It’s weird when a film turns out to be completely different than expected and yet, it’s just as satisfying a experience. That’s how I felt after seeing DC’s direct-to-video animated feature Batman: Assault on Arkham—a film that turns the spotlight on a set of DC villains, rather than its heroes, and does so with highly entertaining results.
After a brief prologue featuring Batman and The Riddler the film introduces us to the Suicide Squad, an unlucky “team” of lowlifes and psychos currently being held in a semi-secret government facility by Amanda Waller. Waller assigns the Squad (Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Frost, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Black Spider and the KGBeast) to retrieve information stolen by The Riddler, now being held in Arkham Asylum, before the king of quizzical quips can leak said information or Batman become aware of its existence.
For a movie headlined by Batman, the hero is really just a selling point rather than a main character, appearing only to bookend the film’s opening and final acts. The real stars here are the members of the Suicide Squad, whose candid interactions with each other are what really drives the story. Jokes, blood and sexual innuendo are served up fast and with a sharp whit as a movie about black-op mercenaries / monsters / murderers with nothing left to lose should be.
Each member of the Suicide Squad fulfills a specific role serving the devious, calculating and cold-hearted Waller Who, by the way, appears in her classic incarnation which makes her all the more AWESOME). Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and Harley are shown as the “veterans” with a knowledge of the system. Deadshot specifically is cast as the main anti-hero, taking on the role of team leader in addition to dealing with Harley’s crazy-romantic advances and Boomerang’s childish rivalry. Meanwhile, Killer Frost is cast as a deadly femme-fatale character, cool and cruel but not without a heart as she develops some sort of platonic relationship with the murderous King Shark. Shark is the muscle of the group, strong and dim-witted, but takes on the role of protector of his new friend, Killer Frost. Lastly, Black Spider is presented as the “anti-Batman”
— serious, professional and stealthy — very much at odds with his less noble comrades.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about KGBeast. Poor KGBeast simply serves to prove exactly what happens to those who don’t play by Waller’s rules… Scanners-style. Batman and Joker also play minor roles, fulfilling a secondary plot that’s more or less required to justify this as a “Batman movie.” Ironically, Batman’s presence hurts the film more than it helps, taking away some of the emotional weight behind Deadshot as a leading character. Beyond that, everything else seems to work pretty well together.
Aesthetically, the movie seems to reference Rocksteady’s Arkham video game universe (Arhkam Asylum and Arkham City). This art style translate well into the 2D space and provides us with a vividly dark and eerie Gotham, filled with some stellar character designs. The voice actors also give some outstanding performances with Neal McDonough emoting a strong and tired Deadshot; Hynden Walch giving one of the best Harley Quinn performances I’ve ever heard; and the ever amazing John DiMaggio lending his vocal talents to King Shark with a unique, underwater accent.
OUT OF 5
For me, Batman: Assault on Arkham is a hit and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a step in the right direction for the DC animated universe and I hope we see more movies that shine the spotlight on DC’s more obscure heroes and villains–they deserve it.