With summer drawing to a close, all eyes are on Suicide Squad to end the blockbuster season with a bang. After Zack Snyder's first two silver screen DC adventures, David Ayer has taken the reigns to give us something entirely different. Sadly, it's looking more and more like critics won't be won over to the DCEU just yet, as Task Force X's solo movie has been met with decidedly mixed reviews.
Having said that, Suicide Squad still has some incredibly stellar, standout moments completely worthy of recognition. Sure, the film has some flaws, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it also features several moments deserving of our attention and praise. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of the nine best moments from Suicide Squad. These sequences provided us with insane laughs, awesome character moments, and visceral thrills -- and have raised our hopes for an inevitable sequel. Without further ado, let's get the ball rolling on this spoiler-filled discussion with No. 9...
9. The Final Showdown With Enchantress
Oddly enough, Suicide Squad doesn't feature very many standout action sequences. It's a movie far more concerned with character than adrenaline-fueled battles. Having said that, the final showdown with Cara Delevingne's Enchantress (after the defeat of Incubus) most definitely stands out. Set against the flashing lights and haze created by her super weapon, the fight sequence sees Task Force X team up as the witch rapidly teleports and attacks all of them simultaneously. From Katana (Karen Fukuhara) to Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), everyone uses the skills and talents we have seen throughout the movie, but in a more cooperative manner. It's a well-orchestrated fight sequence that culminates in Deadshot's heartbreaking decision to save the world and essentially guarantee that he cannot spend eternal bliss with a hallucination of his daughter.
8. Bruce Wayne Meets Amanda Waller
If you left the theater as soon as the credits began to roll on Suicide Squad, then you might have missed one of the best parts of the entire film. The sequence sees Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) once again having dinner with a new business associate -- who turns out to be none other than Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne. The two talk about the growing metahuman threat, and Waller eventually hands over files on Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) and Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa). As the billionaire playboy leaves, Waller drops a hint that she knows about his nighttime activities as the Caped Crusader. In the face of this acknowledgement, Wayne simply turns to Waller and threatens to shut her down if she keeps using Task Force X. It's this sort of awesome mutually assured destruction that has characterized their relationship ever since the days of the animated DC Justice League TV show, and we absolutely loved it.
7. Deadshot On The Firing Range
It's worth noting that Suicide Squad definitely represents the funniest entry in the DCEU to date -- not that it's a hard distinction to earn. One of the film's funniest sequences comes when Amanda Waller and Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) arrive at Belle Reve to "audition" Deadshot for Task Force X. After a hilarious Mexican standoff with Ike Barinholtz' Griggs, Floyd Lawton begins firing the arsenal of firearms down range to the music of Kanye West's "Black Skinhead." It's a scene that completely sells the irreverence of Suicide Squad while differentiating it from the more family friendly nature of films like Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.
6. Flash Captures Boomerang
It goes without saying that no one expected to see Ezra Miller's version of Barry Allen in Suicide Squad. Imagine our surprise when Captain Boomerang's origin story saw Central City's Scarlet Speedster show up to take Jai Courtney's Aussie bad guy away to Belle Reve. Despite the fact that The Flash's cameo is an incredibly quick moment (pun obviously intended), it further stokes our excitement for Justice League and gives us a better understanding of how Flash's solo movie could actually look. Beyond that, we now have seen the seeds planted for a silver screen version of The Rogues to assemble at some point.
5. Harley's Origin
"I need a machine gun." Although Suicide Squad begins with Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn already fully formed, it still takes the time to shed some light onto her backstory. This sequence takes us back to Arkham Asylum, and we watch as the former Dr. Harleen Quinzel slowly but surely falls for Jared Leto's undeniably magnetic Clown Prince of Crime. Throughout the course of the scene, we watch as this vulnerable young woman lets her guard down and allows a bona fide monster to corrupt her soul. As fans of Harley from Batman: The Animated Series, as well as the comics, seeing these iconic moments painfully come to life on the silver screen felt like a dream come true.
4. Batman Captures Harley
David Ayer's Suicide Squad doesn't just introduce audiences to Task Force X; it also continues to get us incredibly excited about where a solo Batman movie with Ben Affleck could go from here. The flashback sequence during which Batman chases down Joker and Harley particularly stands out. Every character is perfectly realized in this moment, from Joker's recklessness, to Harley's devotion to Mr. J, to Batman's need to bring them both in alive. Once the Lamborghini goes into the Gotham City bay, Batman dives after them, and manages to rescue (and knock out) Harley in one long, underwater take. Harley even gets the last laugh, as she feigns unconsciousness to sneak a quick kiss on the Caped Crusader.
3. Lawton vs. Batman
Deadshot's Suicide Squad backstory stands out for featuring one of the coolest superhero cameos in recent memory: a back alley brawl with Ben Affleck's Batman in Gotham City. It's undeniably badass, and it goes a long way towards fleshing out the scope of the DCEU. Perhaps most importantly, this sequence shows how far the DCEU Batman has come since Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Tough but decent, he gives Lawton a chance to surrender and preserve some dignity in front of his daughter. In many ways it feels like the silver screen Dark Knight has finally begun to resemble the iconic Kevin Conroy version from the animated universe, and there's definitely nothing wrong with that.
2. El Diablo's Tragic Origin
No one could have expected that Jay Hernandez' El Diablo would go on to become the heart and soul of Task Force X. Most mainstream audiences probably had never even heard of him up until this point. The former gangbanger gets one of the best scenes in the film as he confesses his tragic backstory to the other members of the Squad in an abandoned bar. Having accidentally killed his entire family in a fit of rage, he has since given up his violent ways -- until he finds a new family in the form of his teammates. In a movie full of loud noises and bright lights, this represented a welcome moment of somber reflection.
1. The Squad's First Fight
Without question the best moment in Suicide Squad occurs once the team has officially landed (correction: crashes) in Midway City. Their first encounter with the Eyes of the Adversary is a hectic alleyway battle in which every member of the Squad gets to show off their distinct personalities and styles. Harley gleefully smashes heads in with her bat, Croc tears them apart with his fists, and Boomerang only really involves himself when he's specifically threatened. However, the absolute best moment of this sequence comes when Deadshot decides he's had enough and shows Rick Flag that he won't "cut and run." The film's orchestral soundtrack swells as he pumps bullet after bullet into the bad guys in what's arguably the most amazing money shot of the entire DCEU to date. THIS is what a Suicide Squad movie should look like, and for a while, it does.
What was your favorite scene? Let us know in the comments below!
