The Suicide Squad

James Gunn took the reins for this 2021 reboot-sequel, and the result is a gleefully unhinged, R-rated romp that finally does justice to the source material. After the 2016 Suicide Squad left a mixed impression, Gunn was given freedom to go bigger, weirder, and bloodier. The film drops a new squad of incarcerated misfits onto the fictional island nation of Corto Maltese, where a Marxist coup has seized a Nazi-era laboratory called Jotunheim. Their mission, handed down by the ever-manipulative Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), is to destroy the lab and all evidence of its experiments.

Gunn assembled a wild ensemble, mixing returning faces like Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn and Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag with fresh blood: Idris Elba as the reluctant mercenary Bloodsport, John Cena as the hilariously jingoistic Peacemaker, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, and Sylvester Stallone voicing the man-eating King Shark. The plot splits the squad into two teams, and the first, led by Savant (Michael Rooker), is brutally wiped out within minutes, setting a tone of ruthless unpredictability. The second team, featuring the core cast, must navigate a hostile jungle, a ruthless dictator, and their own clashing personalities while uncovering a darker secret beneath Jotunheim.

With a production budget of $185 million, Gunn delivered a visual spectacle that leans hard into its R rating, featuring inventive gore, giant alien monsters, and a soundtrack that mixes John Murphy's score with tracks like 'Gloria' by Laura Branigan. The film grossed $168.7 million worldwide, a modest return that didn't stop it from becoming a cult favorite. Its 7.5 rating on TMDB and 90% Rotten Tomatoes score reflect the love from critics and audiences who appreciated its anarchic energy and unexpected heart. [edit]

Task Force X, the government's program of incarcerated supervillains used as expendable assets, is activated by Amanda Waller for a mission on Corto Maltese, a South American island nation that has just undergone a Marxist revolution. The new regime has taken control of Jotunheim, a secret Nazi-era laboratory, and Waller wants it destroyed. Two teams are deployed: Team 1, including Savant, Captain Boomerang, Blackguard, and Weasel, is quickly ambushed on the beach and slaughtered, revealing the mission's deadly stakes. Team 2, landing separately, includes Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Harley Quinn, Colonel Rick Flag, Polka-Dot Man, Ratcatcher 2, and King Shark.

Bloodsport, a skilled mercenary with a suit that generates weapons, is coerced into joining by Waller, who threatens his daughter. Peacemaker, a fanatical patriot, is assigned to ensure the mission succeeds at any cost. Harley Quinn, captured early on, is held by the island's dictator, Silvio Luna, before she escapes in a bloody confrontation. The rest of the team infiltrates the capital, linking up with rebel leader Sol Soria. They discover that Jotunheim is not just a lab but a massive alien creature called Starro the Conqueror, a colossal telepathic starfish that the government has been experimenting on.

The team learns that Starro was brought to Earth and used as a weapon, but it broke free and now poses a global threat. Rick Flag, uncovering the truth, is killed by Peacemaker to keep the evidence hidden, but not before revealing the full scope of Waller's lies. The remaining squad members, now hunted by the island's military, decide to defy their orders and stop Starro. Bloodsport, Harley, and Ratcatcher 2 lead the assault, using Ratcatcher's ability to command rats to exploit Starro's weakness. The battle is chaotic and brutal, with King Shark providing raw power and Polka-Dot Man unleashing his energy blobs. In the end, Ratcatcher 2 summons a massive swarm of rats that overwhelms and kills Starro, saving the world.[edit]