The DC animated universe introduces a dysfunctional team of villains, the suicide squad, in their new feature Batman: Assault on Arkham. Batman takes the backburner as the film focuses mostly on the suicide squad. This film takes place within the timeline established by the Arkham Asylum video game franchise. While there is little reference to the events of the games, it is set before the events of Arkham City.
Fans of the Arkham games and comic book fans will enjoy how the film focuses on a few lesser-known villains and iconic characters fans may be more familiar with. The suicide squad, also known as task force X, is comprised of various incarcerated villains. In this adaptation, the suicide squad consists of Black Spider, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Frost, KGBeast and King Shark.
These criminals agree to use their various talents to perform covert ops in exchange for reduced sentences. To ensure public safety, each member of the suicide squad has an explosive implanted on his or her neck that can be remotely detonated. This ensures that members will not harm innocent people or attempt an escape.
The suicide squad is the brainchild of Amanda Waller, the head of a covert government spy organization, Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans. It is referenced that some members have been through the process before, and don’t readily trust Waller. Early in the film one member of the suicide squad calls Waller’s bluff, not believing that she had planted miniature explosives on their spines, only to prove to the other members that Waller has no regard for their lives.
Waller deploys the suicide squad to break into Arkham, where the Riddler apparently has confidential information, specifically the identities of every suicide squad agent ever employed. The heist to break into Arkham was by far the best part of the movie. During the squad’s exploits, a distracted Batman is scouring the city for a dirty bomb planted by the Joker. The two plot points converge when Batman learns of the break in at Arkham and the squad learns that Waller’s mission is not as straight forward as it seemed.
During the confusion of the break in and Batman’s arrival, the Joker escapes and begins to wreak havoc at the asylum. One interesting aspect of the movie is the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn, which accurately showcases several signs of an abusive relationship. While this may seem out of place in a Batman film, it’s a great opportunity to use the Joker and Quinn’s relationship as a warning for troubling behaviors.
Out of the suicide squad’s members the film focuses mainly on Deadshot, Floyd Lawton, and Harley Quinn. Michael Rowe’s portrayal of Floyd Lawton on Arrow might explain why the character takes center stage in this latest DC feature.
Overall the film was a tad action heavy and not very compelling. In a group movie it is difficult to introduce several characters at once and make the audience care about them. Either these characters need to already be established, or a significant portion of the film should be devoted to connecting the audience to the character.
Most notably, Batman: Assault on Arkham marks the return of Kevin Conroy lending his voice to the dark knight yet again. Conroy voiced Batman in the classic animated series, a multitude of animated films, Injustice: God’s Among Us, and the Arkham Asylum series.
