How James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” Might Save the DCEU
By Rob LoAlbo
Photos courtesy Warner Bros./DC Entertainment
The other day I received an Amazon alert for a film package that they thought might interest me. It was a seven film Blu-ray collection representing most of the DC Extended Universe (or DCEU). It was a great low price and was probably prompted to my attention as a result of my super hero-esque shopping. Yet despite my not owning any of them, I never clicked the purchase button because for the most part, the DCEU has been utterly awful.
Regarding the seven, I find that I am either indifferent (Aquaman, Justice League), decidedly meh where I was once kinda interested (Shazam, Wonder Woman - which is probably as a result of deliriously terrible WW84), or filled with outright hated from the get go (Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad). For me, the DCEU is a dreadful slog compounded by bad filmmaking, misplaced passion, executive tinkering, and studio mismanagement. It has been a comedy of errors, which is much less fun than that sounds. Thankfully, The Suicide Squad may be a sign that the winds are changing, but first let’s look at how we got here.
Started in 2013, the DCEU was a direct response to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. They were supposed to be a competitor that was grimmer, grimier, and more adult than the fanboyish Marvel product being churned out. Warner Bros, owning the rights to the DC catalogue, had great amounts of success with Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy (which of the three, consists of one great movie and one masterpiece, with the third being profoundly stupid). Since that successful and celebrated effort rebooted Batman as a gritty, street-level, real-world vigilante, it was time to reboot Superman with the same level of seriousness and philosophical chutzpah, but this time not as a standalone franchise. Enter David S. Goyer and Zack Snyder (above left and right, respectively).
Goyer had very limited success as a screenwriter (the Blade trilogy, a TV movie about Nick Fury starring David Hasselhoff) but strong results as a story writer (the Dark Knight trilogy, where Nolan was the actual screenwriter). He knew what made for a great story, but not necessarily what makes for a great movie into terms of dialogue, character arcs, thematic elements, whatever. Snyder was coming off two strong comic book adaptations, 300 and Watchmen. Although both movies have their detractors, no one can argue their spectacle: Snyder has an eye for iconic imagery. Combining them was supposed to develop a five picture film universe (which only came to three, cut short by a combination of lagging box office and the unfortunate death of Snyder’s daughter).
Their first film Man of Steel set the tone, and it was downhill from there. Described as mirthless, generic, and coldly impersonal by critics, it scored well enough with the box office to show some promise, so Snyder and Goyer got to keep the keys for the next one, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (yes, that’s the actual title, not a court decision). Where the last film only hinted at other DC players, this one would bring them on screen, and without their origin stories. With a huge shooting and marketing budget ($400-$500 million), WB was betting the farm, but despite making a profit, returns came in lower than expected. How could a movie that featured Batman, Superman, AND Wonder Woman achieve so little? Feeling less like a comic book movie and more like a philosophy dissertation, the lack of action (in addition to overly repetitive action) and overlong sequences of discussion bored audiences and turned off most who were actually into superhero movies. It was considered the movie that broke the DCEU.
Each subsequent film was nothing more than the DC toddler pounding the square peg into the round hole. That BvS was considered joyless led to tremendous amounts of studio meddling with Suicide Squad, who hacked the film into tonal oblivion. Films were combined (Justice League 1 and 2), reshuffled (The Flash), or all out canceled (Cyborg, Justice League Dark, and a Green Lantern reboot). The damage had been done and the universe was forever drowned in the wake of Marvel’s now twenty-four film catalogue.
On the immediate horizon however, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad represents a significant turning point for WB and a beacon of light in the extremely bleak DCEU. More for how it isn’t like the other films than what it is on its own, there are several reasons why this film shows that DC and WB may actually be getting themselves back into the superhero business based on several decisions in the development of this new film.
The Title - Only five years after Suicide Squad, DC and Gunn had the balls to give their film almost an identical title. So what? Well, usually when a film adopts a formerly used title, it represents a reboot, a clean slate or update, a do-over but now with better ideas. It is significant because it is DC and WB admitting that they screwed up with the first one and needed to try again. It represents humility on everyone’s part, something we haven’t yet seen in the DCEU. Sure, they restored Justice League, but it was more an extension of generosity to the Snyder family and a response to the fans. And remember: they called it Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a nod suggesting that both JL films can co-exist. Adding The in this film’s case means that it’s not only an admittance of error, but that this film is the definitive one, the better version. Snyder and Goyer have always been accused of hubris, and this move suggests the opposite.
