DCEU: 10 Ways The First Suicide Squad Movie Has Aged Well
The release of The Suicide Squad has met with a massively positive reception, with the follow-up directed by James Gunn winning over critics. The first movie had a largely negative response upon release, although supposed studio intervention has led to calls for David Ayer’s original Suicide Squad cut to be released as Zack Snyder’s has.
All things considered, the original Suicide Squad isn’t all that bad, and the movie will certainly appear to be of much higher quality for viewers who watch it today. This is due to a number of factors like the benefit of the sequel’s success and the removal of extreme hype that Suicide Squad had to deal with back in 2016, among other reasons.
10 The Family Dynamic
The team may have been thrown together for the mission, but the movie did highlight that they eventually saw themselves as a family. El Diablo mentioned this as the reason for his sacrifice, as the characters resemble a dysfunctional family who worked together when it counted.
With the continued success of franchises like Fast & Furious and Deadpool 2 also bringing this aspect forward, Suicide Squad holds up well for adapting the characters this way. Looking at the movie through this lens showcases how similar every team member was.
9 The Unintentional Humor
While the comedy fell flat for most at the time of its release, the movie has since ventured into satirical territory. It can be entertaining to laugh at things like the Joker screaming “Hunka-Hunka!” for no reason and Slipknot’s death mere moments after his introduction, as viewers won’t expect much out of these moments.
It ends up giving the movie pretty good replay value due to the many times these scenes pop up, and the hammy quality it provides can make Suicide Squad grown on viewers.
8 Margot Robbie's First Appearance As Harley Quinn
Margot Robbie has emerged as the biggest takeaway from Suicide Squad, even if her Harley Quinn isn’t always comic book accurate. Since her debut was in this movie, it will always be connected with her performance as it is the springboard from where Harley Quinn took off.
Those wanting to follow the character development of Harley need to check out her first appearance, providing Suicide Squad with excellent replay potential. She also stands out better now than she did originally due to how glaring it is that Harley is the breakout character from the movie.
7 Being The First DCEU With An Edge
Although the execution left more to be desired, Suicide Squad will always be the movie that changed things up for the DCEU. Both Man of Steel and Dawn of Justice were fairly formulaic in terms of presentation, but this movie had a flair for anti-hero characters with morally challenging decisions to make.
The dark comedy has also aged well due to similar movies like Deadpool making this part of its story, while the successful execution of the edgy material in The Suicide Squad has helped the original in hindsight.
6 Setting The Template For The Sequel
The Suicide Squad brought in many new characters like Peacemaker and Bloodsport, but the template for the movie’s structure was set by the original. Aspects like Amanda Waller’s role in preparing and betraying Task Force X, the theme of characters forming familial bonds, and the general setting of a team of criminals are all carried forward.
Since the sequel has been so well received, the first movie will now connect much better with fans since it will come across as a familiar subject matter. It should also increase appreciation for the film for setting the stage for a worthy follow-up.
5 Singling Out Flaws For The DCEU To Improve Upon In Future Movies
Checking out the first Suicide Squad will point out glaring flaws that the DCEU has since rectified. This includes things like incorporating a lame Suicide Squad villain that was Enchantress, focusing too much on character introductions, and inserting Joker when he wasn’t needed.
With the DCEU now putting in a great effort not to repeat these mistakes, Suicide Squad can be seen as the movie that took the bullet for the series to improve. Now that the frustration amongst fans for the DCEU’s flaws has ebbed away, the film doesn’t feel so riddled with baggage and the weak points can be forgiven.
4 The Portrayal Of Deadshot & El Diablo
As the flaws have been overlooked in the last five years, so have the strengths of the movie stood out. El Diablo and Deadshot were praised at the time as well for having genuine characterizations of guilt, with both looking to redeem themselves for doing wrong to their families.
Due to the characters’ absence, fans point out how comic book accurate Will Smith’s Deadshot is, and El Diablo’s quiet but deadly demeanor is engaging. Watching the first movie is the only way to find these two in the DCEU, and checking out the movie to enjoy their roles is certainly worth it.
3 Over-The-Top Violence That Is Now Commonplace In The Superhero Genre
The number of grisly deaths like Slipknot's head getting blown up and Killer Croc chomping on people was seen as extreme attempts to be edgy back then, but they fare pretty well by today’s environment. This comes down to the superhero genre embracing violence as a niche for certain franchises.
Films like Logan and The Suicide Squad have featured over-the-top violent moments, but these have tied in well with the general aesthetic of the movie. For this reason, viewers are now well prepared to embrace the same for Suicide Squad as they’ve had time to understand that violence can work in the superhero genre.
2 The Film's Soundtrack
Due to the negative reception surrounding the movie, the decision to incorporate mainstream tracks “Sucker for Pain,” “Gangsta,” among others, was criticized for giving preference for presentation over story quality. However, removing the weight of expectations allows for the soundtrack to shine, as it does tie in with character traits.
The hard-hitting track accompanying the team gives off the sense of thrill they bring and sets the mood for their mischievous antics to follow. Soundtrack quality is still not stressed upon as much in the superhero genre, making Suicide Squad a worthy exception for those who prefer music to go hand in hand with visual appeal.
1 Superhero Cameos That Highlight The Cinematic Universe
The DCEU has moved away from the shared universe style it had up until Justice League. Now, the movies very rarely feature crossovers between superheroes, making Suicide Squad a great watch as it contains plenty of material that highlights the fact that multiple heroes are present in the wider universe.
Cameos from Batman and The Flash hold up well, especially since the heroes haven’t shown up much in the following years. It also helps that they have good chemistry with the villains in their scenes, giving these special appearances an evergreen quality. These scenes serve as a reminder for DCEU fans of today of the potential for the characters to crossover in the future.