Reviewed by Melissa Antoinette Garza
The extended cut has arrived for streaming only. The Blu-ray/DVD combo back with special features doesn’t come out until 12/13/2016, and I’m a sucker so I’ll be getting that too. I just couldn’t wait an extra 4 weeks to see the additional Joker scenes. Sometimes, I need instant gratification, especially when I’m sick. It’s a Saturday afternoon and the second time I’ve watched this in three days.
Anyone who read my previous reviews are probably aware that I adore this movie. It’s as good as THE DARK KNIGHT(2008), yet I can watch it much more often. Whereas THE DARK KNIGHT, I can watch every 2 months, I can watch SUICIDE SQUAD every 2 days. On an unrelated note, I’m also OCD.
I did see it in the theater 3 times. I saw it opening night o 8/4 in IMAX, I then saw it 3 days later at a drive-in, and lastly saw it with my nephew in 3D a week later.
Now, I’m a fan of all incarnations of The Joker and other than much of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti’s vision within the comics, I adore Quinn. I have a tattoo of the BATMAN: THE ANIMATED VERSION of them on my left arm (Riff Raff and Magenta from ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW ) on my right.
The Joker is my favorite villain of all time, and I love a lot of villains. I fully admit that my emotional investment is 99.9% due to The Joker and Harley Quinn’s romance. For that alone, it was well worth it. There was an extended version of the scene where The Joker delivers Harley Quinn electric shock therapy. For those who read the official novelization, it’s really close to the dialogue within. That said, watching Jared Leto perform the material is magic. The Joker’s anger, disgust, but enjoyment within those emotions makes the scene that was already high-powered pushed even higher. I now fully understand why Leto wanted this footage seen. He conveyed the rantings of a driven, coherent madman with a raw demanding sensuality.
The other scene that was added is when The Joker is initially trying to get rid of Harley and she chases him down on her motorcycle. The whole scene is bad-ass and definitely should not have been cut as it serves multiple purposes. It shows the absolute willingness of Dr. Quinzel (opposed to Harley) to give up everything and kill an innocent without a second thought just to be with him. In the theatrical cut, Margot Robbie portrays Dr. Quinzel in two short scenes, one of which is her transformation. This pivotal few minutes, shows the dynamic of the relationship between The Joker and Dr. Quinzel. Quinzel isn’t an innocent victim. She wants to come for the ride. She knows she’s The Joker’s soulmate.
Once the initial ruse of convincing her to help him escape jail is over, The Joker doesn’t kill her. He hurts her, but he leaves her alive. He doesn’t want to have any feelings for anyone. In this universe, if he thought he could use Harley further without emotional attachment, he would’ve taken her and she knows that. The fight between the two in that scene shows his struggle and is really what leads up to the transformation. He wants rid of her, but he wants her, and when she’s taken, he’ll do anything to get her back. Their love and odd crazy relationship is what drives this movie.
For those who thought there wasn’t enough relationship building between the Squad, they do include some dialogue driven scenes that show why the bond becomes tight so quick.
So for those who didn’t go see this in the theater, I’m sorry, but here’s the original review:
The film begins when Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) convinces the government that assembling the worst psychotics to take on any non-human entity. One of her villains is The Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) a witch who was unleashed by archaeologist, June Moone. Amanda keeps The Enchantress’s heart, which gives her control over the witch. Until, The Enchantress brings back her brother from the dead and they begin to take over the world by turning people into Alien-esque creatures who work for them.
So all in all, Amanda is totally at fault for needing the Suicide Squad to begin with. We’re introduced to each member via a backstory. Deadshot (Will Smith) isn’t really too bad of a guy. He’s a hitman, who loves his daughter. When Batman shows up, he’s about to shoot him until his daughter steps in front of him. He allows himself to be taken in.
Next is Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). I adore her. I would have watched her backstory with The Joker (Jared Leto) for hours. She, of course, starts as Dr. Harleen Quinzel and is treating The Joker. She falls for him and even brings him a stuffed animal kitty. He asks her for a small favor. All he wants in the whole world is a machine gun, and how could anyone deny him that. So, she like anybody with a heart would, gets him a machine gun. He breaks out and gives Quinzel a bit of shock treatment.
Back at his place above the vat of chemicals that turned him into the sexy beast he is, The Joker asks Harleen a few very important questions. When she is both willing to die for and live for him, she jumps into the vat. For a moment, The Joker starts to walk away. He’s a bit angry at himself for caring about her, tears off his jacket and jumps in after her. Awwww…… I love them together.
Then, they become the King and Queen of Gotham and if an idiot disrespects his queen, The Joker obviously has no choice but to kill. Also, if people are holding Harley hostage, he has to kill the people who have kidnapped her. Oh yeah, and if they get in his way or if he doesn’t like them, he has to kill them. He, after all, is still The Joker. He’s a sexy, David Bowie-esque, gorgeous killer who needs his own film with Harley.
