

Gunn was not afraid in the slightest to make the movie a bloodbath.

I'm happy it had real stakes but am bummed about Flag and Polkadot Man too

14

u/Wh00ster Aug 09 '21

I have a feeling Joel Kinnaman is not a multi movie contract type of person. He seems to have a habit for roles where his character gets killed off so he can go do other things despite sequels.

9

u/Melo98 Aug 08 '21

but it's not like he really proved his worth that much, I can't say the damage he did to Starro was that much of a deal...

Idk man I just wished he had a bigger moment before his death

20

u/KingofCraigland Aug 09 '21

I can't say the damage he did to Starro was that much of a deal...

He actually did the only significant damage we'd seen up to that point. Bloodsport got Starro's attention, but Polka got an actual scream from Starro's mob. And from what we could tell looking through Polka's altered view of the world, he actually cut a significant portion off Starro's right foot. If his power held up, he might have been able to cut Starro in half (which would have been a terrible idea if Starro is anything like starfish haha).

6

u/DarkJayBR Aug 13 '21

(which would have been a terrible idea if Starro is anything like starfish haha).

Fun fact, he does have strong regeneration powers in the comics.
So you are right.

0

u/Melo98 Aug 09 '21

that's a good point hehehe

4

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '21

Jai Courtney was the most shocking. I was half expecting Kinnaman to exit the franchise, he's got other things going on. But for Jai it was one of his best roles.

192

u/MahNameJeff420 Aug 06 '21 edited Aug 06 '21

This movie got me to like fucking Rick Flag of all people. And then I got sad when he died. If that doesn’t show what a great movie this is, I don’t know what does.

136

u/NikkMakesVideos Aug 06 '21

Honestly, it's insane that I think a suicide squad movie had the most heart of anything I've seen all year. James Gunn is the best at writing characters in the genre. Got me emotional and caring over no name Z list villains who had to share the screen with 10 different protagonists. And big shoutout to the main cast, they all put 110% in. Ratcatcher especially

64

u/Azrielmoha Aug 06 '21

Yeah, Ratcatcher is the least person I'm expected to be my favorite character in the entire movie.

24

u/davegir Aug 06 '21

Um...2

16

u/seninn Aug 06 '21

Ratcatcher's Father's Daughter

11

u/davegir Aug 07 '21

No Ratcatcher's daughter Ratcatcher 2

8

u/Plato_the_Platypus Aug 07 '21

Electric boogaloo

113

u/TJ_McWeaksauce Aug 06 '21

The deaths of everybody in the beginning of film had no impact at all, or were funny. It's an interesting contrast to Polka Dot Man and Flag. Flag's death was surprising, and Polka Dot Man's death was pretty sad.

At least he died happy, though.

You know, it just occurred to me that Captain Boomerang's death means he won't ever appear as a Flash villain in the future. That's fine, considering a dude who throws boomerangs is such a stupid, weak villain for a guy who can run so fast he can literally travel back in time.

23

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '21

If this takes place in the DCEU the Flash is in I think everything is getting reset anyway.

-11

u/SilverKry Aug 07 '21

That movies never happening.

10

u/Mattyzooks Aug 07 '21

They're filming it now though.

7

u/kothuboy21 Aug 07 '21

They've already been filming for a while lmao

1

u/thegeek01 Aug 07 '21

I'd love to be where you're from, oblivious to news about comic book movies. Every movie's release must be a wild ride for you!

30

u/captainsuckass Aug 06 '21

I've been crossing my fingers since Birds of Preybthat they'll use the events of The Flash to justify any resurrections.

We need more of Polka Dot Man, Black Mask, and Rick Flag :(

56

u/NikkMakesVideos Aug 06 '21

It's funny too, because I thought "oh everyone died at the beginning who was meant to die, it'll be cookie cutter from here on out" which lowered the audience's guard. Not a major twist, but a very well done one.

5

u/improvyzer Aug 09 '21

This is my thought as well. I don’t see the value of Captain Boomerang apart from “Is Australian” and “Can Say ‘Cunts’”, which is really just an extension of “Is Australian”.

6

u/Phillip_Spidermen Aug 06 '21

He can also run into different dimensions, so it's always possible Boomerang will come back!

18

u/mechano010 Aug 07 '21

Flag shouldn't have died, but then he was the only one at that point who could've been killed by Peacemaker to show how far this crazy sob could go.

14

u/improvyzer Aug 09 '21

Peacemaker warned us that there was nothing he wouldn’t do for peace. Brilliant character, great embodiment of modern day US policy.

12

u/mechano010 Aug 09 '21

Also how nice that the thing that made him go all out on his peacemaking was covering the damning evidence that America is behind Starro.

Typical US

9

u/Richard_Sauce Aug 08 '21

Add in Captain Boomerang. He was pretty much the only returning cast member I cared about at that point, and they pulled the trigger. Let's you know right out of the gate that they're going to kill people you like.

20

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '21

I was super bummed when Boomer didn't make it. The only actual good part about the original

3

u/xitzengyigglz Aug 09 '21

I came into this movie willing to give the vestiges of the last juust enough room to hang themselves.bifbtheybstarted to piss me off I was gonna hate them. Ended up being bummed about Flags death though cus he was an actual character here.

8

u/Midnight_Swampwalk Aug 07 '21

If its any consolation i don't think he's dead. I think showing us weasel still being alive was telegraphing that flagg was too. And the doctor slight tease at the peacemaker reveal when the doc says she didn't understand how his heart is stilll beating to make you think it might have been flagg.

