SUICIDE SQUAD

THE INFAMOUS BLACK OPS TEAM IS BACK ONCE AGAIN SUICIDE SQUAD

BY CHRISTEN GATES WALL

ASERIOUS ARTISTIC CHALLENGE was undertaken by Director James Gunn and costume designer Kate Hawley when they sign on to the latest DC Universe project, The Suicide Squad (2021). The audience’s expectations are at the highest point. Fans of the DC Universe expect an homage to original artwork in the comics, cinema fans want to watch the same beloved characters do it all again, but better, in some undefinable way. The studio expects a return on its investment, despite COVID. What kind of artist would be brave enough to face this outrageous artistic battle for glory? Enter James Gunn, renegade director from St. Louis, Missouri. James already has a history of surprising the public. Recall his major career-defining film, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Like Suicide Squad, Guardians was funny and irreverent. It’s filled with trademarks of his own style like the use of pop music to engrave visual artistry into our memory. Try to hum “Hey, hey, come and get your love” by RedBone without thinking of a little dancing tree named Groot. To understand how The Suicide Squad earned a 91% positive Rotten Tomatoes rating compared to the poor 26% review of the first Suicide Squad (2016), we can review the role of wardrobe design. In the public’s eye, the Joker’s lover, lead actress Harley Quinn played by Margot Robbie, is remembered for her outrageous outfits. They have become a popular sexy Halloween costume. It became

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popular even though it was decisively different from the artwork in the comic books. Chinese-born American director Cathy Yan shifted Harley Quinn’s wardrobe into a lottery of different looks in the film Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020). With a considerably smaller budget - $84 million for Birds of Prey compared to $170 million for The Suicide Squad (2021) – Cathy gives Harley Quinn a personality of her own. Her busy wardrobe is a like-it or love-it for fans. Sources say the fun and colorful looks were inspired by Jeremy Scott’s luxury brand Moschino.

This leaves Costume Designer Kate with the honor of making new artistic choices. Reflet, that her responsibility is to the entire cast, not just Harley Quinn. In the film, the greatest costume designers move the story forward by showing the audience something personal about the character. However, the costumes can’t deviate from the thematic imagery of the rest of the film, otherwise, it doesn’t make sense. The designer must convince the audience that each wardrobe decision was a choice made by the individual character. Jewelry, shoes, and superhero costumes. In the world the Director has built, the character wakes up that morning and picks their outfit. Those details, just like the performance of the actors, make the story real so we want to continue to watch.

What did Kate, the costume designer, do differently? She gave the characters freedom. It’s easiest to see when looking at Harley Quinn. She was in an abusive relationship with the Joker. They even dressed alike. Harley had a chaotic phase as she tested new looks after her breakup with the Joker in the movie Birds of Prey. Now, this character chooses her own style, a red and black jester-inspired superhero suit. The aesthetic is a nod to her court jester persona in the original show Batman: The Animated Series. The full-coverage bodysuit is more tactical than the looks from her previous movies. The leather Task Force X three-piece set is skintight with a corset heart-shaped top. The script on the back of her protective leather jacket reads “Live Fast, Die Clown.” It

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symbolizes how she has formed her identity. She is no longer dependent on the Joker and no longer confused by heartbreak. Other characters make their own wardrobe choices in the film. Rick Flagg played by Jole Kinnaman is normally in a military uniform. He chooses a bright yellow T, nicely showing off his tattooed biceps. A cartoon Ultra Bunny in the center of the shirt is on its way to be immortalized in pop culture. Meanwhile, Peacemaker, played by John Cena, chooses to keep his own macho superhero costume throughout the entire film, adding to the humor. In cinema legacy, this film will propel both the director and costume designer’s careers even though the worldwide box office numbers, as of August 18th, don’t even make up for the spent budget. When a film and its characters are cherished, they are mimicked and recycled. That’s why artists keep reinventing the DC Universe. The next team of filmmakers will face another immense creative challenge to continue the story. When you look at the stepping blocks between it all, we see how much creativity it takes to leave a memorable impression on the world. Every film, even a blockbuster superhero movie, is about artistic choice. Let’s see where our choices lead us.