So the Joker is left with no choice other than killing some douche who tells him he’s lucky to have Harley. The guy also crudely says, “that’s your bitch…,” as the guy doesn’t understand the regard The Joker holds Harley in. The Joker plays with the guy a little bit saying that he’s going to give Harley as a gift to him, but then, yeah, D-E-A-D. Am I the only one who finds the duo to be completely romantic? You can keep THE NOTEBOOK and TITANIC. The Joker and Harley ALWAYS does it for me and the casting here was topnotch.
After the Joker shoots the moron, he and Harley go out together. They are racing down the street and having a blast when Batman arrives. I hate Batman. He’s such a self-righteous douchebag. Seriously, why are you screwing with The Joker? Get a life!
Because of Batman, The Joker drives into water and narrowly escapes with his life. Harley is then taken from the car and brought to jail.
Of course, The Joker isn’t going to leave his lady love in prison, because he’s fucking awesome. He gets a guard to sneak her a phone that tells her, he’s coming to get her.
Now, some people were upset that the movie didn’t make a love triangle between Deadshot, Harley and The Joker. I’m SOOOO glad they didn’t. It isn’t only Harley’s strength that The Joker likes. It’s Harley’s complete infatuation and loyalty to him. It’s her willingness to throw away her career and jump into a vat and be reborn into a supervillain to be with him, that makes him want her….and it’s HOT!
It’s her complete and sworn devotion to him that not only he enjoys, but the audience enjoys too. If she ever was serious about anyone else, it would be such a betrayal to him. I hate when the comics do that. I even hate the relationship between her and Poison Ivy. I love The Animated Series version where Harley is friends with Ivy and Ivy tries to strengthen Quinn up, but when it’s put into the comic so guys have something to jerk off too, it irritates me. The Joker and Harley are perfect together and they should be a duo that rules Gotham together. By the way, how is there not a Harley & Joker comic? Why isn’t there one? MAD LOVE is my favorite comic. I love the backstory between them. Why aren’t they ever allowed a universe where they can create mayhem, screw over Batman and get away with it.
I would love to see Harley in a position to continuously save The Joker and vice versa.
Oh yeah, the other stuff….there were other characters too. Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) is a badass. He lives in water and has the exterior of a Croc. He’s strong and doesn’t mess around. He was pretty funny and also an intimidating m’fer.
Diablo (Jay Hernandez) is a guy who when pushed to the edge can start fires with his hands. He doesn’t like doing it because years ago, he got pissed at his wife and set a fire that killed everyone in the house.
Boomerang (Jai Courtney) is a huge tough guy who loves fighting and throwing his boomerang. He’s witty and funny. He definitely has a few shining moments. I wouldn’t mind seeing a movie about his character.
Slipknot (Adam Beach) doesn’t get too much air time to develop. I’m sure the character has its strong points but this just wasn’t his story.
Amanda puts Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) in charge. He’s a soldier who has fallen in love with June Moone and wants to save her from The Enchantress. On his side is Katana (Karen Fukuhara) a woman who traps the souls of her victims in the same sword her husband’s soul is trapped in.
This was definitely non-stop action. The film was smart enough to divide the time that the Joker was on screen so you never went longer than about 10-15 minutes without seeing him. Jared Leto shines. I knew he would. Ever since I saw the first picture released where everyone was upset about the tattoos, I was like, “it works..for The Joker, it works.”
Leto is different than any Joker we have seen in the past. I thought I’d be the only one rooting for him, but I wasn’t. Most of the crowd at the theater, loved him. He’s maniacal, crazy and so much cooler than Batman.
Many fans of The Joker have stated on message boards that he needed to be in the film more. I can’t deny that, but then again it could have been a 12 hour long one-man-show of The Joker and I’d say, “we need a bit more Joker.”
Overall, see this in IMAX. I know I’ll see it a few more times before it comes to blu-ray and then I’ll buy the blu-ray. I also bought the book that comes out August 9th which is the adaptation from the screenplay.
I waited a long time for this movie and now I know I’m going to have to wait a long time to see the movie about Harley Quinn.
I know Jared Leto messed around with the cast a bunch, but it was worth it. His portrayal of the Joker especially aside Robbie’s Quinn is just magic! I loved it.
Kudos all around. Everyone did a really great job. The only thing I thought was weird was at the end The Enchantress looked remarkably like the female character from THE NEVERENDING STORY. I thought it was just me, but then my mother said the same thing.
Scared Stiff Rating: 10/10 (The extended version is even better so I guess it gets an 11/10)