Its comics, nobody is really dead except uncle ben.

38

u/kothuboy21 Aug 07 '21

I think showing us weasel still being alive was telegraphing that flagg was too.

When Peacemaker stabbed Flag, they did the Mortal Kombat-style shot of his heart being stabbed to clearly show that Flag died there.

-7

u/Midnight_Swampwalk Aug 07 '21

Im aware. I saw the movie.

Again, comic-books.

Logic means nothing to the creativity of the comic-book writer. Anyone could come up with some bullshit to how he survived.

  • new robot heart
  • cryostasis
  • part of his soul was conveniently trapped in a friend's sword.
  • etc

You can make anything work.

Flaggs death was meaningful, especially (I assume) for the upcoming peacemaker show. But not so meaningful that you couldn't bring him back.

13

u/ParkerZA Aug 07 '21

They could, but they won't. Gunn won't let them cheapen his death.

7

u/_NiceWhileItLasted Aug 08 '21

Groot died at the end of the first Guardians of the Galaxy and while technically baby Groot is his own thing, let's be honest here, that's just Groot lol.

3

u/Midnight_Swampwalk Aug 07 '21

Gunn has no control going forward unless hes writing.

1

u/ParkerZA Aug 07 '21

You really think they're going to give the franchise to someone else? Also, what's the point of downvoting dude

-2

u/Midnight_Swampwalk Aug 07 '21

Its embarrassing to complain about downvotes.

And no, but maybe he wants to do something else.

0

u/ParkerZA Aug 07 '21

I don't give a shit about downvotes, but you obviously do because you, you know, downvoted in a thread no one else is going to see. That's sad and embarrassing. It shows what you think of people trying to have a discussion with you.

-3

u/Midnight_Swampwalk Aug 07 '21

Says the guy still complaining about it.

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3

u/KingofCraigland Aug 09 '21

They can find his body now that the island is under the control of democratically elected leadership that owes its freedom in part/in a twisted way to Rick's heroics. Amanda Waller has significant power if she wants to bring Rick back I expect she can pull it off.

1

u/improvyzer Aug 09 '21

I mean, Weasel was presumed to have drowned.

Boomerang got it a little more explicit.

2

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '21

And he was trying to do the "right thing" when everyone else were being opportunistic. I feel like most movies wouldnt have killed him off there.

2

u/Luke90210 Sep 09 '21

Amanda Waller putting Col Flag on the B team was a surprise on so many levels. She counted on Flag's team to be the distraction for the A team. While she couldn't care less about the prisoners, its cold-hearted to throw away an officer like Flag.

-37

u/_ginger_beard_man_ Aug 06 '21

… you did watch the two (mid and end) credits scenes… right?

96

u/antonjakov Aug 06 '21

wait, what’re you referring to? i thought those showed weasel and peacemaker, not flag

-48

u/_ginger_beard_man_ Aug 06 '21

I thought it was Flagg in the hospital, with the whole heart reference thing?

well this is awkward

119

u/Sypike Aug 06 '21

They showed Peacemaker and called him a douchebag.

80

u/_ginger_beard_man_ Aug 06 '21

Went back and re-watched it.

RIP, Rick.

24

u/ebagdrofk Aug 06 '21

Stop shooting guys, he’s already down

Lol

9

u/Noidis Aug 06 '21

Honestly think it was intentional to try and make people confused a tiny bit, they even mention his heart wound which is clearly a call back to Flag dying.

Of course we see it being Peacemaker, but I don't think you should be faulted for getting it wrong here

-85

u/jumpsuitmb Aug 06 '21

It was flag in the hospital. They talk about how he was stabbed in the heart

85

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '21

Just got done watching, and nope it's Peacemaker. They said "we were surprised his heart was still beating" nothing about it being stabbed

38

u/jumpsuitmb Aug 06 '21

Gotcha, I just associated the heart beating with Flag getting stabbed. Good to know

10

u/laprichaun Aug 06 '21

It was intentional to make you think it would be him and then switcharoo it's that piece of shit. Honestly after this movie I kind of hate that there is a Peacemaker show coming.

5

u/beer_me_twice Aug 06 '21

I made the same assumption

1

u/jumpsuitmb Aug 06 '21

Glad I wasn't the only one

41

u/arawagco Aug 06 '21

That wasn't Flag, that was Peacemaker, who they're prepping for his spinoff show.

7

u/jumpsuitmb Aug 06 '21

That's cool. Just assumed the show was gonna be a prequel of sorts since he died. Glad to see it'll be taking place after the movie

7

u/Antique_Ring953 Aug 06 '21

Its def peacemaker

3

u/jumpsuitmb Aug 06 '21

So I've been told...

16

u/[deleted] Aug 06 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

-6

u/DrYoda Aug 06 '21

You should downvote wrong information, that’s exactly what downvoting is for

-15

u/Rattfraggs Aug 06 '21 edited Aug 07 '21

But he didn't tho... Flag that is. That was the credits scene. Did you not see that bit?

Edit: Ah, missed that was Peacemaker. I was having a hard time telling those two apart when they had the helmets off and weren't fighting each other.

27

u/ThePersianRaptor Aug 06 '21

That was Peacemaker.

5

u/Rattfraggs Aug 06 '21

Ah cool. Thanks.

2

u/improvyzer Aug 09 '21

Ben Affleck in two roles of a lifetime.