Actor Joel Kinnaman believes that James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is the director's best movie to date. David Ayer's original Suicide Squad (2016) was ultimately a box office success, making $746.8 million worldwide. Still, it was savaged by fans and critics alike for its inconsistent tone and characterization of classic DC Comics characters. This summer, Gunn is taking his shot at the taskforce, unshackling the squad from their previous restrictive PG-13 rating and making a movie that's just as much a soft reboot as it is a traditional sequel. Kinnaman will be reprising the role of Rick Flag, leading an unlikely team of new and returning allies into the line of fire.
Releasing on HBO Max and in theatres across the US on August 6th, this R-rated take on The Suicide Squad will see Amanda Waller reunite Rick Flag with his previous cohorts Captain Boomerang and Harley Quinn on a mission to the fictional isle of Corto Maltese to unearth the secrets of a mysterious army compound. Further plot details are scarce for now, but the movie's explosive first trailer introduced audiences to a diverse cast brimming with DC Comics' deep cuts such as Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Polka-Dot Man, and Weasel. James Gunn has warned fans that most of the team won't make it; the movie's tagline seems to echo this sentiment: "Don't get too attached."
In a recent interview with Variety, Kinnaman revealed he had seen a completed cut of the "insane" new blockbuster before simply stating that it's "by far James Gunn's best movie." When pressed about his bold claim, the Altered Carbon and For All Mankind star elaborated, praising the director's singular vision for the project, one that seems to exist in stark contrast with the "conflicting visions" that mired 2016's, original Suicide Squad. Kinnaman stated that, despite being hopelessly biased about the project, he found it to be one of the most entertaining films he'd ever seen.
We saw it a couple days ago. It’s insane. It’s by far James Gunn’s best movie.
Why do you say that?
It just takes it to another level. It’s an insane film. At the same time, it was very much the movie that I thought it was going to be because the vision was so clear from the beginning. While we were shooting it, it was so clear what we were doing. It’s so entertaining. I’m of course hopelessly biased, but I found it to be one of the most entertaining films I’ve ever seen. From A to Z, it’s so well paced, it has such a drive and such comedic timing. It’s funny along the way the whole time, effortlessly. But then I think what really surprised me was I was struck by was how well it flowed, but also how he was able to create these little bubbles, these little moments of emotional depth and visual and emotional poetry. And I felt like it really transcended the genre, and it became something bigger. And then it’s also very silly, and ridiculous in many ways and super violent. Just gory almost at times. And it has shocking moments, but they are very comedic. At the end of the movie, it’s completely normal seeing this giant shark just standing gnawing on a person’s head, and some of the people just having a conversation next to it… When you’re one hour and 50 minutes into ‘Suicide Squad,’ that’s going to feel completely normal. It’s so irreverent.
Kinnaman isn't the first star attached to this new interpretation of the Suicide Squad to praise the vision of its director; just last month, his co-star Mayling Ng took to Twitter to marvel at its scope and stunning spectacle. The black belt martial artist, who's set to debut as the alien warrior Mongal, beamed, "you need to watch this in the theatre, on the biggest screen you can find and... hold on... I think I actually forgot to breathe at 1 point [sic], holding my breath so long I was dizzy!" While we won't know what the critics think about the latest entry in the DCEU until its imminent release, it's clear that Kinnaman and his castmates are confident in The Suicide Squad's course correction.
It's the first movie for James Gunn since the outspoken auteur was unceremoniously fired (and later rehired) from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The Suicide Squad's distributors, Warner Bros. Pictures, were quick to swipe Gunn up. If early reports from Kinnaman and his castmates are anything to go by, it should prove to be an excellent decision on the part of DC Comics and their parent company. Thankfully, comic book and movie fans won't have to wait long to see what's purportedly his best movie to date.
Source: Variety.
