The DCEU’s lowest-rated film also has one of the best casts in the franchise, and I still can’t believe how it all went wrong. The DCEU had plenty of major stars attached to its universe, including Ben Affleck, John Cena, Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Henry Cavill. However, these stars didn’t save the DCEU in the long run, as it slowly lost interest from audiences, eventually ending with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Before the DC universe is rebooted with Superman, it’s important to remember that not every film can be saved by a great cast. Justice League brought together all the biggest heroes within the DCEU, and that movie still underperformed. Many DCEU films didn’t land well with critics, including Suicide Squad, which arguably had the most star-studded cast. It’s a shame that the film didn’t perform better with critics, but there are many reasons why critics rejected it outside of the cast.
Suicide Squad Is One Of The DCEU’s Lowest-Rated Movies Despite Having An Impressive Cast Of Stars
Suicide Squad was one of the most exciting projects coming from the DCEU. It boasted a fantastic cast with Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Viola Davis, and the trailers teased a dark film with a comedic edge. Many were also excited to see Jared Leto’s DCEU debut as Joker alongside Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Harley and Joker’s dynamic had never been shown in a live-action film, and it was one of the film’s most promising aspects.
While Smith and Robbie’s performances weren’t necessarily reasons why most critics didn’t like the film, the cast couldn’t save it from getting torn to bits by critics and audiences.
However, the film landed with a thud when it premiered in 2016. It received 26% from critics, the lowest critic score for a DCEU film. Audiences weren’t kind to it either, as it had a 58% score from audiences, a surprisingly low score for any superhero film. While Smith and Robbie’s performances weren’t necessarily reasons why most critics didn’t like the film, the cast couldn’t save it from getting torn to bits by critics and audiences. It proved a cast can’t make up for a lackluster story or confusing direction, especially when the studio interferes with it.
Why Suicide Squad’s Cast Didn’t Prevent The Movie From Getting A Divisive Reputation
Suicide Squad is largely a victim of studio interference. In a 2016 report from The Hollywood Reporter, the outlet stated that Warner Bros had brought in “multiple editors” to create a “lighter, studio-favored version” that differed from David Ayer’s darker story. The studio also had many reshoots to try and change the tone, leading to a version that felt like it was conflicting with itself. However, it shouldn’t all be blamed on studio interference as the film still has many other problems.
Enchantress was a rather weak villain, and it wasn’t entirely interesting to see the Suicide Squad fight her faceless goons in the dark. The story itself has plenty of plot holes, including the team that Amanda Waller puts together, and many characters are either given not enough backstory or rushed exposition. James Gunn proved how to properly make a Suicide Squad film in 2021, and I’m glad he finally has the reins for the DC universe.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
-
Superman
- Release Date
-
July 11, 2025
Powered by
-
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Release Date
-
June 26, 2026
Powered by
-
The Batman Part II
- Release Date
-
October 1, 2027
Powered by
