Not all of Suicide Squad's villains dress colorfully and have special powers. In Amanda Waller's case, she may not draw any attention while walking down the streets, but behind closed doors, her scheming and intolerance for failure cement her as someone not to be trifled with. Viola Davis' Waller has already gotten some attention in previous Suicide Squad previews, but the latest promo places her firmly in the spotlight and what she aims to accomplish with Task Force X.
Longtime comic book fans know quite well how ruthless Amanda Waller is, but for the uninitiated, this new Suicide Squad promo (provided by IMDB) highlights her role in the movie as the team's "puppet master." She sees these "talented" criminals as tools that can be used to accomplish some good for the United States government. Conversely, you have team leader Rick Flag, who doesn't understand why she's depending on "scumbags" rather than actual soldiers.
Unfortunately for him, Waller has made up her mind, and if he crosses her in any way, he'll make sure he suffers the consequences. There's a reason she's built up an almost-legendarily dark reputation. She knows how to manipulate people's weaknesses, and it's like she says: "Getting people to act against their own self-interest is what I do for a living." Even Deadshot, one of the world's best assassins, notices how "mean" Waller is, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
The new Suicide Squad preview also features quite a bit of new footage of the other main characters in action, but for non-comic book fans, this is the best look yet at Amanda Waller's role in the movie. This isn't her first time being adapted for the big screen (see 2011's Green Lantern), but this is definitely a spot-on portrayal of her, harkening back to her comic book counterpart and appearances in projects like Justice League Unlimited and Arrow. She's willing to do whatever it takes to protect her country, and if the Squad's mission goes south, she can use the villains as the scapegoats. Oh, and if any of these bad guys try to screw up the mission, Waller has no problems detonating the micro-bomb implanted in their skull. (Something tells me that's the fate that will befall Slipknot, judging by that escape attempt.)
However, don't expect Amanda Waller to just be hanging out in board rooms and restaurants for the entirety of Suicide Squad. While we don't know exactly what's in store for her during the latter half of the movie, she's been seen in earlier commercials shooting a machine gun. Viola Davis even said she experienced heart palpitations and hearing loss after shooting particular scenes. So while Waller may be best known as the "puppet master," she's willing to get her hands dirty when necessary.
Amanda Waller's machinations will be fully seen when Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 5.