The Lack of Goyer and Snyder - Anyone who was a producer on the first film was either not interested in, not invited to, or offered an executive producer position (which usually means producer in name only) for this one. Goyer’s fingerprints are nowhere to be found, which is the same for producer/writer Geoff Johns (whose own output quality is 50/50, far from Gunn’s almost perfect track record). Snyder and his wife have also been regulated to an executive producership, which was probably contractual, and it is doubtful that they had any real creative input other than a rubber stamp. All those who were previously involved in the DCEU have mostly been shown the door, for this outing at least. We can only hope that they stay away.
The Filmmaker - James Gunn knows what he’s doing. Take one look at his creative output and you’ll easily agree, and I’m not just talking about Guardians. Here, he is credited as the sole writer and director with few if any contributions from outside sources. That DC and WB left him mostly alone shows trust, something we haven’t seen since Goyer and Snyder initially broke that trust years ago. It shows that DC is willing to put their faith in an auteur again, and that faith may even be a blush of embarrassment in regards to how much they didn’t trust David Ayer the first go around. (Not saying that he would have done well; he just wouldn’t have done any worse.) When Gunn was initially fired from Marvel, DC was smart to snap up this accomplished filmmaker, and that Marvel afterwards rehired him speaks to his reputation. Let’s give Gunn all the superhero movies from now on.
The Returning Cast Members - It’s difficult for studios to figure out how to course correct when they make a wrong turn. There are so many fan voices and trolls out there that it’s hard to know who to listen to. DC had a keen enough ear to wade through the noise and figure out who the clear winners and losers were in terms of cast members from the last Suicide Squad. So, reenter Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). Bye Joker, Diablo, Killer Croc, Enchantress, and Deadshot - and those are some big names both in comics and celebrity status! It takes some real clout to say no to Jared Leto and Will Smith (even if the rumors are that THEY turned it down - surrrrrre….). It’s some tough love cuts, but DC and Gunn figured out what worked and what didn’t. And whoever it was that was clamoring for Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flagg, I’m glad you got your wish.
The Rating - Marvel has never been shy about it’s domineering policy of making everything PG-13 family friendly-ish. There’s nary a curse word or nude body part to be found: the ratings come from the violence, which is fairly bloodless (which also is why Deadpool entering the MCU is a consistent quandary). DC has had no problem being a bit more violent, with extended versions often ending up with an R-rating. Even though box office was middling, their first R-rated film out of the gate Birds of Prey proved that DC could appeal to a wide audience with a limiting rating by adding in some mild adult words and mature moments. The Suicide Squad carries a hard R-rating for (checkes notes) “strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity.” Wow. In fact, early reviews have stated that it is gleefully gory, and given Gunn’s early work at Troma studios, it shouldn’t come as a surprise (also, check out Slither). That DC allowed him to give in to these impulses is something that should be applauded and again shows that trust.
Although I haven’t yet seen the film, and I excitedly look forward to it, these initial decisions in the creation of the film represent a strong step in the right direction for the DCEU. More than a reboot of the film, this entry feels like a reboot of the entire DC movie universe, that the days of dour and pouty superheroes are over. The Suicide Squad represents a new tonal starting point, a spandexed foot in the right direction, which hopefully will pay off with strong word of mouth and steady box office.
Should this film do well past opening weekend, it will be a huge signal to the suits that this, in fact, worked. Allowing a talented and proven filmmaker with his or her own unique and singular vision to be left alone to make good decisions makes for a good movie. It’s so simple yet so easily forgotten or dismissed by those who think they know better. Will the upcoming DCEU films follow suit? We can only hope so. (At least they gave John Cena’s The Peacemaker his own television show.) Although few other filmmakers can match the dizzying creative heights that Gunn can, at least we can sleep tonight knowing that DC’s and WB’s decision-making skills are capable and super enough to deliver the goods.