This past weekend, the latest entry in the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) Suicide Squad was released to an impressive $133 million box office opening. The anti-heroes have been billed as the "worst heroes ever" and have resulted in a film that is divisive yet introduces film goers to one of the most diverse core casts in a superhero film yet. While one could nitpick the good and bad of the bad guys, I have decided to tackle the tough choice of determining, well, who is the best member of the Suicide Squad, professionally known as Task Force X? The following is a ranking of the main members of the group. It doesn't include The Joker or anyone who has never at any point been classified as a member of the mission. So, who is the best? Read on to find out.
1. Deadshot
It could just be that casting Will Smith in your movie forces you to give him more content, but Deadshot is the only character that feels fully formed. We see him getting to use his excellent sniper skills as well as the clever quips that Smith has made a mint on for 30 years now. He has a family and a core belief that also makes him a far more interesting character than his one note skill should have you believe. It could just be that everyone else has indistinguishable skills, but he comes out on top for simply being the most interesting and by default the best of the bunch.
2. Katana
Compared to the rest of the cast, Katana's character isn't that well formed. She randomly appears halfway through the film and has almost no discernible screen time afterwards. However, she does have something that most of this squad doesn't: a weapon. With a mystical sword that captures souls, she has quite an impressive amount of skills that make her an assassin with a far more interesting story to tell. If nothing else, her action scenes make for some of the film's cooler fight moments. Maybe in a sequel/spin-off, she will actually get a role of substance to emphasize what makes her so awesome in her vague, almost nonexistent secondary role.
3. Amanda Waller
It could just be the charismatic talent of Viola Davis speaking, but the real leaders of the Suicide Squad is a stone cold, no negotiations woman. She has a threat that comes through more in her demands than in her actual ability to kill (though she does have a moment). Still, she is the woman that you don't want to mess with, because she knows how to ruin your day - especially if you're a criminal. Her plan in the film may not make entire sense, but she manages to go from snooty business woman to someone with a plan so disastrous that you question if she's not the worst of the bunch on purpose, or just written that way. She's looking to be the Nick Fury of this evil Avengers, and that may end up being her biggest attribute.
4. Harley Quinn
This was the role that most people were buying tickets to see. Harley Quinn has been a fan favorite for almost 20 years and her sadistic, comedic chops seemed to be hailed as the thing that would make or break Suicide Squad. To be fair, her origin story is given due treatment and creates one of the weirdest love stories that also would've made for a far better film. Instead, we get the funny side of Harley Quinn, and Margot Robbie does that side justice. She is infectious and has fleeting moments of brilliance. The issue is that she doesn't make sense otherwise in a group of villains fighting evil. Deadshot has a gun. Katana has a sword. Even Captain Boomerang has a boomerang. What does she have? A baseball bat. Remember how you don't bring a knife to a gunfight? Well, the logic kind of works the same here - though she gets a memorable elevator fight scene to make up for it.
5. El Diablo
There's almost too much pressure on El Diablo to be a great character. As one of the first major Latino superheroes in cinema, it does feel unfortunate to make him a gang banger villain. His backstory is just as generic despite adding weight to his conflicts. If given more substance, El Diablo could've escaped the trap of stereotype and been a far more interesting character. As it stands, he has a great fire battle sequence in the third act. Otherwise, he's left as a tattooed man with a curse. He may have the most memorable face of the bunch, but his character is far from equal in that regards.
6. Enchantress
While the marketing would've suggested that The Joker would've been the main villain (or at least more substantial), the end game proved that Enchantress took up the mantle. After being what appears to be an aid for Amanda Waller, a woman possessed by an evil spirit becomes the film's main baddie by consuming the souls of everyone and turning them into faceless allies. Along with an extremely sexual look and a confusing motivation, she is a villain who works more as a device than someone with genuine threatening powers. She plays the familiar cards and does the familiar shtick. She doesn't do much else and mostly ranks this "high" because of her powers that may be as studio mandated as they come, but at least served as a decent threat to this decent movie.
7. Killer Croc
Killer Croc is the embodiment of this film's problem with villain selection. He is threatening and he does have enough strength to tear you apart. However, what else does he have for, let's say, the rest of the movie when he's not using his crocodile skills to maneuver the sewer? He is a stereotypical B.E.T.-loving black man whose toughness makes his disarming threats come off as awkward. Compared to everyone below, he at least is memorable enough to not be a total waste in this film. Otherwise, he's mostly just a strongman used to keep the Suicide Squad safe in times of desperate measures.
8. Rick Flag
If you walked out of the movie and had to give an opinion on all of the characters, it is likely that Rick Flag would have the least said about him. It's not because he's a bad character nor is he necessarily offensively played. He is merely unmemorable and serves more as the ineffectual managers meant to keep the Suicide Squad in check when Amanda Waller isn't around. He is fine at his job, but the lack of charisma in Joel Kinnaman's performance is enough to make him one of the least exciting characters, and makes for a good reason why he's the least publicized about character of the bunch.
9. Captain Boomerang
He is a character whose main skill is being able to find alcohol at a moment's notice, even during battle. He may throw a boomerang, but what else does he do in the film? Unlike Harley Quinn, he's not even given an interesting dynamic with the cast. He merely exists as a stowaway who drinks during most of the fighting and doesn't get much to do for over 3/4 of the film. He could be a far greater character on the page than he's getting credit for here. However, it didn't translate well enough to make him worth two cents. Even his "costume" is the least inspired of the bunch, looking more like a Los Angeles hobo than whatever Australian heritage he's supposed to embody.
10. Slipknot
I would write something substantial about Slipknot, but I feel like the time and effort dedicated to publishing it would far exceed the amount of pointless screen time that this character is given.
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