Mad Love

August 5th of this year Suicide Squad was released. A story where the villains are the stars. Where love meets hate and fantasy meets realism.

“David {director} is not cheesy, that’s his thing. I mean he said; I’m not gonna do this unless I can make this world ground in some sort of truth.”-Viola Davis. Thanks to the vivid cinematography of Roman Vasyanov who worked with David Ayer on previous films like ‘Fury’ a graphic world was created. A gothic world splashed with the brilliance of an oil painting. Viola Davis described it as, “each shot revealed the darkness of the world but also the vulnerability of the world, the humanity of it.” The concept of Suicide Squad is unique because the villains are the stars, not the heroes, which begs the question of who’s right and who’s wrong? Will Smith offered a solid explanation, “three weeks in they landed on the idea that It’s not a movie about good versus evil it’s a movie about bad versus evil.” Jai Courtney who plays Captain Boomerang commented, “I think there’s wonderful moments of levity in this world of chaos and distraction.”

The film is character driven and rightfully so considering the powerful roles of Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. “People seem to really relate to the flawed characters and I think it’s important not to smooth over that and try to make them perfect.” Robbie said, “especially when they need to be a ‘hero’.” It wasn’t just Marilyn Monroe who recognized imperfection is beauty, Suicide Squad embraced that wholeheartedly. “The best thing about the suicide squad is that none of them are good guys and they’re all messed up, and they have so many flaws and so many problems and issues. That it weirdly enough makes them relatable and in some cases really likable.” -Margot Robbie

Actress and model Cara Delavigne played not one but two characters, June Moone and her possessor is who the squad is up against. The mythical witch Enchantress is the actual bad guy in a movie about bad guys. As far as why fans love the worst heroes ever she said; “For everyone that watches it we all have two sides of us maybe more, and I feel like everyone can kind of relate to that, like a good and an evil.” Delevingne noticed that Suicide Squad had strong female lead roles rather than the typical supporting character or love interest. Such as Davis who played Amanda Waller, the woman who maintains power of the word’s most dangerous deviants. Robbie who stole the show as Harley Quinn, as well as Delevingne herself who played the most wicked witch of all. Delevingne commented, “I don’t really remember seeing a movie where the women got such important you know, bad ass rolls in it.”

Deranged Desire

Harley Quinn and The Joker, so much demented fun and laughter. It has been decades since the movies have shown the most entertaining levels of dysfunction. Not since ‘Girl Interrupted’ or Tyler Durden and Marla Singer in ‘Fight Club’ has madness been so mesmerizing. The star couple of the Suicide Squad is bad romance at its best. The love/hate written in gold on Harley Quinn’s revolver describes the two well, neither can seem to give one without the other. 

The Joker may be more iconic but Harley Quinn has been around for awhile too just never in the limelight. One of the best things director David Ayer incorporated into the film was backstory because a few characters were relatively unknown. It’s through these flashbacks that we get to see Arkham Asylum, the nut hut that The Joker was locked up in. During his detainment the world was temporarily spared from his insanity but he wasn’t letting his talent of telling twisted tales go to waste. He regularly talked to a psychiatrist who believed he could eventually find redemption. Instead of washing out the crazy Dr. Harleen Francis Quinzel drowned in it. She found herself in love with a madman. Not long after her confession of falling for a man she wanted to fix did she stop treating the minds of others and subsequently lost her own. They say love makes you do crazy things, mad love makes you wreak havoc. It was The Joker who nicknamed her Harley. Harley Quinn has a trail of who she used to be as well as it being a play on the word harlequin, which explains the red and black jester suit she wore in the animations. What a delightfully deranged devolution, a doctor of the mind looses her own believing she can change a man. Unlike Amanda Waller and a few others Harley Quinn had never been portrayed by a live actor before, much less given such a big role. Suicide Squad officially set the stage for the choker wearing, bat wielding, salacious psychopath. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn was the most convincing dynamic role she has ever done.

The bad guys are not the good guys. They are not like the heroes who always end up doing the right thing, the bad guys are unpredictable and the less than pure parts of ourselves love that. Add in the element of love stirred together with some serious psycho and literally anything can happen. Jared Leto with that silver grill over his signature smile, hands blinged out in rings, and skin whiter than snow. Margot Robbie just as pale, red and blue hair with matching hot pants showing off stick and poke thigh tattoos, and makeup with that walk of shame smear. Wardrobe designer Kate Hawley commented on The Joker’s looks. “He’s got about five suits. He’s even got some gold boxer shorts with the American flag on-he’s a flashy guy! In the drug cartel world pier, it’s all about number plates. Everything is vulgar and narcissistic.” These two brought vibes like Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain meets the mafia, which was some of the inspiration behind their performances. “I keyed in on some druglords and cartel bosses. There’s so much death in a world like that it seems to be a place very similar to where The Joker may live.”-Jared Leto

Demented Devotion

If Harley Quinn and The Joker were a real couple in real life you would find one or both of them behind bars. Their relationship is explosive and beyond toxic. There would be domestic violence calls constantly because of nonstop screaming and yelling coming from whatever shady apartment they lived in and dealt out of. It’s interesting that when you wipe away the fantasy it’s easy to see a story of domestic abuse, was that intentional of DC or is it just what happens when you have a jester, a joker, and guns? No one can say for certain what the underlining message might be but it’s obviously not one to add to the list of relationship goals. So much was omitted from this film including their more volatile scenes. The two had heated arguments and at one point he put his hands on her in a way that was not meant for comfort. In the animated series, The Joker shoves Harley through s window and she threatens to put a bullet in his head. Depending on the rating of the sequel we may or may not see just how damaged these two are. 

There is a scene in the movie that strangely yet seriously brings up what truly matters. The Joker asks Harleen Quinzel (the future Harley Quinn) a question that sparked thoughts of faith, love, and sacrifice. First he asks; “would you die for me?” To which she immediately says yes, then he says; “that’s too easy. Will you, would you live for me?” Again, the beautiful blonde who is about to become a pale powder keg, says yes. His response is a warning. “Careful. Do not say this oath thoughtlessly. Desire becomes surrender, surrender becomes power.”

Would you die for me? That’s too easy. Will you, would you live for me?-The Joker

A fantasy action thriller with a deranged murderous couple is not a typical place to find Jesus, but when your soul leans toward the Lord you can see Him in just about any light. I asked myself the Joker’s questions, applying it to everlasting faith rather than a torrid affair. Would you die for Christ? Then the harder one, would you live for Him?