Since the critical and failure disappointment of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, it was clear that the director’s cut of David Ayer’s Suicide Squad was tinkered with in the editing room. Odd music choices, one-liners to make the film lighter, and some choppy editing that doesn’t do the feature justice. Ayer himself revealed in a tweet that the theatrical version wasn’t the film that he shot in 2015. Suicide Squad may be not one DC’s best films, but it’s certainly a movie that’s brimming with loads of potential.
Zack Snyder’s cut of the Justice League didn’t light HBO MAX subscriptions on fire, so it’s unlikely that an Ayer cut will ever be released. Ayer has written gems like Training Day, Fury, and End of Watch, so he was the perfect fit for Suicide Squad. An Ayer cut should be released that allows several plot points to be expanded on, including the shocking murder of a beloved DC character. The Ayer cut of Suicide Squad will also allow the story to be told the way the director intended,
It Can Expand On Joker Killing Robin
In a blink-and-you miss moment, Harley Quinn’s montage in the beginning states that she murdered Robin. Ayer himself confirmed that both Joker and Quinn did kill the popular DC hero, though it’s unclear which version of Robin was murdered. It’s extremely rare to see a hero of Robin’s caliber blatantly murdered onscreen in a live-action film. Having this moment on screen would’ve been a stronger introduction for Harley and Joker.
Though Robin hasn’t been seen in a live-action film for over 20 years, he’s still an important part of the DC comics. The fact that his kill didn’t have any significance on the plot itself was a missed opportunity. It’s never spoken about by any of the characters and Batman seems pretty fine with Joker roaming free in Gotham despite “The Prince of Darkness” murdering his trusted sidekick. Diving into the backstory of how these two were able to pull off such a feat would’ve put over the core characteristics of Joker and Quinn. It also would’ve given more weight to just how dangerous these villains are.
Allows For Much Needed Character Development On Joker
The purpose of Joker in Suicide Squad feels pointless overall. Gangster Joker is an intriguing alternative who should’ve been the prime antagonist; this is a man that was also an accomplice for killing Robin, yet he’s roaming around Gotham City freely after Batman successfully catches Quinn. Even with Joker aiding Quinn’s escape on the rooftop, his side story never has any impact on the main overall plot. Releasing David Ayer’s cut would allow better integration of Joker’s arc within Suicide Squad; more importantly, it would’ve given him much needed depth that expanded his character beyond generic gangster.
David Ayer borrowing from the early comics before Joker became somewhat goofier could’ve added a unique and more violent layer to a man who’s known as a criminal mastermind. The focus on Quinn and Joker’s relationship would’ve given better insight into his psyche. Traditionally, Joker has never truly loved Harley Quinn and mostly used her for his dirty deeds. However, when he dives into the acid for Harley, it proves that he cares about her emotionally. It brakes Joker’s code as he’s a man that’s never been truly capable of emotion, and leaves us wanting to understand the more interesting plots in the entire film.
It Can Fix The Uneven Tones That Doesn’t Match The Film’s Overall Theme
Warner Bros panicked when Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice was criticized for being too dour and dark. The problem was that the company didn’t understand why that criticism began in the first place. Joker, The Dark Knight trilogy, and the Michael Keaton Batman films were highly regarded as some of the best comic book movies ever made. These films were never criticized for being too dark because their stories brought a compelling complexity and morality to the genre that isn’t seen too much.
That could’ve been Suicide Squad. The morality of using convicted felons as sacrificial pawns could’ve been a thoughtful angle on the way society treats humans whose value is considered low. However, that’s not what Suicide Squad is; it’s simply another, “bad guy wants to take over the world” story. The film does come across as a clash of ideas that David Ayer wanted to explore, but it ultimately goes the predictable route. It doesn’t help that characters crack one-liners that doesn’t make sense for the scene. Given David Ayer style from his past films, it’s obvious most of these jokes were forced into the reshoots. David Ayer has tackled complex and darker themes in prior films and he should be allowed to bring his full vision to life with a director’s cut of The Suicide Squad.
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