The expansion of the superhero genre in different types of storytelling has made it possible for movies like The Suicide Squad to keep fans interested months before release. A sequel to the once-hyped Suicide Squad, the follow-up also carries the baggage that comes with the original’s lukewarm reception.
Things have looked encouraging in the lead-up to the movie, due in part to the involvement of James Gunn as the director and well-known stars and established characters. That’s not to say that fans are fully on board, as some still have reservations about The Suicide Squad’s potential in delivering the kind of entertainment that is worth the wait.
Worried: For The Movie To Waste Time Setting Up Character Backstories
The first movie received a fair bit of criticism for spending the first half on stuff like the characters’ separations, quirks, and habits rather than actually showing them in real-time. With several new characters coming in for the sequel, there’s a good chance this might be revisited.
Understandably, not many are too crazy about this since it’s a lazy way to present exposition that doesn’t create much of a connection between the audience and the characters. Should this come to pass, it would mean a fair bit of the movie’s runtime will be wasted.
Excited: To See A Villain With Depth
Even years after the release of the first film, a lot of the viewers feel that the villain scenes were cheesy to watch since these were overt displays of villainy that were too on the nose. What’s gotten people talking this time around is to see a baddie with a depth in character.
The great thing about The Suicide Squad is that the villain hasn’t been focused upon, unlike the first movie that had constantly brought this aspect up. This leaves viewers hooked to see what will be in store and how the villain will develop.
Worried: Big Chance Of A Cheap Death To Undermine A Character
There are several characters with promise who the DCEU did nothing with, with the most striking one being Slipknot, who got his head blown off without opening his account in Suicide Squad. With so many characters in the sequel, it’s easy to see why this practice might be repeated.
Many have already started assuming that certain characters will perish in their first scenes, which isn’t something to be excited about since it undermines all the hype that surrounded their appearances. Fans aren’t sure if they should root for the leads all the way through as the chance of them getting killed off unceremoniously remains.
Excited: For A Film To Have A Certain Edge In The DCEU
The presentation of the first movie’s previews was such that many didn’t even care if it had storylines that went nowhere. However, the final product didn’t have an edgy feel due to the promise of the whimsy nature of the trailers being missing.
For the sequel, though, most are excited due to the presence of James Gunn as the director, who has already proven himself with the Guardians of the Galaxy series. There’s also the general feel of the previews, which have been direct and to the point, while carrying that edge the DCEU has so far lacked.
Worried: Chance Of Regressing Harley's Character Back To Being Needy And Dependent
This hasn’t been indicated in any way in the movie’s promotional material, but fans will take some time before familiarizing themselves with the new Harley. She finally came into her own in Birds of Prey, but a return to the Suicide Squad series has some worried she might be close in personality to the first movie.
The problem was that her extreme dependency on The Joker had hidden her strengths as an individual, which was seen in full in her next appearance. Should Harley return to that persona, it would be a big step back from the progress she’s made so far.
Excited: For The Humor Aspect
The DCEU was initially stereotyped as being too dark in material, which made Suicide Squad a refreshing exception. The Suicide Squad is set to turn this up to its highest lengths, what with the total focus of the film being its comedy.
None of the actors and developers have shied away from calling the movie a comedic feature that happens to be part of the superhero genre. Due to this, fans are hyped to see just how creative the jokes will be, given it has the benefit of an R-rated tag.
Worried: The Ensemble Might Not Have Balanced Narratives
The DCEU often has issues where films have multiple protagonists but are unable to divide the level of importance they require adequately. It was one of the issues in Birds of Prey as well, as the characters became dependent on Harley to move the plot with their own taking a backseat.
The Suicide Squad is heavily being promoted as an ensemble feature, with no plot threads in place that make one character the lead protagonist. With this in mind, fans are nervous to see if this will follow through in the movie since there’s a chance the focus will be put on particular characters while others are relegated.
Excited: To Check Out The Chemistry Between The Characters
The movie is unique in a way that it won’t look at the romantic connections the DCEU usually brings, instead bringing the possibility of camaraderie developing between the characters. Fans are curious to see how this cast will gel together.
No one would have envisioned these characters together in a movie, much less a major production in the DCEU, which has had the effect of adding a high level of intrigue around The Suicide Squad as people want to see how their chemistry translates on-screen.
Worried: If The Movie Isn't Relevant To The DCEU At Large
This has been a cause for concern for years by now, with the most recent release in Wonder Woman 1984 leaving few clues for its sequel. There’s no point in having a cinematic universe if things don’t tie into anything, but the DCEU has avoided doing so since Justice League.
Fans are worried if this might continue with The Suicide Squad, which will be a shame since it would end up being a one-and-done feature rather than building up the characters to continue their legacy in future titles.
Excited: For The James Gunn Twist In The Story
By now, it’s known that movies written by James Gunn generally feature a twist that changes the perspective of the story. This was seen in prominently Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Belko Experiment, and even Scooby-Doo.
The Suicide Squad is the perfect movie to bring a big twist, as the expectation is that the movie’s presentation as simple and crazy is only hiding the true revelation to come near the climactic moments. It’s not known how the director will adapt this into the story, but fans are excited to see it play out.