Suicide Squad (2016) (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max)

Initial release date: August 5, 2016

Studios: Warner Bros./DC Films/Atlas Entertainment

Taglines: Worst. Heroes. Ever.

Justice has a bad side

Plot: It feels good to be bad … Assemble a team of the world’s dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic insuperable entity. US intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying or decide it’s every man for himself?

Cast

Will Smith (Bad Boys for Life) - Deadshot

Margot Robbie (The Suicide Squad) - Harley Quinn

Ike Barinholtz (The Hunt) - Griggs

Viola Davis (The Suicide Squad) - Amanda Waller

David Harbour (Black Widow) - Dexter Tolliver

Jared Leto (Zack Snyder’s Justice League) - Joker

Common (Ava; The Kitchen) - Monster T

Jai Courtney (The Suicide Squad) - Boomerang

Ezra Miller (Zack Snyder’s Justice League) - The Flash

Jay Hernandez (CBSs Magnum P.I.) - Diablo

Adewale Akinnuaye-Agbaje - Killer Croc

Cara Delevingne - June Moone/Enchantress

Joel Kinnaman (The Suicide Squad) - Rick Flag

Scott Eastwood (Wrath of Man) - Lt. GQ Edwards

Writer/director: David Ayer (Fury; Sabotage; The Tax Collector; End of Watch)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language (123 minutes)

With the new (and better) iteration of ‘The Suicide Squad’ now playing in theaters and at the Dietrich, I figured it was time to give the 2016 movie another look. Only this time, take a look at the Extended Cut, hoping that the longer extended cut would be a lot better than the theatrical cut everyone saw in theaters five years ago. Well, it kinda was better but not by much.

The 2016 extended cut iteration did have its moments. There was a tiny bit more humor and better action than the theatrical cut. But, just like the theatrical cut, the extended version’s tone is also all over the place.

One thing the filmmakers should have done was pick a plot that is more grounded and less science fiction. They should’ve waited to bring the sci-fi element into the ‘Suicide Squad’ franchise in later sequels - or at least until people started enjoying the movies.

Deadshot and Harley Quinn are definitely the highlights of this otherwise ‘eh’ movie. Like I stated before, the 2021 iteration is way better and the R-rating that the second movie received could have helped this movie out. Well, the rating and a much better plot.

2016s ‘Suicide Squad’ and the new one can currently be seen on HBO Max.

Here are some interesting tidbits about 2016s ‘Suicide Squad’:

• Margot Robbie began training six months prior to shooting. Her training routine included gymnastics, boxing, weapons training, aerial silk training, and learning to hold her breath underwater for extended periods of time.

• The helicopter crash scene was the last to be shot, just in case any of the cast members got injured, which would delay filming.

• When perfecting the Joker’s laugh, Leto publicly tried different laughs in NYC and Toronto to see which ones made people the most uncomfortable.

• Margot Robbie did the majority of her own stunts. Writer/director David Ayer stated her stunt double spent more time sitting around in the trailers than actually performing stunts because Robbie wanted to do them herself.

• The Joker’s car, the Jokermobile, is a customized car based on an Infiniti G35 Vaydor (V35).

• Many of the Joker’s scenes were omitted from the final cut.

• Within three weeks of the teaser trailer being released, it racked up more views than both ‘Batman v Superman’ trailers.

• Writer Paul Dini, who created Harley Quinn in ‘Batman: The Animated Series,’ said he found her look optimistic and promising.

• During Harley’s on-screen stats, it briefly flashes that she assisted in the murder of Robin.

• Harley Quinn’s origin is based on the Bruce Timm-Paul Dini story ‘Made Love.’ Quinn is a psychiatrist who develops an obsessive infatuation with The Joker. While her doctor attire is based on the comic, her criminal attire is taken from her New 52 portrayal. Her plunge into the same chemicals that birthed The Joker is also from the New 52.

• Zack Snyder directed a key scene of the movie, which involves The Flash apprehending Captain Boomerang in a flashback.