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The Suicide Squad First Reactions: Hilarious, Gory, Unpredictable, and Completely Insane

Critics on social media say James Gunn and DC are a match made in heaven, and their soft reboot-quel is every bit as bonkers as it should be.

by Christopher Campbell | July 15, 2021 | Comments

TAGGED AS: Action, blockbusters, Comic Book, comic books, comics, DC Comics, Film, films, HBO Max, movie, movies, Warner Bros.

The Suicide Squad is “insane.” That’s the most common word critics are using to describe the latest DC movie. The first reactions arrived on social media this week, and the over-the-top violence and comedy are the unanimous highlights of the supervillain team-up. Guardians of the Galaxy helmer James Gunn is said to be the perfect director of the material, bringing the best of both his Marvel and his Troma aesthetics together. That means a fun ensemble and hard-R gore. If you think you know what to expect after the last Suicide Squad film, you’re wrong.

Here’s what critics are saying about The Suicide Squad:

How hyped should we be for this movie?

The Suicide Squad is TOTALLY INSANE and insanely cool.
– Sean O’Connell, CinemaBlend

The Suicide Squad is absolutely insane.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

The Suicide Squad is gloriously insane and so, so fun… after watching it, you’ll think you might have dreamed it.
– Drew Taylor, Collider

Easily the most fun I’ve had with any studio release this summer season.
– Mario Allegre, Próxima Tanda

It is balls to the wall *bonkers* in very entertaining ways.
– Kara Warner, People Magazine

The Suicide Squad is fantastic! A no holds barred, superhero/comics bonanza.
– Fico Cangiano, CineXpress

The Suicide Squad is an epic all out war movie that demands to be seen on the big screen.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

Absolutely loved The Suicide Squad… Just a great movie.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider

The Suicide Squad is all kinds of kick-ass… Get excited!
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend

(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics)

So it’s full of surprises?

Unpredictable in story, unique in style and full of risks.
– Fico Cangiano, CineXpress

It’s ballsy, unpredictable.
– Sean O’Connell, CinemaBlend

An unpredictable blockbuster.
– Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Surprising in all the right ways.
– Vanessa Armstrong, Slashfilm

Excellent twists and turns.
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

Tons of surprises and things I wasn’t expecting.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider

There’s nothing like it. Damn!
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

Will DC fans love it?

This is the Suicide Squad we’ve been waiting for!
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

This is the best use of DC villains. Mind you, there aren’t a lot of predecessors. But THIS is what a Suicide Squad needs to be.
– Sean O’Connell, CinemaBlend

DC has another winner on its hands.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

What if we’re not hardcore DC fans?

Any doubts you might have over The Suicide Squad will vanish after the outrageous opening.
– Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

So this skeptic loved The Suicide Squad.
– Kara Warner, People Magazine

Enjoyable for everyone — hardcore DC comics fans and newbies alike. Go see this movie.
– Vanessa Armstrong, Slashfilm

(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics)

How is the mix of comedy and action?

Extremely funny.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider

Weird and wonderful! There are laughs aplenty.
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Big laughs, bigger action.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

Action and comedy to its fullest form.
– Wilson Morales, BlackFilmandTV.com

Hilarious. [The] action set pieces are insane.
– Fico Cangiano, CineXpress

The Suicide Squad is as funny, irreverent and violent as promised.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

How violent is it?

DC’s goriest film to date.
– Wilson Morales, BlackFilmandTV.com

The film is the bloodiest DCEU film yet.
– John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

Violent as hell, raunchy, unforgiving.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

The Suicide Squad brings equal measures of gore and F-bombs, all in the name of dumb juvenile entertainment.
– Mario Allegre, Próxima Tanda

The movie is super violent… a huge home fun for James Gunn.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider

The Suicide Squad is probably the wildest, wackiest, bloodiest comic book movie I’ve ever seen… not for the squeamish… I can see some thinking a scene may feel a little unnecessarily gross. But the film knows what it is. Feel like people have wanted a hard R and that’s what you get.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider

If you’re wondering whether James Gunn… would truly go there with the material and the R-rating, indeed they DO.
– Kara Warner, People Magazine

Idris Elba and James Gunn on the set of The Suicide Squad

(Photo by Jessica Miglio/™ & © DC Comics)

So DC and James Gunn are a good fit?

James Gunn definitely gives as much as he can for an R rating… Fans will appreciate seeing his Troma roots in display.
– Wilson Morales, BlackFilmandTV.com

Exactly the kind of clever fun we’ve come to expect from James Gunn, mixed with some fantastic brutality.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend

The Suicide Squad is one big playground for James Gunn, and you can tell he loved playing in every corner of it.
– John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

It’s pure, unfiltered James Gunn, and it’s eye popping… ALIVE with the un-compromised vision of a gonzo auteur.
– Sean O’Connell, CinemaBlend

Very clear they let James Gunn run wild and not hold back.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider

James Gunn is fully unleashed.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

Surprise, surprise: James Gunn knows how to assemble a team of badass idiots and make magic happen.
– Mario Allegre, Próxima Tanda

Gunn does it again with a hilarious cast of oddballs and under used comic characters.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color

Does the movie have an emotional side?

What I liked best was its heart. Gunn really balances the silly and the serious in a way that the two compliment each other really well. I dug it.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

It’s sometimes overwhelming. It has moments of heart, humor, action, emotion… all of it. Relentless.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

[It’s] heartfelt.
– Vanessa Armstrong, Slashfilm

What Gunn does great is he makes you care about so many obscure characters (just like in Guardians). The difference is that he’s allowed to pull the rug out from under you and kill whoever he pleases because it’s not a Disney film.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider

(Photo by Jessica Miglio/™ & © DC Comics)

How is the ensemble cast?

The cast is out of this world.
– John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

Everyone is excellent and deeply committed to the material and its singular mood and wild ass aesthetic.
– Drew Taylor, Collider

Everyone is having a blast, especially Margot Robbie and Idris Elba.
– Wilson Morales, BlackFilmandTV.com

Idris Elba, Margot Robbie and the rest of cast are awesome.
– Fico Cangiano, CineXpress

John Cena, Idris Elba, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman… all fantastic.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

Everyone is insanely fun to watch in this, but Margot’s Harley and Daniela’s Ratcatcher 2 are my faves. Idris and Cena’s banter = 3rd place.
– Kara Warner, People Magazine

Hard to even name a standout in the ensemble because everyone is just wonderful.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend

Everyone will have their own favorite from the terrific cast.
– Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Who stands out the most?

Everybody will have a different favorite character. Ratcatcher-2 really stands out!… King Shark is a legend.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com

King Shark RULES.
– Germain Lussier, io9.com

The highlights are [King] Shark and Polka Dot Man.
– John Nguyen, Nerd Reactor

Can’t wait for you all to fall in love with Polka-Dot Man. Loved that character before – love him more now… definitely gives Harley one of her best scenes period.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider