The latest in the DC/WB animated-movie line is "Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay": a bad-guys-on-a-mission, quasi-sequel to all those wild adventures that have come before, featuring any number of coerced misfits.
In this case, the headliners are Harley Quinn (Tara Strong); Deadshot (Christian Slater); Bronze Tiger (Billy Brown); Captain Boomerang (Liam McIntyre); Copperhead (Gideon Emery); and Killer Frost (Kristin Bauer van Straten). They're "assigned" (of course) by governmental Amanda Waller (Vanessa Williams) to find a little item of special interest: a mysterious, "Get out of Hell Free" card that an exotic dancer named Steel Maxum (Greg Grunberg) possesses. (BTW: Maxum has a indirect connection to a mystical entity named Dr. Fate, in addition to a tyrannical one named Vandal Savage. Neato!)
Produced/directed by DC faithful, Sam Liu and written by now retired DC/Disney great, Alan Burnett, the R-rated "Hell to Pay" delivers the off-the-beaten-track thrills with zinging zest and terrific, Tarantino-tinged set-ups. At this point, the formula is nothing new, but its unpretentious, roadhouse fervor makes it worth a whirl or two around the block. (Heck, I'm gonna give it a third run tonight.)
Most of the film's success (and I must confess I'm biased in this regard) comes from the use of Harley Quinn, who was last featured in the comedic "Batman and Harley Quinn" (see Aug '17 review). That entry gave us some '90s Dark Knight pizzazz, but in this instance, gorgeous Margot Robbie's movie influence can't be denied: a wise move on Liu and Burnett's part. After all, one can never go wrong with a hot, crazy chick...I think.
Killer Frost is also a stunning sight for sore eyes and will give viewers a different interpretation from Danielle Panabaker's variant on CW's "The Flash". The fellows, particularly Deadshot (the script's hero, or rather anti-hero), are all fun, complex, and complement the justified gals-hogging-the-spotlight.
There are also significant guest stars and various cameos, which include Black Manta; Blockbuster; Count Vertigo; Knockout; Punch; Jewelee; Scandal Savage; Silver Banshee; Zoom; Two-Face; and Professor Pyg. In one scene, the latter is featured with the former in an nifty tribute to Rod Serling's "Eye of the Beholder".
Between these interweaving appearances, we're treated to unbridled bloodshed: some of it surreal and therefore amusing, but most of it raw and cruel, which will probably upset sensitive folks, but then "Hell to Pay" shouldn't attract those sorts, anyway, right? (For what it's worth, I think the featured violence makes sense within the frantic format.)
The "downside" to this endeavor, which has been my criticism of previous DC bad-as-good dealings, is that one can't help but identify (root for) characters we know are beyond redemption. (Okay, maybe Deadshot is that one exception, but to date, he still clings to his murderous ways and so...) If there was any sincere transformation among any of these characters, I'd be more at ease, but on the other hand, would I ever want such classic villainy altered? Get the dilemma? In my estimation, the ambivalence places the "Suicide Squad" missions one notch below traditional, good-vs-evil outings. Yeah, they're cool and all, but in the end, still not quite right from a moral vantage.
Even so, "Hell to Pay" will keep one glued to one's seat, eager to see what happens next. The story would have made for an excellent, live-action sequel, but as an animated endeavor, it pretty much holds its own with other DC/WB animated submissions; and considering how impressive most have been, that's quite a compliment.
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