Back in 2016, the world was reintroduced to the “merc with the mouth” Wade Wilson aka Deadpool. The superhero film was a huge risk mainly due to its R-rating, which hasn’t been proved a draw to mainstream audiences at this point. Surprisingly, Deadpool was a critical darling when it came out and the film ended up being a commercial success. That spawned a slew of R-rated superhero movies, including the latest, The Suicide Squad.
Like Deadpool in some ways, The Suicide Squad is a reboot of sorts. The first film came out in 2016, starring Jared Leto, Will Smith, and Margot Robbie. Reportedly, the group of misfits was drastically changed following the failure of Batman vs. Superman, and what audiences ended up seeing was a disappointing mess of a movie that had the potential to be DC’s version of Guardians of the Galaxy. Fast forward to August 6, 2021, and the R-rated reboot has finally been released with James Gunn at the forefront, which has been critically acclaimed since its release. With both superhero films being widely praised, which movie is better? Let’s discuss. Please note: If you haven’t seen The Suicide Squad then do not read this article as there will be major spoilers here.
Deadpool
In 2016, this R-rated gory fest is the origin story of everyone’s favorite mercenary, Deadpool, which features his hot stripper girlfriend (Vanessa), a Russian bad guy (Ajax), and two budget X-Men heroes (Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus). The thing that made Deadpool feel so fresh and new back in 2016 was the bold choice to put a psychopath front and center of a superhero film. There’s no doubt, “the merc with the mouth” is a joy to watch and Ryan Reynolds is simply perfect as the anti-hero, but Deadpool is a murderous clown, and to have a superhero film centered around a guy like that was extremely rare and exciting. The R-rating really helped with the film’s sense of humor and mockery of classic superhero tropes, while bringing characters such as Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus to the spotlight thanks to their play off of the anti-hero. Blind Al, Dopinder (Taxi driver), and Weasel were also fun additions to this world and help make Deadpool an exciting movie.
However, there’s no denying that the movie is a pedestrian film overall. When you peel back the layers of what makes the superhero film special, then you get a generic origin superhero flick, with a bland villain. I know that the film mocks the generic Russian bad guy, but Ajax isn’t given much depth to his character other than “I’m an a**hole”. It’s important to give your villains as many layers as your protagonist because they are the ones that define your heroes. Ajax just isn’t given much to chew on and his arc is disappointing overall. Deadpool’s origin story is no different than Captain America or Spiderman, which is essentially a common man being turned into this super-being and taking down a slew of baddies. It just so happens that Deadpool features strippers, murder, and a weird pizza guy. Despite these faults, there’s no denying that this is a fun movie that will make you smile most of the way.
The Suicide Squad
This R-rated flick instantly makes you forget that there was a 2016 movie within the first 15 minutes thanks to its incredible opening sequence involving Captain Boomerang, Rick Flag, and Harley Quinn and the momentum of the film doesn’t slow down. What makes The Suicide Squad pop is the characters, with the standouts being Ratcatcher 2, Polka-Dot Man, Amanda Waller, and Peacemaker. Ratcatcher 2 especially stands out, with a gang full of bad guys, she’s easily the heart of the film and her flashbacks to her as a young girl with her father are some of the stronger character work in the film. Peacemaker being a juxtaposition of who he truly is is also compelling, as it makes you wonder about the upbringing of the violent character and how his morals came to be. His feud with Bloodshot was fun and the twist of him being the bad guy was genuinely unexpected. The murder of Rick Flag was also a surprising moment and Gunn handled Flag’s death pretty well. Quinn and Bloodshot help add fun to the film, with Quinn’s red flag moment being a particular standout.
The Suicide Squad is bursting with style and colorful dialogue, and the overall story is fine for what it is. At the end of the day, this was just another “big monster threatens to destroy the world” type movie, thus there’s nothing unique about Starro, though his powers are cool. Thinker doesn’t stand out as the secondary antagonist; There isn’t much development to his character nor does his personality stand out in a fun and entertaining way. What makes this film work is the dynamic of the characters, the visuals, and the over-the-top action sequences. One particular moment that stands is Harley Quinn’s ass-kicking moment after being kidnapped and tortured. All-in-all, The Suicide Squad won’t be the most original film you’ll see all year; however, it’s surely one of the funniest and action-packed.
So, which film is better? The Suicide Squad. While both films lack compelling villains and a complex story, The Suicide Squad gets the nod because of its cast of interesting characters, gorgeous style, and action sequences.Polka-Dot Man
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